Research in Education of Individuals With Disabilities Program; Notice

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Research in Education of Individuals With Disabilities Program;

Early Education Program for Children With Disabilities; Technology,

Educational Media, and Materials for Individuals With Disabilities

Program; Special Studies Program; and Program for Children and Youth

With Serious Emotional Disturbance

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Priorities.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes priorities for five programs

administered by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative

Services (OSERS) under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act.

The Secretary may use these priorities in Fiscal Year 1995 and

subsequent years. The Secretary takes this action to focus Federal

assistance on identified needs to improve outcomes for children with

disabilities. The proposed priorities are intended to ensure wide and

effective use of program funds.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 30, 1994 for

the Research in Education of Individuals With Disabilities Program;

August 31, 1994 for the Early Education Program for Children With

Disabilities; the Technology, Educational Media, and Materials for

Individuals With Disabilities Program; and the Program for Children and

Youth With Serious Emotional Disturbance; and October 31, 1994 for the

Special Studies Program.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning proposed priorities, except for the

Early Education Program for Children With Disabilities, should be

addressed to: Linda Glidewell, U.S. Department of Education, 400

Maryland Avenue, S.W., Room 3524, Switzer Building, Washington, D.C.

20202-2641. All comments concerning the Early Education Program for

Children With Disabilities should be addressed to Joseph Clair, U.S.

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Room 4622, Switzer

Building, Washington, D.C., 20202-2644.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The name, address, and telephone

number of the person at the Department to contact for information on

each specific proposed priority is listed under that priority.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice contains two proposed priorities

under the Research in Education of Individuals With Disabilities

Program, one proposed priority under the Early Education Program for

Children With Disabilities, one proposed priority under the Technology,

Educational Media, and Materials for Individuals With Disabilities

Program, one proposed priority under the Special Studies Program, and

one proposed priority under the Program for Children and Youth With

Serious Emotional Disturbance. The purpose of each program is stated

separately under the title of that program.

These proposed priorities would support the National Education

Goals by improving understanding of how to enable children and youth

with disabilities to reach higher levels of academic achievement.

The Secretary will announce the final priorities in a notice in the

Federal Register. The final priorities will be determined by responses

to this notice, available funds, and other considerations of the

Department. Funding of particular projects depends on the availability

of funds, the content of the final priorities, and the quality of the

applications received. Further, priorities could be affected by

enactment of legislation reauthorizing these programs. The publication

of these proposed priorities does not preclude the Secretary from

proposing additional priorities, nor does it limit the Secretary to

funding only these priorities, subject to meeting applicable rulemaking

requirements.

Note: This notice of proposed priorities does not solicit

applications. Notices inviting applications under these competitions

will be published in the Federal Register concurrent with or

following publication of the notices of final priorities.

Research in Education of Individuals with Disabilities Program

Purpose of Program:

The Research in Education of Individuals with Disabilities Program

is authorized by Part E of the Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act (20 U.S.C. 1441-1443). The program provides support (1) to advance

and improve the knowledge base and improve the practice of

professionals, parents, and others providing early intervention,

special education, and related services--including professionals in

regular education environments--to provide children with disabilities

effective instruction and enable them to successfully learn; and (2)

for research and related purposes, surveys, or demonstrations relating

to physical education or recreation, including therapeutic recreation,

for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.

Priorities

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to give an

absolute preference to applications that meet any one of the following

priorities. The Secretary proposes to fund under these competitions

only applications that meet any one of these absolute priorities:

Proposed Absolute Priority 1--Examining Alternatives for Outcome

Assessment for Children with Disabilities

Background

Many students with disabilities are currently excluded from

national, State, and local outcome assessments and outcomes-based

accountability systems. This exclusion has the effect of weakening

educational accountability, limiting educational opportunities for

students with disabilities, and denying these students the potential

benefits of educational reforms.

This problem is addressed in new Federal legislation, ``The Goals

2000: Educate America Act.'' (Public Law 103-227, March 31, 1994).

