[Federal Register: September 30, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 189)]
[Notices]
[Page 51089-51091]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30se97-45]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
RIN 1850-ZA01
21st Century Community Learning Centers Program
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of proposed priorities.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes priorities for the 21st Century
Community Learning Centers Program, administered by the Office of
Educational Research and Improvement (OERI). The Secretary may use
these priorities in fiscal year 1998 and subsequent years. The
Secretary takes this action to focus Federal assistance on stimulating
and expanding significant learning programs available to children and
youth beyond regular school hours. The proposed absolute priority is
also designed to ensure wide and effective use of program funds to
support centers that provide expanded learning opportunities for
children and youth in a safe and drug-free environment, and engage the
support of citizens in those efforts. The proposed competitive
priorities concern serving early adolescents and middle school students
and services related to core academic subjects.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 14, 1997.
ADDRESSES: All comments concerning the proposed priority should be
addressed to Dr. Robert Stonehill, U.S. Department of Education, Office
of Educational Research and Improvement, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW,
Room 504, Washington, DC 20208-5644. Comments may also be sent by fax
(202-219-2198) or e-mail (robert__stonehill@ed.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol J. Mitchell or Amanda Clyburn,
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and
Improvement, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Room 504, Washington, DC 20208-
5644. E-mail addresses are: carol__j.__mitchell@ed.gov or
amanda__clyburn@ed.gov. 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. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this
document in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audio
tape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person listed in
the preceding paragraph.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 21st Century Community Learning Centers
Act authorizes the Secretary to award grants to rural and inner-city
public elementary or secondary schools, or consortia of such schools,
to enable them to plan, implement, or expand projects that benefit the
educational, health, social service, cultural and recreational needs of
a rural or inner-city community.
A Community Learning Center established in a local public school
can, among other things, be a stimulating, safe, supervised and cost-
effective after-school, weekend or summer haven for
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children and youth--and their families. As reported in the recent
Department of Education publication Keeping Schools Open as Community
Learning Centers: Extending Learning in a Safe, Drug-free Environment
Before and After School, recent research shows that a stimulating
environment of this type can improve thinking and language performance
of participating children and youth. Research also indicates that these
programs reduce crime, delinquency, and victimization of children and
youth. However, although the number of after-school child care programs
has grown over the last 20 years, there are still far too few
communities that offer effective, organized and extended opportunities
for learning outside the regular school day. Of the 49,000 before- and
after-school programs available in the U.S. in 1991, only about a third
were housed in public schools. And, for in-school and out-of-school
care programs, only a tiny percent served older children and youth. In
1995, there were 23.5 million school-age children with parents in the
workforce. But as recently as the 1993-94 school year, only 3.4 percent
of children in public elementary and combined schools were enrolled in
any of the estimated 18,000 before- or after-school programs at public
schools. Seventy percent of all public elementary and combined schools
did not have before- or after-school programs.
The needs and demands are clear: a 1994 survey of parents found
that 56 percent think that many parents leave their children alone too
much after school, and a 1989 survey of school principals found that 84
percent agreed that there is a need for before- and after-school
programs. But even though the number of after-school programs is
growing, the demand is growing faster, as thousands of parents who
currently care for their children during the day are encouraged to
enter the workforce.
After-school programs are well positioned to reduce the incidence
of drug use and violence and their detrimental effects on learning.
Research by the Federal Bureau of Investigation indicates that the
hours between 3 and 6 p.m. are when youth aged 12 to 17 are most at
risk of committing or of being victims of violent acts. After-school
programs located at Community Learning Centers will give youth a safe
and supervised place to go during these hours. For that reason, the
Secretary is proposing a competitive priority for those applicants for
Community Learning Centers that will serve early adolescents and
middle-school students.
Priorities
The proposed absolute priority supports centers that have a goal of
providing learning opportunities for students in a safe and drug-free
environment. For example, before- and after-school programs can be a
place in which tutors provide reading help to younger children or in
which mentors guide older children to take challenging mathematics and
science courses that pave the way to college, and help them succeed in
those courses. However, programs applying for assistance are required
to carry out at least four of the activities listed in section 10905 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. 8245), and should
propose an array of inclusive and supervised services that include
extended learning opportunities (such as enriched instruction, tutoring
or homework help) but may also include safety and drug-free
interventions; recreational, musical and artistic activities; and
opportunities to use advanced technology, particularly for those
children who do not have access to computers or telecommunications at
home. Although the proposed absolute priority requires that children
and youth be served, applicants may propose projects that also serve
and involve other members of the community.
