[Federal Register: February 23, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 37)] [Notices] [Page 6980-6983] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of proposed priorities. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 6981]] SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes an absolute priority and a competitive preference priority under the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program. The Secretary takes this action to focus Federal financial assistance on specific approaches to identifying and serving gifted and talented students. The Secretary may use these priorities in FY 1996 and subsequent years. DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 25, 1996. ADDRESSES: All comments concerning these proposed priorities should be addressed to Linda Jones, U.S. Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., Room 500, Washington, D.C. 20208-5645. Comments may also be sent through the Internet to (Javits__Grant@ed.gov). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Jones or Janet Williams. Telephone: (202) 219-2153 or (202) 219-1674. 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. Eastern time, Monday through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program is designed to build nationwide capability in gifted and talented education and encourage rich and challenging curricula for all children. The Secretary seeks to improve the education of gifted and talented children, and to promote the use of strategies developed in gifted and talented education programs to help improve the education of all students. The Secretary believes that improving the education of gifted and talented students is an integral part of achieving the National Education Goals, which require that every student attain higher standards of academic excellence. The Secretary is particularly concerned that the educational needs of gifted and talented students from populations historically underserved by gifted and talented education programs be addressed. In addition, the Secretary wants to see gifted and talented education programs contribute to systemic education reform by modeling coordinated systems of challenging standards and assessments, curricula, and teacher preparation aligned with those standards to improve education. The Secretary believes that the use of challenging content and performance standards is the most promising way to raise students' achievement. Therefore, the Secretary proposes an absolute priority that would support the development of model demonstration programs that focus on economically disadvantaged children, children with limited English proficiency, or children with disabilities. Each project would be required to involve a school or schools that serve at least 50 percent low-income children and to incorporate professional development of staff and training of parents into the program. In addition, the program must be based on challenging content and performance standards in one or more of the core subject areas, and include a comprehensive improvement plan for each school involved in the project. The Secretary proposes a competitive priority to direct financial assistance to projects that primarily benefit areas that have been designated as Empowerment Zones or Enterprise Communities in accordance with Section 1391 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), as amended by Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1993. Background on Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community Program--(EZ/ EC) The Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community program is a critical element of the Administration's community revitalization strategy. The program is the first step in rebuilding communities in America's poverty-stricken inner cities and rural heartlands. It is designed to empower people and communities by inspiring Americans to work together to create jobs and opportunity. The Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have designated empowerment zones and enterprise communities, which are communities located within the cities and counties listed in the appendix. The Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities were designated based on locally-developed strategic plans that comprehensively address how the community will link economic development with education and training, as well as how community development, public safety, human services, and environmental initiatives together will support sustainable communities. Designated areas will receive Federal grant funds and substantial tax benefits and will have access to other Federal programs. (For additional information on the Urban EZ/EC program contact HUD at 1-800-998-9999 and for the rural EZ/EC program contact USDA at 1-800-645-4712.) The Department of Education is supporting the Empowerment Zone and the Enterprise Community initiative in a variety of ways. It is encouraging zones to use funds they already receive from Department of Education programs (including Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, the Adult Education Act, and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act) to support the comprehensive vision of their strategic plans. In addition, the Department of Education is giving preferences to EZ/ECs in a number of discretionary grant programs that are well suited for inclusion in a comprehensive approach to economic and community development. The Empowerment Zone initiative and the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program share some common features. Both programs are concerned with the educational advancement of students caught in high-poverty communities. Under the Javits Gifted and Talented Education Program, at least one-half of the grants in any given year must serve students who are economically disadvantaged, limited English proficient or who have disabilities. Communities that have been designated as Empowerment Zones or Enterprise Communities have demonstrated a capacity for the type of planning that allows communities to use, where appropriate, methods and materials developed in gifted and talented programs to improve the educational opportunities for all children. The Secretary believes that the limited resources available under the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program will have the greatest impact if the funds are directed to communities that have the greatest need and have already established comprehensive community development