Section 220 of this Act supports development and evaluation of State

assessments aligned with State educational standards, with a portion of

the funds reserved for developing assessments for students with

disabilities. Section 1015 calls for ``a comprehensive study of the

inclusion of children with disabilities in school reform activities

assisted under * * * [the Act].'' This study is to include ``* * * a

review of the adequacy of assessments and measures used to gauge

progress towards meeting * * * [education goals and standards], and an

examination of other methods or accommodations necessary or desirable

to collect data on the educational progress of children with

disabilities, and the costs of such methods and accommodations * * *.''

To support and complement such efforts, further research is needed on a

variety of technical and implementation issues.

Priority

The Assistant Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority

for research projects that--

(a) Pursue systematic programs of applied research focusing on one

or more issues related to outcome assessment and/or outcomes-based

accountability for students with disabilities. These issues include,

but are not limited to:

(1) Testing accommodations and adaptations. When adaptations and

accommodations are made to permit students with disabilities to

participate in outcome assessments, how are the technical

characteristics of the assessments affected? How can the results be

interpreted? To what degree can these scores be aggregated with

nonadapted assessments? What are the best methods for selecting

appropriate accommodations and adaptations? How can testing

accommodations be related to instructional accommodations?

(2) Alternative assessments. When alternative assessments (such as

performance assessments or portfolio assessments) are provided for

students with disabilities, how can these assessments be compared with

conventional assessments? What technical criteria can appropriately be

applied to these assessments when used with students with disabilities?

(3) Development of assessments. How can general educational

assessments be developed to be more inclusive for students with

disabilities? How can problematic items and item formats be identified?

How can students with disabilities be adequately represented in test

development and validation samples? What are the effects when tests

developed for general populations are administered to students with

disabilities?

(4) Including students with disabilities in general assessments.

How should decisions be made and documented to include or exclude

students with disabilities in general educational assessments or

alternative assessments? What factors influence these decisions?

(5) Standards and outcomes. How can standards and outcomes be

developed for diverse populations? How can their appropriateness be

judged?

(6) System development. How can assessment and accountability

systems be developed with the range and flexibility to accommodate

diverse student populations? How can accountability and

individualization both be maintained?

(7) Basic concepts and principles. How can basic concepts and

principles in assessment be revised to reflect new approaches to

assessment and new roles and challenges in outcome assessment for

diverse populations?

(b) Produce and disseminate information that can be applied in

educational programs, as well as in subsequent research; and

(c) Coordinate their activities, as appropriate, with the Center to

Support the Achievement of World Class Outcomes for Students with

Disabilities, and with other related projects funded under The Goals

2000: Educate America Act.

A project must budget for two trips annually to Washington, D.C.,

for (1) a two-day Research Project Directors' meeting; and (2) another

meeting, to meet and collaborate with the project officer of the Office

of Special Education Programs and the other projects funded under this

priority, to share information and to discuss findings and methods of

dissemination.

For Further Information Contact: David Malouf, U.S. Department of

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Room 3521, Switzer Building,

Washington, D.C. 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-8111. Individuals who

use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8

p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Proposed Absolute Priority 2--Studying Models That Bridge The Gap

Between Research And Practice

Background

Educational research most often includes the following phases: (1)

Planning and preparation; (2) information gathering; (3) analysis and

interpretation; (4) reporting and dissemination; and (5) use of

findings. In traditional research models, the researcher is solely or

primarily responsible for all phases but the last. Using research

findings is seen as a job for the practitioner. However, it has been

observed that research knowledge rarely translates directly into

practice.

In recent years, a variety of models have been developed to bridge

the gap between research and practice by altering the roles of

researchers and practitioners in the school district for one or more

phases of the research. In some models (e.g., interactive research and

development, teacher-researcher partnership research) researchers and

practitioners collaborate in all phases of the research process. Some

of these models include parents on their school-based teams. In other

models, practitioners, working individually (e.g., teacher research

linkers) or in groups (e.g., teacher study groups), or in pairs (e.g.,

peer coaching) interpret extant research to understand how to integrate

research into practice. In some models, teachers conduct research

(e.g., action research, collegial experimentation). To date there have

been few systematic examinations of the effectiveness of these models

to improve practice in special education.

