[Federal Register: September 17, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 180)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 48923-48925] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr17se97-26] [[Page 48923]] _______________________________________________________________________ Part II Department of Education _______________________________________________________________________ 34 CFR Parts 300, 301, and 303 IDEA Amendments of 1997; Proposed Rule [[Page 48924]] DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 34 CFR Parts 300, 301, and 303 IDEA Amendments of 1997 AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of public meetings. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary announces a series of seven public meetings to obtain public comment on the anticipated Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) for 34 CFR Parts 300, 301, and 303 to implement the statutory requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (IDEA Amendments of 1997), Pub. L. 105-17. In the alternative, should the NPRM not be published by the time a meeting or meetings are held, the Secretary will use the meeting or meetings as an opportunity to receive public comment on how to regulate to implement the statutory provisions of IDEA Amendments of 1997. DATES: See Supplementary Information section for meeting dates. ADDRESSES: See Supplementary Information section for meeting addresses. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the statutory requirements of IDEA Amendments of 1997, call JoLeta Reynolds or Thomas Irvin at 202-205-5507. Persons wishing to obtain additional information regarding the regional meetings should call Laura Black Price at 202-205-8969 (voice) or 202- 205-5467 (TDD). Individuals who use a telecommunication 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 who cannot attend the meetings are invited to send written comments. Comments on the NPRM should be directed to Thomas Irvin, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education, Room 4607, MES Building, 330 C Street, SW, Washington, DC 20202, or fax your comments to 202-260-0416. Comments should specifically reference the section or sections of the NPRM being referred to and must be received not later than 90 days after the publication of the NPRM in the Federal Register. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department anticipates in the near future publishing a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) for 34 CFR Parts 300, 301, and 303 to implement changes occasioned by the IDEA Amendments 1997. The purpose of the meetings is to take public comment on the NPRM, if it has been published by the date of the meeting or meetings, or, if the NPRM has not been published by that meeting date, to receive public comment on how to regulate to implement the statutory provisions of IDEA Amendments of 1997. This effort is part of a broader initiative to provide opportunities for full and open input from the various constituencies interested in the programs administered by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). Regional Meetings Individuals who wish to make a statement at any of the regional meetings are encouraged to do so. Time allotted for each individual to testify will be limited and will depend on the number of speakers wishing to testify at each session. It is likely that each participant choosing to comment will be limited to four minutes. Persons interested in making oral public comment will be able to sign-up to make a statement on the day of the regional meeting at the Department's public meeting on-site registration desk on a first-come-first-served basis. If no time slots remain, then the Department will reserve a limited amount of additional time at the end of each hearing to accommodate those individuals. (Every effort will be made to have ample time to hear all individuals who wish to make a statement.) Any individual who will need accommodations for a disability in order to participate in a regional meeting (e.g., interpreting services, assistive listening devices, materials in alternate format) should notify Laura Black Price at 202-205-8969 (voice) 205-5465 (TDD), or 202-260-0416 (fax) by no later than 14 days prior to the meeting the individual will attend. We will attempt to meet requests received after this date, but cannot guarantee availability of the requested accommodation. All regional meeting sites are accessible to individuals with disabilities. The dates and location of the seven regional meeting appear below. The U.S. Department of Education is announcing these public meetings in advance of the publication of the NPRM so as to allow interested parties sufficient time to schedule travel and accommodations, as necessary. The Department has made arrangements for a limited number of rooms at a special government per diem room rate that participants may reserve at their own expense. All costs for these rooms will be the participant's own. To reserve a room at these rates you must inform the hotel that you are attending the regional meeting of the U.S. Department of Education and make reservations prior to the reservation expiration date indicated below. When making reservations, individuals must indicate the need for any special accommodations. Individuals from OSERS and other offices of the Department of Education will be available at the meetings to receive public comment on the NPRM, if it has been published by the date of the meeting, or if the NPRM has not been published by the date of the meeting, to receive public comment on how to regulate to implement the statutory requirements. Participants are particularly encouraged to express their support for or raise concerns about specific sections of the proposed regulations and, if possible, to provide recommendations for specific regulatory language. A copy of the IDEA Amendments of 1997 is available on the world wide web at (www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/). Dates, Time, and Location of Meetings: Boston: Thursday, October 23, 1997, 2:00 pm-7:00 pm. Logan Ramada Hotel 75 Service Road Logan International Airport Boston, MA 02128 Reservations: Call toll-free 1-800-272-6232 or 617-569-9300. Cut- off date for discounted room rate: October 1. Atlanta: Monday, October 27, 1997, 2:00 pm-7:00 pm. Radisson Hotel Atlanta 165 Courtland & International Blvd. Atlanta, GA 30303 Reservations: Call toll-free 1-800-833-8624 or 404-659-6500. Cut- off date for discounted room rate: September 26. Dallas: Tuesday, October 28, 1997, 2:00 pm-7:00 pm. Radisson Hotel Dallas 1893 West Mockingbird Lane Dallas, TX 75235 Reservations: Call toll-free 1-888-588-9846 or 214-634-8850. Cut- off date for discounted room rate: October 13. Washington: Tuesday, November 4, 1997, 1:00 pm-5:00 pm. (No hotel rooms have been reserved for this regional meeting) Government Services Administration (GSA) Building, Auditorium, first floor, 7th & D Streets, SW (Use main entrance off D Street) Washington, DC 20407 Contact Laura Black Price at 202-205- [[Page 48925]] 8969 (voice), 205-5465 (TDD), or 202-260-0416 (fax) by Friday, October 31 to place your name on the list of attendees for entrance into the building. Denver: Tuesday, November 18, 1997, 2:00 pm-7:00 pm. Four Points Hotel 3535 Quebec Street Denver, CO 80207 Reservations: Call toll-free 1-800-328-2268 or 303-333-7711. Cut- off date for discounted room rate: October 26. San Francisco: Friday, November 24, 1997, 2:00 pm-7:00 pm. Holiday Inn Select/Chinatown 750 Kearny Street San Francisco, CA 84108 415-433-6600 Reservations: Call toll-free 1-800-243-1135 or 415-433-6600. Cut- off date for discounted room rate: October 16. Chicago: Monday, November 24, 1997 2:00 pm-7:00 pm. Sheraton North Shore 933 Skokie Boulevard Northbrook, IL 60062 Reservations: Call toll-free 1-800-535-9131 or 847-498-6500. Cut- off date for discounted room rate: November 3. Dated: September 12, 1997. Howard R. Moses, Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. [FR Doc. 97-24703 Filed 9-16-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-M