plans. Therefore, the Secretary establishes the following competitive priority to focus Federal funds on gifted and talented projects that would address the needs of Empowerment Zones or Enterprise Communities. Note: This notice of proposed priorities does not solicit applications. A notice inviting applications under this priority for fiscal year 1996 will be published in the Federal Register concurrent with or following publication of the notice of final priorities. Priorities 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 [[Page 6982]] only applications that meet this absolute priority: Proposed Absolute Priority--Model Programs Projects that establish and operate model programs to serve gifted and talented students in schools in which at least 50 percent of the students enrolled are from low-income families. Projects must include students who may not be served by traditional gifted and talented programs, including economically disadvantaged students, limited English proficient students, and students with disabilities. The projects must incorporate high-level content and performance standards in one or more of the core subject areas as well as utilize innovative teaching strategies. The projects must provide comprehensive ongoing professional development opportunities for staff. The projects must incorporate training for parents in ways to support their children's educational progress. There must also be comprehensive evaluation of the projects' activities. Proposed Competitive Preference Priority--Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community Within this proposed absolute priority concerning model projects, the Secretary, under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), proposes to give preference to applications that meet the following competitive priority. The Secretary proposes to award five (5) points to an application that meets this competitive priority. These points would be in addition to any points the application earns under the evaluation criteria for the program: Projects that implement model programs in one or more schools in an Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community or that primarily serve students who reside in the EZ or EC. Applicants must ensure that the proposed program relates to the strategic plan and will be an integral part of the Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community program. 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 priority. All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available for public inspection, during and after the comment period, in Room 500, 555 New Jersey Avenue, N.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. Applicable Regulations (a) 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 85 and 86; and (b) the final regulations for Standards for the Conduct and Evaluation of Activities Carried Out by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI)--Evaluation of Applications for Grants and Cooperative Agreements and Proposals for Contracts, published on September 14, 1995 in the Federal Register (60 FR 47808), to be codified at 34 CFR Part 700. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR Part 791 previously applicable to this program will no longer apply to this program. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C 8032-8036. (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.206A, Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program) Dated: February 16, 1996. Sharon P. Robinson, Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement. Appendix--Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities Empowerment Zones (EZ) Georgia: Atlanta Illinois: Chicago Kentucky: Kentucky Highlands* Maryland: Baltimore Michigan: Detroit Mississippi: Mid Delta* New York: Harlem, Bronx Pennsylvania/New Jersey: Philadelphia, Camden Texas: Rio Grande Valley* Supplemental Empowerment Zones (SEZ) California: Los Angeles Ohio: Cleveland Enterprise Communities (EC) Alabama: Birmingham Alabama: Chambers County* Alabama: Greene, Sumter Counties* Arizona: Phoenix Arizona: Arizona Border* Arkansas: East Central* Arkansas: Mississippi County* Arkansas: Pulaski County California: Imperial County* California: Los Angeles, Huntington Park California: San Diego California: San Francisco, Bayview, Hunter's Point California: Watsonville* Colorado: Denver Connecticut: Bridgeport Connecticut: New Haven Delaware: Wilmington District of Columbia: Washington Florida: Jackson County* Florida: Tampa Florida: Miami, Dade County Georgia: Albany Georgia: Central Savannah* Georgia: Crisp, Dooley Counties* Illinois: East St. Louis Illinois: Springfield Indiana: Indianapolis Iowa: Des Moines Kentucky: Louisville Louisiana: Northeast Delta* Louisiana: Macon Ridge* Louisiana: New Orleans Louisiana: Ouachita Parish Massachusetts: Lowell Massachusetts: Springfield Michigan: Five Cap* Michigan: Flint Michigan: Muskegon Minnesota: Minneapolis Minnesota: St. Paul Mississippi: Jackson Mississippi: North Delta* Missouri: East Prairie* Missouri: St. Louis Nebraska: Omaha Nevada: Clarke County, Las Vegas New Hampshire: Manchester New Jersey: Newark New Mexico: Albuquerque New Mexico: Moro, Rico Arriba, Taos Counties* New York: Albany, Schenectady, Troy New York: Buffalo New York: Newburgh, Kingston New York: Rochester North Carolina: Charlotte North Carolina: Halifax, Edgecombe, Wilson Counties* North Carolina: Robeson County* Ohio: Akron Ohio: Columbus Ohio: Greater Portsmouth* Oklahoma: Choctaw, McCurtain Counties* Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Oregon: Josephine* Oregon: Portland Pennsylvania: Harrisburg Pennsylvania: Lock Haven* Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh Rhode Island: Providence South Carolina: Charleston South Carolina: Williamsburg County* South Dakota: Beadle, Spink Counties* Tennessee: Fayette, Haywood Counties* [[Page 6983]] Tennessee: Memphis Tennessee: Nashville Tennessee/Kentucky: Scott, McCreary Counties* Texas: Dallas Texas: El Paso Texas: San Antonio Texas: Waco Utah: Ogden Vermont: Burlington Virginia: Accomack* Virginia: Norfolk Washington: Lower Yakima* Washington: Seattle Washington: Tacoma West Virginia: West Central* West Virginia: Huntington West Virginia: McDowell* Wisconsin: Milwaukee *Denotes rural designee. Enhanced Enterprise Communities (EEC) California: Oakland Massachusetts: Boston Missouri/ Kansas: Kansas City, Kansas City Texas: Houston [FR Doc. 96-4061 Filed 2-22-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P