Priority

The Assistant Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority

for research projects to implement and examine one or more models for

using research knowledge to improve education practice and outcomes for

children with disabilities.

In studying the models, projects must apply methodologies with the

capacity to judge the effectiveness of the model(s) as implemented in

practice settings. The projects must specify components of the

knowledge utilization model selected, the supports and policies

necessary to support the model, both alterable and unalterable factors

affecting practice improvement, and the effect of the model to improve

the school culture, teacher attitudes and practices, and student

outcomes. In judging effectiveness, the projects must address

improvements for researchers, practitioners, and children and youth

with disabilities.

The projects must report their findings in a manner which can serve

as a ``blueprint'' for practitioners and researchers in other school

districts to implement the model using research knowledge to improve

practice in special education.

A project must budget for two trips annually to Washington, DC, for

(1) a two-day Research Project Directors' meeting; and (2) another

meeting, to meet and collaborate with the project officer of the Office

of Special Education Programs and the other projects funded under this

priority, to share information and to discuss findings and methods of

dissemination.

For Further Information Contact Jane Hauser, U.S. Department of

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3521, Switzer Building,

Washington, DC 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-8126. Individuals who

use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8

p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Proposed Absolute Priority 3--Student-Initiated Research Projects

This priority provides support for short-term (up to 12 months)

postsecondary student-initiated research projects focusing on special

education and related services for children and youth with disabilities

and early intervention services for infants and toddlers, consistent

with the purposes of the program, as described in 34 CFR 324.1.

Projects must--

(1) Develop research skills in postsecondary students; and

(2) Include a principal investigator who serves as a mentor to the

student/researcher while the project is carried out by the student.

Proposed Competitive Priority

Within this proposed absolute priority 3, the Secretary, under 34

CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii), will give preference to applications that meet

the following competitive priority. An application that meets this

competitive priority would be selected by the Secretary over

applications of comparable merit that do not meet the priority:

A project that would give a priority to providing support for

postsecondary students who are members of groups that have been

underrepresented in the field of special education research, such as

members of racial or ethnic minority groups (e.g. Black, Hispanic,

American Indian, or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander), and

individuals with disabilities.

A project must budget for a trip to Washington, DC for the annual

two-day Research Project Directors' meeting.

For Further Information Contact Melville J. Appell, U.S. Department

of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3529, Switzer Building,

Washington, DC 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-8113. Individuals who

use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8

p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Applicable Program Regulations

34 CFR Part 324.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441-1443.

Early Education Program for Children With Disabilities

Purpose of Program

The purpose of this program is to provide Federal financial

assistance (a) to address the special needs of children with

disabilities, birth through age eight, and their families; and, (b) to

assist State and local entities in expanding and improving programs and

services for these children and their families.

Priority

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to give an

absolute preference to applications that meet the following priority.

The Secretary proposes to fund under this competition only applications

that meet this absolute priority:

Proposed Absolute Priority 1--Early Childhood Research Institute:

Follow Through

Background

This priority supports an Early Childhood Research Institute to

develop, evaluate and disseminate strategies and procedures that will

move the successful practices of early intervention and preschool

programs into the early elementary school grades. These successful

practices include, but are not limited to, (1) family-friendly and

family-focused approaches to planning and providing special education

and related services, (2) extensive parent involvement in service

planning and delivery, (3) integrated and coordinated delivery of

services when multiple services are necessary, (4) multi-disciplinary

input into service planning and delivery, (5) developmentally

appropriate services delivered in ungraded/mixed-age and mixed ability

group settings, and (6) a pro-active approach to service planning and

delivery in which services (e.g., team teaching, assistive technology

applications, use of paraprofessionals) are integrated and concentrated

to ensure that as many children with disabilities as possible

successfully acquire critical skills taught in the primary grades

(e.g., beginning literacy, social skills) that are crucial to

children's progress and adjustment in school.

