02/14/00: Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities National Programs; Federal Activities; Effective Alternative Strategies: Grant Competition To Reduce Student Suspensions and Expulsions and Ensure Educational Progress of Students Who Are Suspended or Expelled; Notice[OESE]


[Federal Register: February 14, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 30)]
[Notices]
[Page 7419-7421]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14fe00-104]

[[Page 7419]]

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Part II

Department of Education

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Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Safe and Drug-Free
Schools and Communities National Programs; Federal Activities;
Effective Alternative Strategies: Grant Competition To Reduce Student
Suspensions and Expulsions and Ensure Educational Progress of Students
Who Are Suspended or Expelled; Notice

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

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Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Safe and Drug-Free
Schools and Communities National Programs; Federal Activities;
Effective Alternative Strategies: Grant Competition To Reduce Student
Suspensions and Expulsions and Ensure Educational Progress of Students
Who Are Suspended or Expelled

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of proposed priority and selection criteria for fiscal
year (FY) 2000 and subsequent years.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces a proposed priority and selection
criteria for FY 2000 and, at the discretion of the Secretary, for
subsequent years under the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities
National Programs--Federal Activities-Effective Alternative Strategies:
Grant Competition to Reduce Student Suspensions and Expulsions and
Ensure Educational Progress of Suspended and Expelled Students. The
Secretary takes this action to focus Federal financial assistance on an
identified national need to reduce student suspensions and expulsions
and ensure educational progress of suspended and expelled students.

DATES: We must receive your comments on or before March 15, 2000.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposed priority and selection
criteria should be addressed to Dr. Ann Weinheimer, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW--Room 3E330, Washington, DC 20202-
6123. Comments also may be sent via the Internet: comments@ed.gov. You
must include the phrase ``Reduce Student Suspensions and Expulsions and
Ensure Educational Progress of Suspended and Expelled Students'' in the
subject line of your electronic message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ann Weinheimer, (202) 708-5939.
Individuals who use a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD) may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at (800) 877-8339
between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding
paragraph.

    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 the publication of the notice of final priority. The
notice inviting applications will specify the date and time by which
applications for this competition must be received by the
Department. Applications received after that time will not be
eligible for funding. Postmarked dates will not be accepted.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Invitation to Comment

    Interested persons are invited to submit comments and
recommendations regarding this proposed priority and selection
criteria. All comments submitted in response to this notice will be
available for public inspection, during and after the comment period,
at 400 Maryland Avenue, SW--Room 3E330, Washington, DC, between the
hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday
of each week except Federal holidays.

Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities in Reviewing the
Rulemaking Record

    On request, the Department supplies an appropriate aid, such as a
reader or print magnifier, to an individual with a disability that
needs assistance to review the comments. 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. Individuals who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at (800) 877-8339, between 8:00 a.m.
and 8:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

General

    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, 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 this proposed priority does
not preclude the Secretary from proposing additional priorities, nor
does it limit the Secretary to funding only this priority, subject to
meeting applicable rulemaking requirements. In making awards under this
grant program, the Secretary may take into consideration the geographic
distribution of the projects in addition to the rank order of
applicants.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds, the Secretary may make
additional awards in Fiscal Year 2001 from the rank-ordered list of
nonfunded applications from this competition.

Absolute Priority

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and
Communities Act of 1994, the Secretary proposes to give an absolute
preference to applications that meet the following priority. The
Secretary proposes to fund under this competition only those
applications that meet this absolute priority: Absolute Priority--
Enhance, Implement, and Evaluate Strategies to Reduce the Number and
Duration of Student Suspensions and Expulsions and Ensure Continued
Educational Progress for Students Who Are Suspended or Expelled From
School.

Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants under this competition are public and private
non-profit organizations and individuals.

Selection Criteria

    The Secretary proposes to use the following selection criteria to
evaluate applications for new grants under this competition. The
maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points. The maximum
score for each criterion or factor under that criterion is indicated in
parentheses.

(1) Need for Project (10 points)

    In determining the need for the proposed project the following
factor is considered: The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses
in services, infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and
will be addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and
magnitude of those gaps or weaknesses.

(2) Quality of the Project Design (30 points)

    In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project,
the following factors are considered:
    (A) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(6 points)
    (B) The extent to which the proposed project encourages parental
involvement. (6 points)
    (C) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population or other identified needs. (6 points)
    (D) The extent to which the proposed project represents an
exceptional approach to the priority. (6 points)
    (E) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community,
State and Federal resources. (6 points)

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(3) Quality of Project Services (30 points)

    In determining the quality of the proposed project services, the
following factors are considered:
    (A) The extent to which the quality and sufficiency of strategies
for ensuring equal access and treatment for eligible project
participants who are members of groups that have traditionally been
underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age or
disability. (6 points)
    (B) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or
beneficiaries of those services. (8 points)
    (C) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed
project will lead to improvements in the achievement of students as
measured against rigorous academic standards. (8 points)
    (D) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project involve the collaboration of appropriate community partners for
maximizing the effectiveness of project services. (8 points)

(4) Quality of Project Personnel (15 points)

    In determining the quality of project personnel, the following
factors are considered:
    (A) The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability. (5 points)
    (B) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel. (10 points)

(5) Quality of the Project Evaluation (15 points)

    In determining the quality of the evaluation, the following factors
are considered:
    (A) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project. (10 points)
    (B) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward
achieving intended outcomes. (5 points)

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the
regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive
order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened
federalism. The Executive order relies on processes developed by State
and local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal
financial assistance.
    This document provides early notification of our specific plans and
actions for this program.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7131.

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 Internet 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 (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC
area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://
www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.184H Office of
Elementary and Secondary Education--Safe and Drug-Free Schools and
Communities National Programs--Federal Activities--Grant Competition
to Reduce Student Suspensions and Expulsions, and Ensure Educational
Progress of Suspended and Expelled Students)

    Dated: February 9, 2000.
Michael Cohen,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 00-3476 Filed 2-11-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U