[Federal Register: January 22, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 14)] [Notices] [Page 3314-3315] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr22ja98-36] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION National Awards Program for Model Professional Development; Notice of New Application Deadline for Certain Applicants for Fiscal Year (FY) 1998 SUMMARY: The Secretary establishes a new deadline for the submission of applications under the National Awards Program for Model Professional Development for FY 1998 by those schools and school districts in areas of Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont that the President or the governors of those States have declared disaster areas because of the severe ice storms that occurred during the week of January 5, 1998, as well as to schools and the school district on the Island of Guam. NEW DEADLINE FOR TRANSMITTAL OF APPLICATIONS: The new deadline for the Department's receipt of applications from these schools and school districts is January 26, 1998. In addition, the Secretary will consider, on a case-by-case basis, a written request received by January 26, 1998, for a further extension of the application deadline for any school or school district in these affected areas that confirm an inability to meet this new application deadline because of continued storm-related disruptions. SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS OR EXTENSION REQUESTS: Application to the National Awards Program or written requests for an extension of the application deadline beyond January 26, 1998, must be sent to Sharon Horn, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Room 506E, Washington, DC 20208-5644. Telephone: 202-219-2203. To obtain information on the program, call or write Sharon Horn at the address and telephone number identified above. Inquiries also may be sent by e-mail to sharon__horn@ed.gov or by FAX at (202) 219-2198. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding paragraph. Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternate format, also, by contacting that person. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate format the standard forms included in the application package. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 30, 1997, the Secretary announced in the Fedeal Register (62 FR 58874) the National Awards Program For Model Professional Development for FY 1998. This program recognizes a variety of schools and school districts with model professional development activities in the pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade levels that have led to increases in student achievement. The notice inviting applications for the program (62 FR 58874), which accompanied the notice of eligibility and selection criteria for the program, identified the deadline for transmittal of applications as January 15, 1998. During the week of January 5, 1998, portions of the States of Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont experienced extraordinarily severe ice storms that extinguished electric service and caused major disruptions to school communities in these areas. In addition, the Secretary has learned that the school community on the Island of Guam is only now reopening on a part-time basis as a result of a severe typhoon that struck, the island on December 16, 1997. The Secretary is concerned that because of these circumstances schools and school districts in these affected areas that wish to apply for recognition under the National Awards Program may be prevented from doing so by the previously announced application deadline. For this reason, the Secretary extends the deadline for transmittal of applications under the National Awards Program until January 26, 1998, for those schools and school districts in the States of Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont that the President or [[Page 3315]] the governors of those States have declared to be disaster areas, as well as for schools and the school district on Guam. Since it is impossible to predict whether continued disruptions in utility service will preclude the submission of applications by January 26, 1998, the Secretary also will consider, on a case-by-case basis, a written request received by January 26, 1998, for a further extension of the application deadline for any school or school district in these affected areas that confirms its inability to meet the January 26 application deadline because of continued storm-related disruptions. ELECTRONIC ACCESS TO THIS DOCUMENT: Anyone may view this document, as well as all other Department of Education documents published in the Fedeal Register, in text or portable document format (pdf) on the World Wide Web at either of the following sites: http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm http://www.ed.gov/news.html To use the pdf you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you have questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government Printing Office toll free at 1-888-293-6498. Anyone may also view these documents in text copy only on an electronic bulletin board of the Department. Telephone: (202) 219-1511 or, toll free, 1-800-222-4922. The documents are located under Option G--Files/Announcements, Bulletins and Press Releases. Note: The official version of a document is the document published in the Federal Register. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 8001. Dated: January 16, 1998. Ricky T. Takai, Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement. [FR Doc. 98-1549 Filed 1-16-98; 5:03 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-M