Notice of Proposed Priorities

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 21, 1996)]

[Notices]

[Pages 6754-6758]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 96-3843]

[[Page 6753]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part IV

Department of Education

_______________________________________________________________________

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Proposed

Priorities; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 35 / Wednesday, February 21, 1996 /

Notices

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

Notice of Proposed Priorities

SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes priorities for three 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 1996 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 March 22, 1996 for the

Training Personnel for the Education of Individuals with Disabilities

Program (CFDA 84.029) and the Program for Children and Youth with

Serious Emotional Disturbance (CFDA 84.237); and April 22, 1996 for the

Research in the Education of Individuals with Disabilities Program

(CFDA 84.023).

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning proposed priorities should be

addressed to: Linda Glidewell, U.S. Department of Education, 600

Independence Avenue SW., Room 3524, Switzer Building, Washington, D.C.

20202-2641.

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 four proposed

priorities under three programs authorized by the Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act, as follows: Research in Education of

Individuals with Disabilities Program (one proposed priority); Training

Personnel for the Education of Individuals with Disabilities Program

(two proposed priorities); and Program for Children and Youth with

Serious Emotional Disturbance (one proposed priority). 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: 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 these children to

learn successfully.

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--Research Institute to Accelerate Learning

for Children With Disabilities With Curricular and Instructional

Interventions

Background

The consequences of failing to learn are serious. Lack of learning

in one domain reduces an individual's capacity to benefit from

educational experience. Failure establishes a self-perpetuating cycle

and negatively affects the individual's disposition toward lifelong

learning, employment, and contribution to society. Most children with

disabilities face challenges to learning. These challenges are

amplified as calls are made for higher standards to be achieved by all

students, including children with disabilities, and as more children

with disabilities are educated in general education classrooms.

Evidence from the National Longitudinal Transition Study indicates

children with disabilities are not learning subject matter content. An

urgency exists to develop powerful curricular and instructional

interventions that maximize rates of development, promote generalized

learning, and reduce discrepancies between their performance and that

of their peers.

Intervention research has demonstrated that children with

disabilities possess the potential to learn, participate, and

contribute in school, home, community, and work place. Research on

instructional interventions for children with disabilities has been the

hallmark of special education research. For example, research on direct

instruction, behavioral management interventions, learning strategies,

peer mediated learning, and reciprocal teaching has led to improvements

in professional practice.

Yet, single solution interventions are insufficient for teaching

children with disabilities complex subject matter content. In many

instances, these interventions are content free. Moreover, little

empirical evidence is available on the context of the classroom for

supporting the implementation of these solutions.

Priority

The Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority for the

purpose of establishing a research institute to study kindergarten

through grade six curricular and instructional classroom based

interventions that accelerate subject matter learning for children with

disabilities and promote its sustained use by practitioners. These

studies must examine--

(1) The effectiveness of the intervention for children with

disabilities; and

(2) The classroom context that supports the implementation of the

interventions that produce and sustain positive learning outcomes for

children with disabilities, including such factors as classroom groups;

classroom and cross-classroom management strategies; curriculum design

principles; classroom settings; instructional materials; amount of time

on task; integration into the curriculum; and teacher actions, skills,

and attitudes.

The research may include, but need not be limited to, studying

classroom based exemplars and models, designing and implementing

interventions, and collecting student and teacher data from exemplars,

using a rich array of research methods to reach the intended goals of

this priority and as articulated by the proposed research hypotheses.

The research Institute must--

(a) Design and conduct a strategic program of research that focuses

on

[[Page 6755]]

helping students with disabilities in kindergarten through grade six

learn subject matter content in critical areas such as reading and

math, and builds upon the existing research knowledge for teaching

children with disabilities;

(b) Design and conduct a strategic program of research across

multiple sites to represent organizational and demographic diversity;

(c) Collect, analyze, and communicate student outcome data and

supporting context data; and multiple outcome data for teachers,

parents, administrators, as appropriate;

(d) Collaborate with experts and researchers in related subject

matter and methodological fields, as appropriate for the program of

research, to design and conduct the strategic program of research;

(e) Collaborate with communication specialists and professional and

advocacy organizations to ensure that findings are prepared in formats

that are useable for specific audiences such as teachers,

administrators, and other service providers;

(f) Develop linkages with Education Department technical assistance

providers to communicate research findings and distribute products;

(g) Provide training and research opportunities for a limited

number of graduate students including students who are from

traditionally underrepresented groups; and

(h) Meet with the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)

project officer in the first four months of the project to review the

program of research and communication approaches.