The Institute's research, development and evaluation activities

must (1) identify administrative, attitudinal, and programmatic

barriers to establishing these successful practices in kindergarten

through grade three (or equivalent) for children with disabilities and

their families; (2) develop and evaluate strategies and procedures that

are designed to overcome these barriers, such as strategies parents can

use to maintain their involvement once their child reaches school age,

and strategies school personnel can use to encourage and facilitate

continued parent involvement; and (3) identify effective ways to

disseminate the findings and products of the Institute so that

successful practices, or combinations of practices, can be adopted

easily by school systems.

The Secretary anticipates funding one cooperative agreement with a

project period of up to 60 months subject to the requirements of 34 CFR

75.253(a) for continuation awards. In determining whether to continue

the Institute for the fourth and fifth years of the project period, the

Secretary, in addition to applying the requirements of 34 CFR

75.253(a), considers the recommendation of a review team consisting of

three experts selected by the Secretary. The services of the review

team, including a two-day visit to the project, are to be performed

during the last half of the Institute's second year and may be included

in that year's evaluation required under 34 CFR 75.590.

Priority: The Early Childhood Research Institute considered for

funding under this priority must--

(a) Conduct a program of research that addresses the issues

identified above.

(b) Identify specific strategies and procedures that will be

investigated.

(c) Carry out the research within a conceptual framework, based on

previous research or theory, that provides a basis for the strategies

and procedures to be studied, the research methods and instrumentation

that will be used, and the specific target populations and settings

that will be studied.

(d) Collect, analyze, and report a variety of descriptive and

outcome data, including (1) specific information on the settings, the

service providers, the children and families targeted by the Institute

(e.g., age, disability, level of functioning and membership in a

special population, if appropriate); (2) multiple, functional outcome

data for the children and families who are the focus of the strategies

and procedures; and (3) multiple outcome data for the teachers,

administrators, and other school staff involved in the research.

(e) Conduct the research in typical school settings, including

settings that are, or will be, implementing different combinations of

the successful practices.

(f) Conduct the research using methodological procedures that are

designed to produce unambiguous findings regarding the effects of the

strategies and procedures, as well as any findings on interaction

effects between particular strategies or procedures and particular

characteristics of participants or settings. These findings will be

rendered through appropriate sample selection and adequate sample size

to permit use of the findings in policy analyses.

(g) Design all activities in a manner that is likely to lead to

improved services for children with disabilities and their families,

including those who are members of cultural, linguistic, or racial

minority groups.

(h) Develop, field test, and disseminate a variety of products that

can be used for training and technical assistance activities with

policy makers, administrators, school board members, parents, and

service providers and that are likely to facilitate the implementation

of the successful practices in early elementary school settings.

(i) Coordinate research and dissemination activities with other

relevant efforts sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education,

including other research institutes, technical assistance entities, and

information clearinghouses.

(j) Provide research training and experience for at least 10

graduate students annually.

In determining whether to continue the Institute for the fourth and

fifth years of the project period, in addition to considering factors

in 34 CFR 75.253(a), the Secretary considers the following:

(a) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of

the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the

Institute.

(b) The degree to which the Institute's research designs and

methodological procedures demonstrate the potential for producing

significant new knowledge and products.

In order to apply for funding for years four and five, the

Institute must set aside in its budget for the second year, funds to

cover costs associated with the services to be performed by the review

team appointed by the Secretary to evaluate the project in the second

year. These funds are estimated to be approximately $4,000.

For Further Information Contact: Gail Houle, U.S. Department of

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Room 4613, Switzer Building,

Washington, D.C., 20202-2644. Telephone (202) 205-9045. Individuals who

use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the TDD

number at (202) 205-8169.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1423.

