[Federal Register: December 29, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 249)] [Notices] [Page 71626-71628] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr29de98-43] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (CFDA Nos.: 84.297A and 84.209A) Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and Recruitment Program and Native Hawaiian Family-Based Education Centers Program AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of proposed funding priorities for fiscal year (FY) 1999. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education proposes to establish absolute priorities for the FY 1999 grant competitions under the Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and Recruitment Program and the Native Hawaiian Family-Based Education Centers Program. Under the priorities, funds under the Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and Recruitment Program would be used to support activities in the areas of (1) computer literacy and technology education, (2) agriculture education partnerships, (3) astronomy, (4) indigenous health, (5) waste management, and (6) prisoner education. Funds under the Native Hawaiian Family-Based Education Centers Program would be used to support preschool education. DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 28, 1999. ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Madeline Baggett, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3E228, Washington, D.C. 20202-6410, [[Page 71627]] Telephone: (202) 260-2502, FAX: (202) 205-0302. Comments may also be sent through the Internet: at madeline__baggett@ed.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madeline Baggett, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3E228, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 260-2502. 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 a copy of this notice in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding paragraph. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: There is available for distribution to eligible grantees under the Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and Recruitment Program (20 U.S.C. 7909) a total of $4,800,000 of FY 1999 funds. Congress has encouraged the U.S. Department of Education to use funds appropriated for this program to support curriculum development and teacher training activities in the areas of (1) computer literacy and technology education, (2) agriculture education partnerships, (3) astronomy, (4) indigenous health, (5) waste management, and (6) prisoner education. The Secretary believes that limiting newly funded projects in this way will help address the needs of Native Hawaiian students in these significant areas of Native Hawaiian culture and traditions. Therefore, the Secretary is proposing absolute funding priorities and intends to use $1,500,000 of the FY 1999 funds available under the program for a competition to fund one or two projects in each of the six categories. In funding these activities, the Secretary intends to allocate approximately $250,000 among each of the six categories and estimates that the average size of the FY 1999 awards for these new projects will range from $125,000 to $250,000. The Secretary will use the remaining $3,300,000 of FY 1999 funds for continuation awards for previously funded projects in the areas of waste management innovation, Native Hawaiian language revitalization curricula and teacher training and recruitment activities, and prisoner education. There is available for distribution under the Native Hawaiian Family-Based Education Centers Program (20 U.S.C. 7905) a total of $7,200,000 of FY 1999 funds. Congress has encouraged the Department to use funds under the program to support activities in preschool education, and the Secretary is proposing an absolute priority to accomplish this objective. The Secretary intends to use a total of $2,000,000 of the FY 1999 funds available under the program for a competition to fund one or two projects in preschool education. It is estimated that these projects will range from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000. The Secretary will use the remaining $5,200,000 to fund continuation awards for previously funded family-based education centers projects. The Secretary will announce final priorities for these competitions 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 a particular project depends on the final priority, the availability of funds, and the quality of the applications received. The publication of these 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 of proposed priorities does not solicit applications. A notice inviting applications under the competitions will be published in the Federal Register concurrent with or following the notice of final priorities. Proposed Absolute Priorities: Under the Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and Recruitment Program, the Secretary proposes to give an absolute preference to applications that focus entirely on activities in one of the following areas: (1) Computer literacy and technology education--to support K-12 curricula development, teacher training and model programs designed to increase computer literacy and access for Native Hawaiian students; (2) Agriculture education partnerships--to support the integration of agricultural and businesses practices into high school curriculum through the expansion of partnerships between community-based agricultural businesses and high schools with high concentrations of Native Hawaiian students; (3) Astronomy--to support the development of educational programs to encourage Native Hawaiians to enter the field of astronomy, with emphasis on astronomy as a profession, operation of astronomical and observatory equipment, or scientific and cultural expertise in astronomy; (4) Indigenous health--to support teacher training, curriculum development, and instruction activities that will foster a better understanding and knowledge of Native Hawaiian traditional medicine among Native Hawaiian elementary and secondary students; (5) Waste management--to study and document traditional Hawaiian practices of sustainable waste management and to prepare teaching materials for educational purposes and for demonstration of the use of native Hawaiian plants and animals for waste treatment and environmental remediation; and (6) Prisoner education--to support programs that target juvenile offenders and/or youth at risk of becoming juvenile offenders and that involve comprehensive and culturally sensitive strategies that include family counseling, basic education/jobs skills training, and the involvement of community elders as mentors. Under the Native Hawaiian Family-Based Education Centers Program, the Secretary proposes to give an absolute preference to applications that focus entirely on preschool education. The programs must provide coordinated and integrated services to preschool children, especially children from birth through age three, and may involve consortia that include educational entities and health care organizations. 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 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 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. Invitation to Comment: Interested persons are invited to submit comments [[Page 71628]] and recommendations regarding these proposed priorities. All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available for public inspection during and after the comment period, in Room 3E228, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday of each week except Federal holidays. Program Authority: Sections 9205 and 9209 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 7905 and 7909). Dated: December 22, 1998. Gerald N. Tirozzi, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. [FR Doc. 98-34331 Filed 12-28-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P