The 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.

Under this priority, the Secretary anticipates making one award for

a 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

the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), will consider--

(1) The recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts

selected by the Secretary. The services of the review team, including a

two-day site 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. Costs associated with the

services to be performed by the review team must also be included in

the institute's budget for year two. These costs are estimated to be

approximately $4,000;

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

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

Research Institute; and

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

methodologies demonstrate the potential for advancing significant new

knowledge.

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

Education, 600 Independence Avenue SW., Room 3523, Switzer Building,

Washington, D.C. 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-8123. FAX: (202) 205-

8105. Internet: Ellen__S[email protected]

Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)

may call the TDD number: (202) 205-8953.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441 and 1442.

Training Personnel for the Education of Individuals With

Disabilities Program

Purpose of Program: The purpose of Grants for Personnel Training is

to increase the quantity and improve the quality of personnel available

to serve 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 the following

priorities. The Secretary proposes to fund under these competitions

only applications that meet these absolute priorities:

Proposed Absolute Priority 1--Preparation of Special Education, Related

Services, and Early Intervention Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers,

Children, and Youth With Low-Incidence Disabilities

Background

The national demand for educational, related services, and early

intervention personnel to serve infants, toddlers, children and youth

with low-incidence disabilities exceeds available supply. However,

because of the small number of these personnel needed in each State,

institutions of higher education and individual States are reluctant to

support the needed professional development programs. Of the programs

that are available, not all are producing graduates with the

prerequisite skills needed to meet the needs of the low-incidence

disability population. Federal support is required to ensure an

adequate supply of personnel to serve children with low-incidence

disabilities and to improve the quality of appropriate training

programs so that graduates possess necessary prerequisite skills.

Priority: The Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority

to support projects that increase the number and quality of personnel

to serve children with low-incidence disabilities. This priority

supports projects that provide preservice preparation of special

educators, early intervention personnel, and related services personnel

at the associate, baccalaureate, master's, or specialist level.

The term ``low-incidence disability'' means a visual or hearing

impairment, or simultaneous visual and hearing impairments, significant

mental retardation, or an impairment such as severe and multiple

disabilities, severe orthopedic disabilities, autism, and traumatic

brain injury, for which a small number of highly skilled and

knowledgeable personnel are needed.

Applicants may propose to prepare one or more of the following

types of personnel:

(1) Special educators including early childhood, speech and

language, adapted physical education, and assistive technology

personnel;

(2) Related services personnel who provide developmental,

corrective, and other supportive services that assist children with

low-incidence disabilities to benefit from special education. Both

comprehensive programs and specialty components of programs that

emphasize children with low-incidence disabilities within a broader

discipline may be supported; or

(3) Early intervention personnel who serve children birth through

age 2 with disabilities and their families. Early intervention

personnel include persons prepared to provide training for, or be

consultants to, service providers and case managers.

The Secretary particularly encourages projects that address the

needs of more than one State, provide multi-disciplinary training, and

include collaboration among several institutions and between training

institutions and public schools. In addition, projects that foster

successful coordination between special education and regular education

professional development programs to meet the needs of children with

low-incidence disabilities in inclusive settings are encouraged.

Projects must:

(a) Show how their proposed activities address the need for trained

personnel to serve children with low-incidence disabilities, as

identified in

[[Page 6756]]

State Comprehensive Systems of Personnel Development, in the State or

States where personnel trained by the project are expected to be

employed;

(b) Prepare personnel to address the specialized needs of children

with low-incidence disabilities from different cultural and language

backgrounds;

(c) Incorporate best practices in the design of the program and the

curricula;

(d) Incorporate curricula that focus on improving results for

children with low-incidence disabilities;

(e) Promote high expectations for students with low-incidence

disabilities and foster access to the general curriculum in the regular

classroom, wherever appropriate; and

(f) Develop linkages with Education Department technical assistance

providers to communicate information on program models used and program

effectiveness.

Under this absolute priority, the Secretary plans to award

approximately:

55 percent of the available funds for projects that

support careers in special education, including early childhood

educators;

30 percent of the available funds for projects that

support careers in related services; and

15 percent of the available funds for projects that

support careers in early intervention.

For Further Information Contact: Verna Hart, U.S. Department of

Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3519, Switzer Building,

Washington, D.C. 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-5392. FAX: (202) 205-

9070. Internet: Verna__H[email protected] Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the TDD number:

(202) 205-7381.