Technology, Educational Media, and Materials for Individuals With

Disabilities Program

Purpose of Program

The purpose of this program is to support projects and centers for

advancing the availability, quality, use, and effectiveness of

technology, educational media, and materials in the education of

children and youth with disabilities and the provision of early

intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities. In

creating Part G of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,

Congress expressed the intent that the projects and centers funded

under that part should be primarily for the purpose of enhancing

research and development advances and efforts being undertaken by the

public or private sector, and to provide necessary linkages to make

more efficient and effective the flow from research and development to

application.

Priority

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to give an

absolute preference to applications that meet the following priority.

The Secretary proposes to fund under this competition only applications

that meet this absolute priority:

Proposed Absolute Priority 1--Collaborative Research on Technology,

Media, and Materials for Children and Youth With Disabilities

Background

In 1993 an agenda was developed for the Technology, Educational

Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program which

set forth four program commitments. These four commitments were derived

from broad-based input from the field, and together they represent the

means by which the Office of Special Education Programs intends to

advance the use of technology, media, and materials with students with

disabilities. They are:

(1) Enable the Learner Across Environments. This means fostering

instructional environments, both in and out of school, that use

technology, educational media, and materials to enable students with

disabilities to access knowledge, develop skills and problem-solving

strategies, and engage in educational experiences necessary for their

success as adults.

(2) Promote Effective Policy. This means policymaking at all levels

in government, schools, and business to ensure accessibility,

availability, effective application, and consistent use of appropriate

technology, media, and materials.

(3) Foster Use Through Professional Development. This means

training and supporting teachers, administrators, parents, and related

service personnel on the benefits of instructional and assistive

technologies so that they can increase productive use of instructional

time, prepare students with disabilities for employment and

citizenship, and promote their intellectual, ethical, cultural,

emotional, and physical growth.

(4) Create Innovative Tools. This means encouraging development of

varied and integrated technologies, media, and materials which open up

and expand the lives of those with disabilities.

However, research is needed on how these interrelated commitments

can be applied in the complex reality of educational practice. This

priority addresses that need by supporting collaborative research,

which means research based on a partnership between researchers and

practitioners in which both are actively involved in all phases of the

research--initial planning and design, collection of information or

data, analysis of information or data, and reporting and dissemination.

This research strategy is intended to produce methodologically sound

research information that is relevant and applicable to practice and

reduces the gap between research and practice.

Priority

The Assistant Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority

for collaborative research projects that--

(a) Formulate a research topic and design based on commitments (1),

(2), and (3), as described above, as they relate to improving education

and/or related services at the local level for students with

disabilities. This priority is not intended to support projects that

are primarily engaged in product development; thus, commitment (4) may

be included only as a supporting activity. In formulating the research

topic, projects must develop a focus in terms of curriculum areas,

grade/age levels, disabilities, types of services provided, and/or

specific types of technology, media and materials. In formulating the

research design, projects must apply the standards for conducting

rigorous social science research. The following research topics are

offered as illustrative examples and do not represent the full range of

possible topics. These examples are broad, and projects may opt for

more narrow focuses. However, projects must address all three program

commitments--either as background, contextual factors, or as components

of interventions or manipulations.

Example 1: Research on how local policies in schools and other

agencies restrict or facilitate the acquisition and use of assistive

devices, and how professional development within the context of these

policies can yield improved assistive technology services to better

enable students to access school, home, and community environments.

Example 2: Research on how local policies regarding curriculum and

accountability can be revised to promote interdisciplinary professional

collaboration in the effective use of technology, media and materials

to enable students with disabilities to acquire high-level problem-

solving strategies.

Example 3: Research on how policies and professional practices may

contribute to inequitable access and use of technology, media and

materials for some students with disabilities, and how the inequities

can be reduced by means of policy and/or professional interventions to

better enable students with disabilities to engage in beneficial

educational experiences.

(b) Conduct a program of collaborative research on the research

topic.

