[Federal Register: April 18, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 75)]
[Notices]
[Page 20887-20890]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18ap00-126]
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Part V
Department of Education
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Elementary School Counseling Demonstration Program; Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Elementary School Counseling Demonstration Program
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of final priority and selection criteria.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary announces the final priority and
selection criteria for fiscal year (FY) 2000 under the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act, Title X--Programs of National Significance,
Part A--Fund for the Improvement of Education--Section 10102,
Elementary School Counseling Demonstration Program. The Office of
Elementary and Secondary Education, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program
will administer this new grant competition. The Assistant Secretary
takes this action to focus Federal financial assistance on establishing
and expanding elementary school counseling programs. The Assistant
Secretary may use this priority for competitions in fiscal year (FY)
2000 and later years.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This notice of priority and selection criteria takes
effect on May 18, 2000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Loretta Riggans, Safe and Drug-Free
Schools Program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue,
SW., Room 3E220, Washington, DC 20202-6123. Telephone: (202) 260-2661,
email address: Loretta_Riggans@ed.gov, Fax: (202) 260-7767. Internet:
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS. If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Information Relay
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) upon request to the contact person listed in the preceding
paragraph.
Note: This notice of final priority does not solicit
applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition
is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice contains the final priority and
selection criteria for the Elementary School Counseling Demonstration
Program (CFDA #84.215E).
The Assistant Secretary may make awards for up to 36 months to
local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish or expand elementary
school counseling programs.
In making awards under this grant program, the Assistant Secretary
ensures an equitable geographic distribution among the regions of the
United States and among urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Contingent upon the availability of funds, the Assistant Secretary
may make additional awards in FY 2001 from the rank-ordered list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants under this competition are
local educational agencies (LEAs) only. LEAs may apply in consortia
with one or more LEAs; however, each participating LEA must ensure that
all requirements of the priority for this competition are met.
Deadline for Receipt of Applications: Applications for this
competition must be received at the address specified in the notice
inviting applications for this competition no later than 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Time on June 9, 2000. Applications received after that time
will not be read. Postmarked dates will not be accepted.
Absolute Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and Title X, Section
10102 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Assistant
Secretary gives an absolute preference to applications that meet the
following priority. The Assistant Secretary funds under this
competition only applications that meet this absolute priority.
Under the absolute funding priority for this grant competition, LEA
projects must establish or expand elementary school counseling programs
at schools with at least one grade below fifth and no grade higher than
eighth.
Statutory Requirements: The statute requires each program assisted
under this competition to:
(1) Be comprehensive in addressing the personal, social, emotional,
and educational needs of all students;
(2) Use a developmental, preventive approach to counseling;
(3) Increase the range, availability, quantity, and quality of
counseling services in elementary schools of the local educational
agency;
(4) Expand counseling services only through qualified school
counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers;
(5) Use innovative approaches to increase children's understanding
of peer and family relationships, work and self, decisionmaking,
academic and career planning, or to improve social functioning;
(6) Provide counseling services that are well-balanced among
classroom group and small group counseling, individual counseling, and
consultation with parents, teachers, administrators, and other pupil
services personnel;
(7) Include inservice training for school counselors, school social
workers, school psychologists, other pupil services personnel,
teachers, and instructional staff;
(8) Involve parents of participating students in the design,
implementation, and evaluation of a counseling program;
(9) Involve collaborative efforts with institutions of higher
education, businesses, labor organizations, community groups, social
service agencies, or other public or private entities to enhance the
program and promote school-linked services integration; and
(10) evaluate annually the effectiveness and outcomes of the
counseling services and activities assisted under this program.
The statute also requires each applicant to--
(1) Assure that the funds made available under this grant for any
fiscal year will be used to supplement and, to the extent practicable,
increase the level of funds that would otherwise be available from non-
Federal sources for the program described in the application, and must
in no case supplant those funds from non-Federal sources; and
(2) Assure that the applicant will appoint an advisory board
composed of parents, school counselors, school psychologists, school
social workers, other pupil services personnel, teachers, school
administrators, and community leaders to advise the LEA on the design
and implementation of the counseling program.
Definitions: The following definitions apply to this competition:
(1) The term `school counselor' means an individual who has
documented competence in counseling children and adolescents in a
school setting and who--
(A) Possesses State licensure or certification granted by an
independent professional regulatory authority;
(B) In the absence of such State licensure or certification,
possesses national certification in school counseling or a specialty of
counseling granted by an independent professional organization; or
(C) Holds a minimum of a master's degree in school counseling from
a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and
Related Educational Programs or the equivalent;
(2) The term `school psychologist' means an individual who--
(A) Possesses a minimum of 60 graduate semester hours in school
psychology from an institution of higher education and has completed
1,200 clock hours in a supervised school
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psychology internship, of which 600 hours shall be in the school
setting;
(B) Possesses State licensure or certification in the State in
which the individual works; or
(C) In the absence of such State licensure or certification,
possesses national certification by the National School Psychology
Certification Board;
(3) The term `school social worker' means an individual who holds a
master's degree in social work and is licensed or certified by the
State in which services are provided or holds a school social work
specialist credential; and
(4) The term `supervisor' means an individual who has the
equivalent number of years of professional experience in such
individual's respective discipline as is required of teaching
experience for the supervisor or administrative credential in the State
of such individual.