Proposed Absolute Priority 2--Preparation of Personnel to Serve

Children and Youth With High-Incidence Disabilities

Background: In many States, there are insufficient numbers of

personnel available to meet the needs of children with high-incidence

disabilities. In addition, the quality of personnel preparation

programs needs to be improved so that professionals will be better

prepared to help children with high-incidence disabilities reach their

individual developmental goals and meet challenging standards.

Priority: The Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority

to support projects that increase the number and quality of personnel

to serve children ages 3 through 21 with high-incidence disabilities

such as mild or moderate mental retardation, speech or language

impairments, emotional disturbance, or specific learning disabilities.

This priority supports projects that provide preservice preparation of

special educators, including early childhood educators and related

services personnel.

A preservice program is defined as one that leads toward a degree,

certification, or professional standard, and may be supported at the

associate, baccalaureate, master's or specialist level. A preservice

program may include the preparation of currently employed personnel who

are seeking additional degrees, certifications, or endorsements.

Applicants may propose to prepare one or more of the following

types of personnel:

(1) Special educators including speech and language, adapted

physical education, and adaptive technology personnel;

(2) Related services personnel who provide developmental,

corrective, and other supportive services that assist children with

high-incidence disabilities to benefit from special education; and

(3) Early childhood special education or related services personnel

who address the needs of children age three through five with high-

incidence disabilities and their families.

The Secretary particularly encourages projects that foster

successful coordination between special education and regular education

professional development programs to meet the needs of children with

high-incidence disabilities in inclusive settings.

Projects must:

(a) Show through letters of acknowledgement from States or other

documentation that the proposed professional development activities

support the Comprehensive Systems of Personnel Development of the State

or States where personnel prepared by the project are expected to be

employed;

(b) Show through letters of acknowledgement from States or other

documentation that the proposed personnel preparation meets the

standards for employment in the State or States where personnel

prepared by the project are expected to be employed;

(c) Prepare personnel to address the needs of children with high-

incidence disabilities from different cultural and language

backgrounds;

(d) Incorporate best practices in the design of the program and

curricula;

(e) Incorporate curricula that focus on improving results for

children with high-incidence disabilities;

(f) Promote high expectations for children with high-incidence

disabilities and foster access to the general curriculum in the regular

classroom, wherever appropriate; and

(g) Develop linkages with Education Department technical assistance

providers to communicate information on program models used and program

effectiveness.

Under this absolute priority, the Secretary plans to award

approximately:

55 percent of the available funds for projects that

support careers in special education;

30 percent of the available funds for projects that

support careers in related services; and,

15 percent of the available funds for projects that

support careers in early childhood education.

For Further Information Contact: Martha Bokee, U.S. Department of

Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3078, Switzer Building,

Washington, D.C. 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-5509. FAX: (202) 205-

9070. Internet: Martha____B[email protected]. Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the TDD number:

(202) 205-7381.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1431.

Program for Children and Youth With Serious Emotional Disturbance

Purpose of Program: To support 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--Center to Promote Collaboration and

Communication of Effective Practices for Children With, or At Risk of

Developing, Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED)

Background: ``Collaboration'' is one of the seven strategic targets

identified in the National Agenda for Achieving Better Results for

Children and Youth with SED, developed by the Office of Special

Education Programs (OSEP) with extensive participation by a variety of

individuals and organizations.

[[Page 6757]]

Collaboration is critically important, at Federal, State, and local

levels: ``To promote systems change resulting in the development of

coherent services built around the individual needs of children and

youth with and at risk of developing SED.'' In the past, there has been

too little interaction between agencies and service providers, e.g.,

education, mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice. Lack of

coordination between and across agencies has had a negative impact on

children and families. The new direction, demonstrated in many of the

projects currently funded by OSEP and other agencies, is toward more

``seamless'' and ``wrap-around'' service delivery models built around

the needs of students, families, and communities--systems that

coordinate services, articulate responsibilities, and provide system-

wide and agency-level accountability.

Many of these new model programs are only in their infancy, but are

already documenting their effectiveness. It is essential that

mechanisms be put in place to foster the identification, development,

and exchange of information about these innovative projects--to

communicate their findings and approaches nationally to other

communities and agencies that are seeking solutions to the needs of

children with mental health problems and their families.