(c) Measure the effects of the intervention and relationships

within and across the program commitments (1, 2, and 3).

(d) Disseminate information on the findings of the collaborative

research in a form conducive to use by other schools or service

providers, as well as other researchers.

(e) Coordinate their activities, as appropriate, with recipients of

grants under the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with

Disabilities Act (Pub. L. 100-407 as amended by Pub. L. 103-218).

A project must budget for two trips annually to Washington, DC, for

(1) a two-day Research Project Directors' meeting; and (2) another

meeting, to meet and collaborate with the project officer of the Office

of Special Education Programs and the other projects funded under this

priority, to share information and to discuss findings and joint

methods of dissemination.

For Further Information Contact: Ellen Schiller, U.S. Department of

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3523 , Switzer Building,

Washington, DC 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-8123. Individuals who

use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8

p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR Part 333.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1461.

Special Studies Program

Purpose of Program

To support studies to evaluate the impact of the Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including efforts to provide a free

appropriate public education to children and youth with disabilities,

and early intervention services to infants and toddlers with

disabilities.

Priority

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to give an

absolute preference to applications that meet the following priority.

The Secretary proposes to fund under this competition only applications

that meet this absolute priority:

Proposed Absolute Priority 1--Center to Support the Achievement of

World Class Outcomes for Students With Disabilities

Background

The enactment of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act (Public Law

103-227, March 31, 1994) will stimulate standards-based assessment and

reform in schools across the Nation. Most States already conduct

assessments of student achievement. However, surveys of States

conducted by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) funded

National Center for Educational Outcomes (NCEO) have revealed that most

States exclude large numbers of students with disabilities from

assessments. Typically, no accommodations have been provided to enable

students with disabilities to participate. In many States no policies

or guidelines exist to facilitate or encourage participation of

students with disabilities. NCEO has also observed that the development

of national and State content standards often do not explicitly

consider the needs of student with disabilities.

The new Federal law requires that students with disabilities be

included in the Goals 2000 reform efforts. Because so few students with

disabilities are currently included in assessments, States will need

considerable assistance to permit these students to participate. States

will need help developing accommodations for assessments and for

designing policies to cover the implementation of these accommodations.

States will also need assistance analyzing and reporting results of

these assessments. In addition, it is essential to document the

progress of the States in including students with disabilities in

assessments and other reform initiatives.

Priority

The Assistant Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority

for a center to assist States in implementing activities to improve

outcomes for students with disabilities and to assist in the

implementation of the requirements of Goals 2000 for students with

disabilities, and to document States' efforts in doing so.

The Center must--

(a) Work with Regional Resource Centers (RCCs), other technical

assistance providers, and directly with States;

(b) Develop and facilitate the use of appropriate accommodations

and adaptations of assessments in the States for students with

disabilities and advance and support the use of outcome related data

for these students;

(c) Document the extent to which students with disabilities are

included in State activities;

(d) Provide assistance in analyzing and reporting outcome data for

students with disabilities;

(e) Work with the Department to develop and report national level

data on the status of outcomes for students with disabilities and the

degree to which these students are achieving the National Education

Goals;

(f) Synthesize and report on technical advances in the

accommodation and participation of students with disabilities in State

activities, especially those related to Goals 2000, and ensure that

States are assisted in using such advances;

(g) Work with researchers and developers who are conducting related

work and facilitate the exchange of information among such projects,

including projects funded under the priority ``Examining Alternatives

for Outcome Assessment for Children with Disabilities'', and projects

funded under Goals 2000 authority;

(h) Assist States and the Department to ensure that standards-

setting and assessment processes and documents, as well as any other

Goals 2000 related activities, include the perspectives of the

disability community; and

(i) Conduct periodic examinations of the status of standards-

setting activities at the State and national level.

The center must budget for two trips annually to Washington, DC,

for (1) a two-day Research Project Directors' meeting; and (2) another

meeting, to meet with the project officer of the Office of Special

Education Programs to plan and review project activities and progress.