Selection Criteria: The following criteria will be used to evaluate
applications for new grants under this competition. The maximum score
for all of these criteria is 100 points.
(1) Need for the project. (20 points)
Applicants must propose projects that demonstrate the greatest need
for new or additional counseling services among children in the
elementary schools served by the project.
In determining applications with the greatest need, the following
factors are considered:
(A) The magnitude or severity of the problem to be addressed by the
proposed project.
(B) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project.
(C) 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; and
(D) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project.
In describing the proposed project, applicants must:
(1) Describe the elementary school population to be targeted by the
program; the particular personal, social, emotional, educational, and
career development needs of such population; and the current school
counseling resources available for meeting such needs; and
(2) Describe how any diverse cultural populations, if applicable,
would be served through the program.
(2) Quality of the project design. (20 points)
Applicants must propose projects that demonstrate the most
promising and innovative approaches for initiating or expanding
counseling services in the target elementary schools.
The following factors are considered in determining the quality of
the project design:
(A) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the counseling needs of
the target population.
(B) The quality of the proposed demonstration design and procedures
for documenting project activities and results.
(C) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of
Federal financial assistance.
(D) The extent to which the proposed project will establish
linkages with other appropriate agencies or organizations providing
services to the target population.
In describing the project design, applicants must describe the
activities, services, and training to be provided by the program and
the specific approaches to be used to meet the needs of the target
population.
(3) Significance of the project. (20 points)
Applicants must propose projects that demonstrate the greatest
potential for replication and dissemination. The following factors are
considered in determining the significance of the project:
(A) The likely utility of the products (such as information,
materials, processes, or techniques) that will result from the proposed
project, including the potential for their being used effectively in a
variety of other settings.
(B) The extent to which the results of the proposed project are to
be disseminated in ways that will enable others to use the information
or strategies.
(C) The potential replicability of the proposed project or
strategies, including, as appropriate, the potential for implementation
in a variety of settings.
(D) The extent to which the design for implementing and evaluating
the proposed project will result in information to guide possible
replication of project activities, including information about
effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the project.
(4) Quality of the project evaluation. (20 points)
Applicants must provide a detailed description of their plan to
annually evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of the proposed
counseling services and strategies. The following factors are
considered in determining the quality of the project evaluation:
(A) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project.
(B) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
(C) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and
qualitative data to the extent possible.
(D) The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about
effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other
settings.
In describing the proposed project evaluation, applicants must:
(1) Describe the methods to be used to evaluate the outcomes and
effectiveness of the project.
(2) Agree to cooperate with any national evaluation of this grant
competition that the Assistant Secretary may require.
(5) Quality of the management plan. (10 points)
Applicants must provide a detailed description of their plan to
manage the activities outlined in their proposal. The following factors
are considered in determining the quality of the management plan:
(A) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks.
(B) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project.
(C) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives
are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including
those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of
disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of
services, or others, as appropriate.
In describing the management plan, applicants must:
(1) Describe the collaborative efforts to be undertaken with
institutions of higher education, businesses, labor
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organizations, community groups, social service agencies, and other
public or private entities to enhance the program and promote school-
linked services integration; describe collaborative efforts with
institutions of higher education which specifically seek to enhance or
improve graduate programs specializing in the preparation of elementary
school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers; and
(2) Document that the applicant has the personnel qualified to
develop, implement, and administer the program.
(6) Adequacy of resources. (10 points)
Applicants must describe the resources committed to the proposed
project.
In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project,
the following factors are considered:
(A) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
(B) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and
benefits.
(C) The potential for the incorporation of the project purposes,
activities, or benefits into the ongoing program of the agency or
organization at the end of Federal funding.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking
It is the Assistant Secretary's practice, in accordance with the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), to offer interested
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed rules. Section 437(d)(1)
of the General Education Provision Act (GEPA), however, exempts from
this requirement rules that apply to the first competition under a new
or substantially revised program. This is the first competition under
the Elementary School Counseling Demonstration Program since that
program was authorized as part of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 as amended by the Improving America's Schools Act
of 1994.
Intergovernmental Review
This program is subject to the requirements of 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 government 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. 8002
Electronic Access to This Document
You may review 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, 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
(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 84.215E,
Elementary School Counseling Demonstration Program)
Dated: April 14, 2000.
Michael Cohen,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 00-9781 Filed 4-14-00; 1:52 pm]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P