[Federal Register: June 15, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 116)]
[Notices]
[Page 37682-37684]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15jn00-131]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No.: 84.297A]
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education-School Improvement
Programs; The Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development, Teacher Training
and Recruitment Program
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year
(FY) 2000.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Purposes of Program: The Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development,
Teacher Training and Recruitment Program supports--
(1) Curricula Development--the development of curricula to address
the needs of Native Hawaiian students, particularly elementary and
secondary students, which may include programs of instruction conducted
in the Native Hawaiian language and mathematics and science curricula
incorporating the relevant application of Native Hawaiian culture and
traditions;
(2) Preteacher Training--the development and implementation of
preservice teacher training to ensure
[[Page 37683]]
that student teachers within the State, particularly those who are
likely to be employed in schools with a high concentration of Native
Hawaiian students, are prepared to better address the unique needs of
Native Hawaiian students within the context of Native Hawaiian culture,
language, and traditions;
(3) Inservice Teacher Training--the development and implementation
of inservice teacher training to ensure that teachers, particularly
those employed in schools with a high concentration of Native Hawaiian
students, are prepared to better address the unique needs of Native
Hawaiian students within the context of Native Hawaiian culture,
language, and traditions; and
(4) Teacher Recruitment--the development and implementation of
teacher recruitment programs to enhance teacher recruitment within
communities with a high concentration of Native Hawaiian students and
to increase the numbers of teachers who are of Native Hawaiian
ancestry.
Consistent with these statutory purposes, the Secretary has
established absolute priorities (published elsewhere in this issue of
the Federal Register) that will govern the distribution of funds under
the program.
Eligible Applicants: Native Hawaiian educational organizations or
educational entities with experience in developing or operating Native
Hawaiian programs or programs of instruction conducted in the Native
Hawaiian language.
Applications Available: June 14, 2000.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 14, 2000.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 14, 2000.
Available Funds: $2,600,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 7.
Estimated Size of Awards: $371,429.
Estimated Range of Awards: $50,000--$400,000.
Note:
These estimates are projections for the guidance of potential
applicants. The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
Absolute Priorities: The Secretary has published elsewhere in this
issue of the Federal Register a notice of final priorities, which
establishes absolute priorities in the following areas under the
Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and Recruitment Program: (1)
Computer literacy and technology education; (2) agriculture education
partnerships; (3) astronomy; (4) indigenous health; (5) waste
management; (6) prisoner education; and (7) marine resource management.
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary will fund under this
competition only applications that focus entirely on activities in one
of the seven absolute priorities.
Statutory Priorities: In accordance with section 9209(b) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Secretary gives priority to
awarding grants for activities that--
(1) Focus on the needs of at-risk youth; or
(2) Employ a program of instruction conducted in the Native
Hawaiian language.
These statutory priorities are included in the selection criteria
for this competition.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applications will be reviewed on the basis
of the selection criteria included in this notice. All funded projects
must meet one of the absolute priorities. While applicants have
discretion in determining how best to address the absolute priorities,
the Secretary is particularly interested in receiving quality proposals
that include the components described below. Funded proposals may lack
some of these specific components, but must then address the absolute
priorities in other effective ways.
(1) Computer literacy and technology education. While computer
skills have become increasingly necessary for both academic and
employment success in today's society, many Native Hawaiian students
lack meaningful access to computers and computer training. The
Secretary believes that high-quality computer literacy and technology
education programs should be conducted for Native Hawaiian elementary
and secondary school students. These model programs should consist of
curricula development, teacher training, and programs of instruction
designed to increase both academic and career opportunities for
elementary and secondary students. In providing these services,
eligible entities are encouraged to partner with other organizations or
institutions with expertise in utilizing state-of-the-art centralized
computer systems and teleconferencing capabilities.
