[Federal Register: February 18, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 32)] [Notices] [Page 7218-7219] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI), National Institute on Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and Management AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of proposed priority for fiscal year 1997. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes a priority for a National Research and Development Center. The Secretary takes this action to support research on policymaking and policies to support excellence in teaching. DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 20, 1997. ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposed priority should be addressed to Ron Anson, U.S. Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., room 608F, Washington, DC 20208-5510. Comments can be faxed to Mr. Anson at (202) 219-2159 or e-mailed through the internet to: ron__anson@ed.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Anson, telephone: (202) 219-2214. 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 Office of Educational Research and Improvement, authorized under Title IX of Public Law 103-227 (20 U.S.C. section 6001 et seq.), supports educational research and development activities. The National Institute on Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and Management is one of five research institutes that carry out coordinated and comprehensive programs of research, development, evaluation, and dissemination activities designed to provide research-based leadership for the improvement of education. The National Institute on Educational Governance, Finance, Policy- Making, and Management supports a range of research, development, and dissemination activities focused on core issues in education. Activities are carried out by national research and development centers, field-initiated studies, and a variety of directed research, development, and dissemination activities. The Secretary believes that increasing the capacity of the nation's education system to improve the quality of education depends on knowledge generated by an enduring program of education research and development. Knowledge gained from education research and development can help guide the national investment in education and support local and State improvement efforts. Because they carry out sustained, long- term research and development, centers are a primary mechanism for pursuing new knowledge about education. Center awards are made to institutions of higher education, institutions of higher education in consort with public agencies or non-profit organizations, and interstate agencies established by compact that operate subsidiary bodies to conduct postsecondary education research and development. The Secretary invites comments on the priority described in this notice. Prior to this announcement and in conjunction with planning for Educational Research and Development Center competitions in 1996, OERI engaged in a series of meetings, regional hearings, and Federal Register notices that solicited advice from parents, teachers, administrators, policymakers, business people, researchers, and others to identify the most needed research and development activities. Following these activities and subsequent research priorities planning meetings in which OERI engaged, OERI prepared this notice of proposed priority. The subject matter of this proposed priority has been reviewed by OERI's National Research Policy and Priorities Board, whose mandate includes the development of a Research Priorities Plan. The Secretary will announce the final priority in a notice in the Federal Register. The final priority will be determined by responses to this notice and other considerations of the Department. This notice does not preclude the Secretary from proposing or funding additional priorities, subject to meeting applicable rulemaking requirements. Note: This notice of proposed priority 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 priority. Proposed Priority: Policy and Teaching Excellence Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary will give an absolute preference to applications that meet the following specific priority area. The Secretary intends to fund only one application that meets the priority listed below. Funding this priority will depend on the availability of funds, the nature of the final priority, and the quality of applications received. The Secretary proposes to support a national center to conduct research and development in the priority area of improving policymaking and policy structures to achieve excellence in teaching. A: This center must: (1) Conduct a coherent, sustained program of research and development to address problems and issues of national significance in the specific priority area, using a well-conceptualized and theoretically sound framework; (2) Contribute to the development and advancement of theory in the specific priority area; (3) Conduct scientifically rigorous studies capable of generating findings that contribute substantially to understanding the field; (4) Conduct work of sufficient size, scope, and duration to produce definitive guidance for improvement efforts and future research; (5) Address issues of both equity and excellence in education for all students in the specific priority area; and (6) Document, report, and disseminate information about its research findings and other accomplishments in ways that will facilitate effective use of that information by decisionmakers and others as appropriate. B: In carrying out its program of work, the center must also: (1) Conduct research and development on the full range of policy issues relevant to teaching excellence and other associated policy issues; (2) Conduct a program of research and development that will aid policymakers throughout the Nation at all levels of government and at all levels of the [[Page 7219]] educational system improve policies and policy decisions, as well as policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation processes, in order to achieve the goal of teaching excellence and ensure continuous efforts related to that goal; (3) Examine the effects that different policies for fostering or sustaining teaching excellence, or both, have on continuous school improvement, teacher performance, and student learning; (4) Examine the interactions of various policies affecting teacher performance and teaching excellence and the costs and benefits of different policies; (5) Examine the role of policy coordination and alignment in the creation of an overall policy structure that supports excellence in teaching; and (6) If appropriate, investigate education policies in other nations as they relate to and can inform education policies in the United States. Post-Award Requirements The Secretary proposes the following post-award requirements consistent with the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination and Improvement Act of 1994, cited earlier in this Notice (20 U.S.C. section 6001 et seq.). A grantee receiving a center award must: (a) Collaborate with OERI and appropriate clients in identifying significant new issues and provide OERI with information about center projects and products and other appropriate research information so that OERI can monitor center progress and maintain its inventory of funded research projects. This information must be provided through media that include an electronic network; (b) Reserve five percent of each budget period's funds to support activities that fall within the center's priority area, are designed and mutually agreed to by the center and OERI, and enhance OERI's ability to carry out its mission. These activities may include developing research agendas, conducting research projects collaborating with other federally-supported entities, and engaging in research agenda setting and dissemination activities; and (c) Provide yearly summaries of findings usable by education decisionmakers and practitioners and others as appropriate and, at the end of the award period, synthesize the findings and advances in knowledge that resulted from the center's program of work and describe the potential impact on the improvement of American education, including any observable impact to date. Invitation To Comment Interested persons are invited to submit comments and recommendations regarding this proposed priority. Comments will be available for public inspection, during and after the comment period, in Room 608A, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday of each week except Federal holidays. (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (84.308B) Educational Research and Development Centers Program) Program Authority: Pub.L. 103-227, Title IX (20 U.S.C. 6031). Dated: February 11, 1997. Marshall Smith, Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement. [FR Doc. 97-3906 Filed 2-14-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P