For Further Information Contact: David Malouf, U.S. Department of

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3521, Switzer Building,

Washington, DC 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-8111. Individuals who

use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8

p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Proposed Absolute Priority 2--Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Early

Intervention Services on Infants and Toddlers With Disabilities

Background

As Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act moves

into full implementation, there is a critical need to discern the

immediate and long-term effects of this program on children, families,

and service providers. Although federally mandated data collection

activities provide some information on the ages of infants and toddlers

served by the program and on the services received and their settings,

little is known on a national basis about the developmental and

behavioral characteristics of children served by the program. Moreover,

a national systematic evaluation of the impact of the Part H program on

children, families and other stakeholders within the context of child

development is clearly lacking.

Priority

The Assistant Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority

for a project to design and conduct a five-year longitudinal study of

infants and toddlers served under Part H. The project must assess the

effects of the program over a five-year period, and include an

evaluation of the Part H program impact on children, families and

service providers. The study design must consider the interaction of

program variables with variables related to childhood development. The

project must conduct analyses that:

(1) Compare and evaluate different patterns of child development

related to long-term outcomes;

(2) Assess the effects of socioeconomic, demographic and health-

related variables on long-term developmental and behavioral

characteristics of the children;

(3) Isolate and explain the long-term effects of intervention;

(4) Incorporate factors related to medical variables (e.g.,

psychological, physiological, and anatomical structure or function),

personal functioning variables, and the interaction of the environment

with these variables that could result in a disadvantage limiting or

preventing the fulfillment of an age-appropriate role;

(5) Incorporate family variables, including family background and

the need for service; and

(6) Provide information on services, service-providers, and the

appropriateness of particular service settings.

The project must budget for three trips annually to Washington,

D.C., for (1) a two-day Research Project Directors' meeting; and (2) an

additional two meetings, to meet and collaborate with the project

officer of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), and with

other relevant OSEP funded projects. The project must also coordinate

activities with the ongoing Policy Research Institute funded by OSEP.

For Further Information Contact: Scott Brown, U.S. Department of

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Room 3522, Switzer Building,

Washington, D.C. 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-8117. Individuals who

use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8

p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR Part 327.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1418.

Program for Children and Youth With Serious Emotional Disturbance

Purpose of Program

This program supports projects designed to improve special

education and related services to children and youth with serious

emotional disturbance. Types of projects that may be supported under

the program include, but are not limited to, research, development, and

demonstration projects. Funds may also be used to develop and

demonstrate approaches to assist and prevent children with emotional

and behavioral problems from developing serious emotional disturbance.

Priority

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to give an

absolute preference to applications that meet the following priority.

The Secretary proposes to fund under this competition only applications

that meet this absolute priority:

Proposed Absolute Priority 1--Nondiscriminatory, Culturally-Competent,

Collaborative Demonstration Models to Improve Services for Students

with Serious Emotional Disturbance and Prevention Services for Students

with Emotional and Behavioral Problems

Background

The rates of identification, placement, and achievement of children

and youth with emotional and behavioral problems vary across racial,

cultural, gender, and socioeconomic dimensions. For example, African-

American students are most likely to be identified as students with

serious emotional disturbance (SED). African-Americans comprise 16

percent of public school enrollment, but represent 22 percent of all

students identified with SED (based on data from the 1990 OCR survey of

school districts), and 25 percent of secondary students with SED (based

on data from OSEP National Longitudinal Transition Study). Rates of SED

identification for African-American students vary greatly across States

but, on average, States with the lowest overall African-American

enrollment have the highest SED incidence rates for those students and,

conversely, States with the highest overall African-American enrollment

have the lowest average rate of SED classification for these students

(based on data from the 1990 OCR survey of school districts). These

data suggest that African-American students may be over-represented in

SED programs in some States, and underserved in others, and that some

of these differences may be related to varying levels of familiarity

with African-American culture.

