[Federal Register: April 10, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 69)]
[Notices]
[Page 17590-17592]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10ap02-149]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Program of Research on Reading Comprehension
AGENCY: Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice of final priority.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary announces a final priority for a
Program of Research on Reading Comprehension. The Assistant Secretary
may use this priority for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2002 and in
later fiscal years. We take this action to build a scientific
foundation for educational practice by supporting rigorous research on
reading comprehension. We intend this priority to produce research
findings that will change instructional practice and promote academic
achievement.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This priority is effective May 10, 2002.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne P. Sweet or Rita Foy Moss, U.S.
Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., room 513,
Washington, DC 20208-5573. Telephone: (202) 219-0610 or FAX: (202) 219-
2135.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI),
authorized under Title IX of Public Law 103-227 (20 U.S.C. 6001 et
seq.), supports research and development activities designed to provide
essential knowledge for the improvement of education. Although
significant advances have been made in knowledge about early reading
skills, much less is known about reading comprehension. Reading
comprehension is necessary for academic achievement in virtually all
school subjects and for economic self-sufficiency in cognitively
demanding work environments. Improving reading comprehension, and
providing all members of society with equal opportunities to attain a
high level of literacy, require a focused program of educational
research. Knowledge gained from such educational research can help
guide the national investment in education and support local and State
reform efforts. Because this targeted program of research focuses on an
enduring problem of practice, it will be the primary mechanism for
pursuing new knowledge about reading comprehension.
Prior to publishing the notice of proposed priority, OERI reviewed
the Report of the National Reading Panel (2000) and the RAND Reading
Study Group Report (2001) to identify the most needed reading research
and development activities. Following this review, OERI proposed this
priority, recognizing that critical frontiers for reading research,
such as deriving empirically-grounded theories of comprehension
development and reading instruction across the full range of ages and
grades, have barely been broached in the research literature. OERI's
Program of Research on Reading Comprehension (PRRC) is intended to
expand scientific knowledge of how students develop proficient levels
of reading comprehension, how reading comprehension can be taught most
optimally, and how reading comprehension can be assessed in ways that
reflect as well as advance our current understanding of reading
comprehension and its development. An overarching goal of the program
is to obtain converging empirical evidence on the development and
assessment of comprehension that coheres with scientifically supported
theories of the processes involved in reading comprehension. A further
purpose is to provide a scientific foundation for approaches to
comprehension instruction that allow students to achieve proficient
levels of comprehension across a range of texts and subjects.
We published a notice of proposed priority for this program in the
Federal Register on January 22, 2002 (67 FR 2864). Except for minor
revisions, there are no differences between the notice of proposed
priority and this notice of final priority.
[[Page 17591]]
Analysis of Comments and Changes
In response to our invitation in the notice of proposed priority,
three parties submitted written comments. Letters of support for the
Secretary's priority or letters of support for existing teaching
practices and programs are not included among this count. The Secretary
has reviewed the three public comments and believes that the proposed
priority as written is broad enough to encompass the specific research
topics recommended by the commenters. An analysis of the comments
follows. We group major issues according to subject.
Generally, we do not address technical and other minor changes--and
suggested changes the law does not authorize us to make under the
applicable statutory authority.
Comment Related to Middle and High School
Comment: One commenter argued that, in addition to investigating
how to obtain proficiency in reading comprehension, how it can be
optimally taught, and how it can be assessed, it is critical to examine
where reading comprehension should be taught, who should be teaching
it, and to whom it should be taught, especially at the middle and high
school levels.
Discussion: The Secretary believes that investigation of these
three dimensions--where reading comprehension should be taught, who
should be teaching it, and to whom it should be taught at the middle
and high school levels--is permitted under the priority as proposed.
Changes: None.
Comment Related to One-to-One Mentoring
Comment: One commenter recommended that additional research be
supported that supports the role of one-to-one mentoring using trained
community volunteers as an intervention strategy for struggling readers
in the area of comprehension.
Discussion: The Secretary believes that such a study is permitted
under the priority as proposed (e.g., falling under inquiry area number
2 of the priority).
Changes: None.
Comment Related to Social Studies
Comment: One comment concerned student comprehension of social
studies expository text, and indicated that research on the nature of
expository text in social studies (and probably in other subjects)
should be included in the priority. The same commenter argued that such
a research effort would involve expert analysis of currently published
expository text.
Discussion: The Secretary believes that studying the effects of
features of expository text on the assessment, development, and
improvement of reading comprehension is permissible under the proposed
priority. In addition, the Secretary maintains that expert analysis of
expository text could play a role in the design of a scientific study
using approaches described in the proposed priority.
Changes: None.
Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in
which we choose to use this priority, we invite applications through
a notice in the Federal Register. When inviting applications we
designate the priority as absolute, competitive preference, or
invitational.
Priority
Program of Research on Reading Comprehension
Under the Program of Research on Reading Comprehension (PRRC),
applicants must propose research that is focused on one or more of
three areas of inquiry:
1. Developmental patterns of students' reading comprehension;
2. Instructional interventions for reading comprehension; or
3. Measures of reading comprehension that reflect empirically
justified dimensions, distinguish reader differences, and are sensitive
to instructional goals.
Furthermore, research must be motivated by a specific conceptual
framework and relevant prior empirical evidence, both of which must be
clearly articulated in the proposal. The research must have the
potential to advance fundamental scientific knowledge that bears on the
solution of important educational problems. The proposal must indicate
method and why the approach taken optimally addresses the research
question. Any approach must incorporate a valid inference process that
allows generalization beyond the study participants. Proposals must
indicate which of the following approaches is to be used:
1. Experiment (control group; randomized assignment--both
required).
2. Quasi-experiment (comparison group, stratified random
assignment, groups comparable at pretest, statistical adjustment for
comparability).
3. Correlational study (simple, multiple/logistic regression,
structural equation modeling, hierarchical linear modeling).
4. Other quantitative (e.g., simulation).
5. Descriptive study using qualitative techniques (e.g.,
ethnographic methods; focus groups; classroom observations; case
studies).
The design of studies must be clear: Independent and dependent, or
predictor and criterion, variables should be distinguished. Proposed
research is expected to employ the most sophisticated level of design
and analysis that is appropriate to the research question. For research
questions that cannot be answered using a randomized assignment
experimental design, the proposal must spell out the reasons why such a
design is not applicable and why it would not represent a superior
approach. Thus, applicants must propose to conduct rigorous studies
that are scientifically sound, relevant, timely, and ultimately useful
to practitioners and policy makers.
Post-Award Requirements
The Secretary established the following post-award requirements
consistent with the OERI's program regulations at 34 CFR part 700 and
the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) at
34 CFR 75.720. Recipients of a research award must:
1. Provide OERI with information about the research project and
products and other appropriate research information so that OERI can
monitor progress and maintain its inventory of funded research
projects. This information must be provided through media that include
an electronic network; and
2. At the end of the award period, synthesize the findings and
advances in knowledge that resulted from research conducted and
describe the potential impact on the improvement of reading
comprehension instruction.
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 700.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site:
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Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO
[[Page 17592]]
Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (84.305G) Program of
Research on Reading Comprehension)
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6031.
Dated: April 4, 2002.
Grover J. Whitehurst,
Assistant Secretary for Educational, Research and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 02-8719 Filed 4-9-02; 8:45 am]
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