(2) Agriculture education partnerships. In order to improve the
economic and social conditions in many rural areas of Hawaii, the
Secretary supports the expansion of partnerships between community-
based agricultural businesses and high schools with high concentrations
of Native Hawaiian students. These agriculture education partnerships
would integrate agricultural and business practices into high school
curricula through model programs involving curricula development,
teacher training, and instructional programs.
(3) Astronomy. The Secretary believes that the development of
instructional programs for elementary and secondary school students in
astronomy would assist Native Hawaiians in reaching challenging science
and mathematics standards. Model programs would include the development
of culturally appropriate advanced mathematics and science curricula
based upon recent scientific findings in the field of astronomy.
Exposure to the use of observatory and other astronomical equipment as
well as other experiential and hands-on activities would be fostered
through such programs.
(4) Indigenous health programs. Because of a lack of available
instruction in Native Hawaiian traditional medicine, knowledge of
traditional healing practices is being lost for younger generations of
Native Hawaiians. Younger Native Hawaiians are not being trained
adequately, for example, on where traditional medicines can be found,
how they can be harvested in a manner that will conserve the resource,
and how such medicines are to be applied. The Secretary believes that
this problem can be addressed through the support of teacher training,
curriculum development, and instructional activities in traditional
medicine.
(5) Prisoner education. In Hawaii, the number of incarcerated
Native Hawaiians, including Native Hawaiian juveniles, far exceeds
their relative percentage of the State's population. The Secretary
believes that a successful prisoner education program would target
convicted, at-risk Native Hawaiian youths as an alternative to
incarceration. A comprehensive program should consist of prevention,
intervention, and treatment services as well as education, job
training, judicial, and case management services. A funded applicant
should have experience in working with, and in encouraging the re-
integration of, youth offenders into schools or career paths or both
within the community in a culturally sensitive manner. To help ensure
success of the program, funded applicants should work in partnership
with the Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the
Office of Youth Services, or other appropriate agencies.
[[Page 37684]]
(6) Waste management treatment programs. Funds under this priority
support curriculum development, teaching training, and instructional
programs related to the study and documentation of traditional Hawaiian
practices of sustainable waste management, including activities to
prepare Native Hawaiians to participate actively in the risk assessment
and remediation of environmental health hazards that affect Native
Hawaiians. A successful applicant should have specific knowledge of the
capacities of Native Hawaiian plants and animals to contribute to the
management of modern waste materials. The applicant should have
experience in educational programming, especially for elementary and
secondary school grades, so that knowledge about traditional Hawaiian
methods of sustainable waste management can be developed and used. The
project may include an emphasis on environmental technologies
applicable to the remediation of environmental health risks in Hawaiian
homelands and in surplus Federal lands subject to reuse.
(7) Marine resource management. To support programs designed to
teach Native Hawaiian elementary and secondary students about
traditional fishery management techniques used in the Native Hawaiian
culture.
Selection Criteria: The Secretary will use the following selection
criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 to evaluate applications under each of the
competitions in the notice. (The specific selection criteria and
factors that will be used in evaluating applications are detailed in
the application package). The maximum score for all of the selection
criteria is 100 points. The maximum points for each criterion is as
follows:
(a) Significance--15 points.
(a) Quality of Project Design--35 points.
(b) Quality of Project Personnel--10 points.
(c) Adequacy of Resources--5 points.
(d) Quality of Management Plan--15 points.
(e) Quality of the Project Evaluation--20 points.
For Applications and Information Contact: Mrs. Lynn Thomas, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., FOB6, Room 3C124,
Mail Stop 6140, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone 202-260-1541. The e-
mail address for Mrs. Thomas is: lynn_thomas@ed.gov.
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 in the preceding
paragraph.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format, also, by contacting that person.
However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternative
format the standard forms included in the application package.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may review 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 either of the
following sites:
http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at either of the previous sites. If you have any questions about
using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office, toll free at 1-
888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC area at (202) 512-1530.
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
Domestic Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://
www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html
Dated: June 12, 2000.
Michael Cohen,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 00-15248 Filed 6-14-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U