Diversity must be acknowledged and valued, and both prevention and

SED service delivery systems must be culturally-competent. Cultural

competencies represent the interpersonal skills and attitudes that

enable individuals to increase their understanding and appreciation of

the rich and fluid nature of culture and of differences and

similarities within, among, and between cultures and individuals.

Culturally-competent approaches recognize the cultural origins of

teachers' and service providers' views, behaviors, and methods. These

approaches also recognize the power of language and attend to the

communicative styles of students and their families. Culturally-

competent approaches address culturally- based definitions of family

and networks. They view family and community as critical parts of a

student's support system. Such approaches also demonstrate a

willingness and ability to draw on community-based values, traditions,

customs, and resources. Assessment, pre-referral, and preventive

approaches that are culturally-competent and linguistically appropriate

recognize and nurture the strengths--individual and cultural--that

students bring to school.

There is a need to improve the capacity of individuals and systems

to respond skillfully, respectfully, and effectively to students,

families, teachers, and other providers in a manner that recognizes,

affirms, and values their worth and dignity. To accomplish this,

collaboration must be fostered--among families, professionals,

students, and communities--to identify and provide culturally-competent

services for students with SED and prevention services that address the

needs of children and youth with emotional and behavioral problems.

Priority

The Assistant Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority

for 3-year demonstration projects that develop, implement, evaluate,

and disseminate nondiscriminatory, culturally-competent, collaborative

practices to prevent children with emotional and behavioral problems

from developing SED, and to improve special education and related

services for ethnic and cultural minority students, in the least

restrictive environment. The projects must establish local, community-

based assessment, planning, prevention, and intervention teams that

involve participation from education, mental health, juvenile justice

agencies, other appropriate community service agencies, and

organizations representing families. The first stage of each project

must consist of the development and refinement of working agreements

between the various community agencies and organizations, to identify

approaches that improve the capacity of individuals and systems to

respond skillfully, respectfully, and effectively to students,

families, teachers, and other providers in a manner that recognizes,

affirms, and values their worth and dignity.

The first stage planning must include the collaborative

consideration and development, by all participating groups, of

nondiscriminatory, culturally-competent techniques that enhance the

fairness and effectiveness of key service delivery elements, including

but not necessarily limited to assessment, education, training,

transition planning, and the provision of related services. The second

stage of each project must consist of the implementation and evaluation

of the services delivered, across service providers, followed by

dissemination of the results.

A project must budget for two trips annually to Washington, D.C.,

for (1) a two-day Research Project Directors' meeting; and (2) another

meeting, to meet and collaborate with the OSEP project officer and the

other projects funded under this priority, to share information and to

discuss findings and methods of dissemination.

For Further Information Contact: Tom V. Hanley, U.S. Department of

Education, Switzer Building, Room 3526, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20202-2640. Telephone: (202) 205-8110. Individuals who

use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8

p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Intergovernmental Review

The Technology, Educational Media, and Materials for Individuals

with Disabilities Program and the Program for Children and Youth with

Serious Emotional Disturbance are subject to the requirements of

Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The

objective of the Executive order is to foster an intergovernmental

partnership and a strengthened federalism by relying on processes

developed by State and local governments for coordination and review of

proposed Federal financial assistance.

In accordance with the order, this document is intended to provide

early notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for

this program.

Invitation to Comment

Interested persons are invited to submit comments and

recommendations regarding these proposed priorities.

All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available

for public inspection, during and after the comment period, in Room

3524, 300 C Street, S.W., Washington, D.C., between the hours of 8:30

a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday of each week except Federal

holidays.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers: Research in

Education of Individuals with Disabilities Program, 84.023; Early

Education Program for Children with Disabilities, 84.024;

Technology, Educational Media, and Materials for Individuals with

Disabilities Program, 84.180; Special Studies Program, 84.159; and

Program for Children and Youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance,

84.237)

Dated: July 27, 1994.

Howard R. Moses,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative

Services.

[FR Doc. 94-18619 Filed 7-29-94; 8:45 am]

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