Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind; Notice

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of proposed priority.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes a priority under the Independent Living

Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind program. The Secretary may

use this priority for fiscal year (FY) 1995 and subsequent years. The

Secretary takes this action to focus Federal financial assistance on

States that do not currently have projects funded under this program.

The priority is intended to increase the number of States participating

in this program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 12, 1994.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposed priority should be

addressed to John Nelson, U.S. Department of Education, 600

Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3326, Switzer Building, Washington,

D.C. 20202-2741. Comments may also be sent through the internet to

``[email protected].''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Raymond Melhoff, U.S. Department of

Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3416, Switzer Building,

Washington, D.C. 20202-2741. Telephone: (202) 205-9320. Individuals who

use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TTD) may call (202) 205-

9362.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice contains one proposed

priority under the Independent Living Services for Older

Individuals Who Are Blind program. Grants under this program are

authorized by section 752(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

(Act), as amended. The expenditure of grant funds under this

program is governed by the regulations in 34 CFR Part 367, which

were published in the Federal Register on August 15, 1994 (59 FR

41910).

The purpose of this program is to support projects that provide to

older individuals who are blind any of the independent living services

that are described in 34 CFR 367.3(b); conduct activities that will

improve or expand services for these individuals; and conduct

activities to help improve public understanding of the problems of

these individuals.

This program is an important part of the National Education Goals.

This programs supports the National Education Goal that, by the year

2000, every adult American will be literate and will possess the

knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and

exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

Any designated State agency (DSA) that meets the requirements in 34

CFR 367.2 is eligible to receive an award under this program. A DSA's

application for funds under this program must contain the assurances

required by 34 CFR 367.11 and any other agreements, assurances, and

information that the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out

this program. In addition, section 21 of the Act requires that projects

funded under this program must demonstrate how they will address, in

whole or in part, the needs of older individuals who are blind and are

from minority backgrounds.

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

Federal Register. The final priority 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 nature of the final priority, and the quality of the

applications received. The publication of this proposed priority does

not preclude the Secretary from proposing additional priorities, nor

does it limit the Secretary to funding only this priority, subject to

meeting applicable rulemaking requirements.

Note: This notice of proposed priority does not solicit

applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition

will be published in the Federal Register concurrent with or

following publication of the notice of final priority.

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:

Background

The Department funded projects in 45 States in fiscal year 1994 to

provide independent living services for older individuals who are

blind. The Secretary is interested in supporting projects in States

that do not currently have projects funded under this program. This

priority would increase the number of States providing services to

older individuals who are blind under this program.

Priority

Projects must provide services to older individuals who are blind

in States that do not currently have projects funded under this

program.

Intergovernmental Review

This program is 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 this proposed priority.

All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available

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

3326, Mary Switzer Building, 330 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.

Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR Part 367.

Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 796f.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.177A, Independent

Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind)

Dated: November 2, 1994.

Howard R. Moses,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative

Services.

[FR Doc. 94-27778 Filed 11-9-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000-01-P