Training Personnel for the Education of Individuals With Disabilities

SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes to waive 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

proposes to waive this EDGAR requirement for the National Center for

Minority Special Education Research and Outreach, and the Outreach

Alliance 2000 Project. The Secretary proposes to issue continuation

awards to both Centers in order to ensure the most efficient use of

Federal funds.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 15, 1995.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposed waiver should be

addressed to Linda Glidewell or Victoria Ware, U.S. Department of

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

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

9099, or Victoria Ware, telephone: (202) 205-8687. 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 610(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 following the 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. The Department is therefore soliciting public comment on

the proposed waiver.

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.

Therefore, the Department proposes to issue continuation awards to

the current grantees for one year, with a maximum of two years, to take

into account the possibility of a delayed reauthorization cycle.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

The Secretary certifies that this proposed waiver would not have a

significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

The small entities that would be affected by this proposed waiver

are the two Centers currently receiving Federal funds. However, the

waiver would not have a significant economic impact on the Centers

because the waiver would not impose excessive regulatory burdens or

require unnecessary Federal supervision. The waiver would impose

minimal requirements to ensure the proper expenditure of program

funds--requirements that are those standard to continuation awards.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980

This proposed waiver has been examined under the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1980 and has been found to contain no information

collection requirements.

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 waiver.

All comments submitted in response to this proposed waiver will be

available for public inspection, during and after the comment period,

in room 3521, 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.

To assist the department in complying with the specific

requirements of Executive Order 12291 and the Paperwork Reduction Act

of 1980 and their overall requirement of reducing regulatory burden,

the Secretary invites comment on whether there may be further

opportunities to reduce any regulatory burdens found in this proposed

waiver.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.029, Training

Personnel for the Education of Individuals with Disabilities)

Dated: April 10, 1995.

Judith E. Heumann,

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

[FR Doc. 95-9195 Filed 4-13-95; 8:45 am]

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