Priority: The Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority

to support one cooperative agreement for a center to promote Federal,

State, and local interagency collaboration and facilitate the

identification, development, and exchange of information on effective

practices to improve services for children with SED and for children

with emotional and behavioral problems who are at risk of developing

SED. The center must coordinate and collaborate with related centers

and activities across agencies, including but not limited to: OSEP's

ongoing activities to validate and communicate the SED National Agenda;

other OSEP and Department-supported technical assistance and

information exchange activities; and the two rehabilitation research

and training centers (RRTCs) on children's mental health jointly funded

by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research

(NIDRR) and the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). The center

must provide and support information identification, development, and

exchange for Federal, State, and community-based projects and programs

providing services for children with or at risk of SED in accordance

with a plan that describes the centers schedule.

The center must:

(1) Establish working relationships with Federal, State, and local

programs and projects to identify and develop useful and usable

information for, and to foster the exchange of usable and useful

information with--

(a) Federal, State, and community-based programs and projects to

assist them in their efforts; and,

(b) Broader audiences of individuals and organizations including

parents and family members of children with or at risk of serious

emotional disturbance.

(2) Ensure and facilitate access, including electronic and

telecommunication access, to information on SED, including information

on projects funded by the Office of Special Education and

Rehabilitation Services; other offices in the Department of Education;

the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Justice; and

other sources such as foundations and associations, as appropriate.

(3) Evaluate the impact of information identification, development,

and exchange activities.

It is anticipated that initial information exchanges will rely

heavily upon information already produced by programs and projects, but

that additional information will be synthesized and developed by the

center based on findings from the available research and information/

findings provided to the center by programs and projects.

The center must also ensure that the targets and cross-cutting

themes of OSEP's National Agenda for Achieving Better Results for

Children and Youth with SED are addressed in the center's information

activities. Four areas of particular interest that must be addressed in

information activities are: (1) early identification, intervention, and

prevention; (2) behavior management, conflict resolution, and other

approaches to creating more productive and safe educational

environments for all students; (3) personnel preparation; and (4)

evaluation of community-based (local) program and service

effectiveness.

Under this priority, the Secretary proposes to award 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 center for the fourth and fifth

years of the project period, the Secretary, in addition to the

requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), will consider 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 center,

are to be performed during the last half of the center's second year

and must be included in that year's evaluation required under 34 CFR

75.590. In its budget for the second year, the center must set aside

funds to cover the costs of the review team. These funds are estimated

to be approximately $4,000.

In determining whether to continue the center for the fourth and

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

factors in 34 75.253(a), the Secretary will consider the following:

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

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

center; and

(b) The degree to which the center's evaluation methods and

information activities demonstrate the potential for advancing

significant new knowledge.

The Secretary particularly encourages applicants for this

cooperative agreement to incorporate technologically innovative

approaches in all aspects of center activities, to improve their

efficiency and impact.

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

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

meeting, in the first quarter of each project year, to meet and review

project plans and accomplishments with the OSEP project officer and

other OSEP and other agency staff to share information on the project.

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

Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3526, Switzer Building,

Washington, D.C. 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-8110. FAX: (202) 205-

8105. Internet: Tom____H[email protected]

Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)

may call the TDD number: (202) 205-8953.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1423

Executive Order 12866

This notice of proposed priorities has been reviewed in accordance

with Executive Order 12866. Under the terms of the order the Secretary

has assessed the potential costs and benefits of this regulatory

action.

The potential costs associated with the notice of proposed

priorities are those determined by the Secretary as necessary for

administering this program effectively and efficiently.

In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative

and

[[Page 6758]]

qualitative--of this notice of proposed priorities, the Secretary has

determined that the benefits of the proposed priorities justify the

costs.

The Secretary has also determined that this regulatory action does

not unduly interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the

exercise of their governmental functions.

To assist the Department in complying with the specific

requirements of Executive Order 12866, the Secretary invites comment on

whether there may be further opportunities to reduce any potential

costs or increase potential benefits resulting from these proposed

priorities without impeding the effective and efficient administration

of the program.

Summary of Potential Costs and Benefits: There are no identified

costs associated with this notice of proposed priorities. Announcement

of the priorities will not result in costs to State and local

governments, recipients of grant funds, or to children and youth with

disabilities and their families. The benefit from these priorities will

be to focus activities and Federal assistance on improving outcomes for

children and youth with disabilities.

Intergovernmental Review

Except for the Research in Education of Individuals with

Disabilities Program (84.023), all other programs included in this

notice 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 SW., 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; Training

Personnel for the Education of Individuals with Disabilities

Program, 84.029; and Program for Children and Youth with Serious

Emotional Disturbance, 84.237)

Dated: November 8, 1995.

Judith E. Heumann,

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

[FR Doc. 96-3843 Filed 2-20-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000-01-P