The proposed priorities authorize the Department to give a
preference to applicants that propose to serve the academic needs of
participating children and youth. These can include services that will
assist students who need additional support to master reading and
literacy skills, both by directly providing reading services as well as
tutoring and mentoring programs in supervised locations. For younger
children who are not reading as well as they should, Community Learning
Centers can provide extended time in which to overcome the obstacles
that have in the past prevented them from becoming good readers. The
proposed priorities will also encourage schools to develop strategies
to address the needs of students who can benefit from additional
enrichment or challenge in mathematics or science, or who are not
performing as well as they should. Community learning centers can
provide extended hours for students to learn and review basic concepts
they may have missed during class, to delve deeper into a more
challenging curriculum, or to participate in enjoyable hands-on
activities and experiments.
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, the quality of the
applications received, and the requirements in the law for equitable
representation nationally and within states of rural and inner-city
programs. The first cycle of awards will be made from fiscal year 1998
funds. If applications of high quality remain unfunded, additional
awards may be made in fiscal year 1999, pending availability of funds.
The publication of the 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 does not solicit applications. A notice
inviting applications under this competition will be published in
the Federal Register concurrent with or following publication of the
notice of final priorities. If you would like your name to be put on
a mailing list to receive an application package, you may fax your
request to Annie Thompson at (202) 219-2198, or e-mail it to her at:
annie__ thompson@ed.gov.
Proposed Absolute Priority
Under 34 CFR 75.105 (c)(3), the Secretary proposes to give an
absolute preference to applications that meet the proposed absolute
priority in the next paragraph. The Secretary proposes to fund under
this competition only applications that meet this absolute priority.
Activities to Expand Learning Opportunities
The Secretary proposes to fund only those applications for 21st
Century Community Learning Centers grants that include, among the array
of services required and authorized by the statute, activities that
offer significant expanded learning opportunities for children and
youth in the community and that contribute to reduced drug use and
violence.
Proposed Competitive Priorities
Under 34 CFR 75.105 (c)(2)(i), the Secretary proposes to give
preference to applications that meet one or both of the two competitive
priorities in the next two paragraphs. The Secretary proposes to give
up to five (5) points for each competitive priority addressed in an
application (for a maximum of 10 points if an application addresses
both competitive priorities). These points would be in addition to any
points the application earns under the selection
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criteria which will be published in the application package.
Proposed Competitive Priority 1--Projects that propose to serve
early adolescents and middle-school students.
Proposed Competitive Priority 2--Projects designed to assist
students to meet or exceed state and local standards in core academic
subjects such as reading, mathematics or science, as appropriate to the
needs of the participating children.
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 resulting from statutory requirements and those
determined by the Secretary as necessary for administering this program
effectively and efficiently.
In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative
and qualitative--of this notice of proposed priorities, the Secretary
has determined that the benefits of the proposed priorities justify the
costs.
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 or to recipients of grant funds.
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 notice of proposed priorities. All
comments submitted in response to this notice will be available for
public inspection, during and after the comment period, in Room 504,
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30
a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Thursday of each week
except Federal holidays.
On request the Department supplies an appropriate aid, such as a
reader or print magnifier, to an individual with a disability who needs
assistance to review the comments or other documents in the public
rulemaking docket for these proposed priorities. An individual with a
disability who wants to schedule an appointment for this type of aid
may call (202) 205-8113 or (202) 260-9895. An individual who uses a TDD
may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339,
between 8 a.m., and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
Electronic Access to this Document
Anyone may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal 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 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 this document is the document
published in the Federal Register.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 8241-8247.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.287, 21st Century
Community Learning Centers Program)
Dated: September 19, 1997.
Ricky T. Takai,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 97-25917 Filed 9-29-97; 8:45 am]
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