Training Personnel for the Education of Individuals With Disabilities

SUMMARY: The Secretary waives the requirements in EDGAR at 34 CFR

75.261(a) that generally prohibit project extensions that involve the

additional obligation of Federal funds. The Secretary waives this EDGAR

requirement for the National Center for Minority Special Education

Research and Outreach, and the Outreach Alliance 2000 Project. The

Secretary will issue continuation awards to both Centers in order to

ensure the most efficient use of Federal funds.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This waiver takes effect on August 7, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Glidewell, telephone: (202) 205-

9099, or Victoria Ware, telephone: (202) 205-8687, U.S. Department of

Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-2641.

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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 19, 1991, the Department issued a

Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards under the Training

Personnel for the Education of Individuals With Disabilities for Fiscal

Year 1991. In this notice, the Department announced that it would make

two awards for up to 48 months pursuant to section 6l0(j)(2)(C) of the

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which directed the

Secretary to develop and implement a plan for providing outreach

services to minority entities and underrepresented populations to

assist them in participating more fully in the discretionary grant

programs authorized in Parts C through G of IDEA.

Specifically, the Secretary advised that the Department would fund

two Centers, one to provide technical assistance to the agencies,

institutions, organizations, and populations identified by Congress

seeking grant support for personnel preparation (Part D of the Act).

The other Center was designed to provide technical assistance to the

targeted entities and populations seeking support for research and the

other activities authorized in Parts C, E, F, and G of the Act. The

EDGAR selection criteria were used in making the selection.

The grant periods have ended for the two Centers, which are

currently expending the balance of their fiscal year 1994 funds to

carry out approved project activities. In order to conduct the section

610(j)(2)(C) plan activities with fiscal year 1995 support, it is

necessary to either recompete the projects for one year or to issue

continuation awards to the existing grantees.

Based upon the following factors, the Department believes it makes

the most programmatic sense and is the most efficient use of Federal

funds to issue continuation awards. However, to do so, the Department

must waive the requirements in EDGAR at 34 CFR 75.261(a) that generally

prohibit project extensions that involve the additional obligation of

Federal funds.

Reasons

If the Department had to recompete these multi-year outreach

Centers this year, the Department would wastefully expend resources for

a program that might not be reauthorized. If the program is

reauthorized, it may contain substantially different programmatic

requirements. Such changes would require the Department to recompete

the projects one year later based on the new statute.

Public Comment

On April 14, 1995, the Secretary published a notice of proposed

waiver for the two centers in the Federal Register (60 FR 19152). In

the notice of proposed waiver the Secretary invited public comments.

The Secretary did not receive any comments.

Waiver

Based on the response to the notice of proposed waiver, the

Secretary waives the application of 34 CFR 75.261(a) to the Part D

Center authorized under Parts C, E, F, and G of the IDEA. Thus, the

Department will issue one-year continuation awards to the current

grantees that meet the standards for continuation in 34 CFR 75.253 and,

if reauthorization is delayed past the date needed to conduct a

competition for FY 1996 funds, the Department will extend the projects

for a second-year continuation award, if the current grantees meet the

standards for continuation awards in 34 CFR 75.253.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980

This waiver has been examined under the Paperwork Reduction Act of

1980 and has been found to contain no information collection

requirements.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.029, Training

Personnel for the Education of Individuals With Disabilities.)

Dated: June 29, 1995.

Judith E. Heumann,

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

[FR Doc. 95-16477 Filed 7-5-95; 8:45 am]

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