[Federal Register: February 24, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 36)]
[Notices]
[Page 9227-9229]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24fe99-140]
[[Page 9227]]
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Part III
Department of Education
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Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative Grants; Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA NO.: 84.314B]
Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative Grants
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of Final Priority for Fiscal Year 1999.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces an absolute priority for competitive
grants awarded under the Even Start Statewide Family Literacy
Initiative grants for Fiscal Year (FY) 1999. Under this priority, the
Department will support only Even Start Statewide Family Literacy
Initiatives for any State applicant that includes in its application
(1) indicators of program quality as described in Section 1210 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (as amended by the
Reading Excellence Act) that the State has developed for Even Start
Family Literacy projects; or (2) a plan and timeline for the
development of those indicators within a reasonable time period, not to
exceed one year from the date of the grant award. The law requires
States to base these program quality indicators on the best available
research and evaluation data. Upon development, the law requires States
to use these quality indicators in evaluating Even Start projects'
program performance and improvement for the purpose of continued
funding.
Note: This notice of final priority does not solicit
applications. A notice inviting applications under the FY1999
competition for Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative
Grants is published in a separate notice in this issue of the
Federal Register.
EFFECTIVE DATE: February 24, 1999.
WAIVER OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING: It is the 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
priorities that are not taken directly from statute. Ordinarily, this
practice would have applied to the absolute priority in this notice.
Section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA),
however, exempts from this requirement rules that apply to the first
competition under a new or substantially revised program. The Reading
Excellence Act, as enacted by Public Law 105-277, greatly expanded the
funds available for these grants and added new substantive
requirements, making this grant authority a ``substantially revised
program.'' The Secretary, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA,
has decided to forego public comment with respect to the absolute
priority in order to ensure timely awards. The absolute priority will
apply only to the FY 1999 grant competition, which is being conducted
in two stages.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary LeGwin, U. S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202-6132.
Telephone (202) 260-2499. 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 this document in an
alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact listed in the preceding paragraph.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternate format, also, by contacting that person.
However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate format
the standard forms included in the application package.
Absolute Priority:
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary gives an absolute
preference to any State applicant that includes in its application (1)
indicators of program quality, as described in Section 1210 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (as amended by the
Reading Excellence Act) that the State has developed for Even Start
family literacy projects; or (2) a plan and timeline for the
development of those indicators within a reasonable time period, not to
exceed one year.
States are required to develop these indicators by Section 1210 of
the ESEA. The law requires these indicators to be based upon the best
available research and evaluation data. Once developed, the law
requires States to use the indicators in evaluating Even Start
projects' program performance and improvement for the purpose of
continued funding. To improve family literacy outcomes for adults and
children, performance indicators must provide data to identify areas in
which the programs are working well and areas in which improvement is
needed. Even Start quality indicators will provide a measure of
accountability to assess the extent to which overall program goals and
objectives are being achieved and provide the basis for continuous
improvement of local family literacy projects.
The indicators of performance quality as described in Section 1210
of the ESEA must include the following:
(1) With respect to eligible participants in a program who are
adults--
(A) Achievement in the areas of reading, writing, English language
acquisition, problem solving, and numeracy;
(B) Receipt of a high school diploma or a general equivalency
diploma;
(C) Entry into a postsecondary school, job retraining program, or
employment or career advancement, including the military; and
(D) Such other indicators as the State may develop.
(2) With respect to eligible participants in a program who are
children--
(A) Improvement in ability to read on grade level or reading
readiness;
(B) School attendance;
(C) Grade retention and promotion; and
(D) Such other indicators as the State may develop.
The Secretary funds under the FY 1999 competition for these grants
only applicants that meet this absolute priority.
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 only 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.
You may view information about the Department's funding
opportunities, including copies of application notices for
discretionary grant competitions, on the Department's electronic
bulletin board (ED Board), telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet
Gopher Server at GOPHER.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins, and
Press Releases). However, the official
[[Page 9229]]
application notice for a discretionary grant competition is the notice
published in the Federal Register.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6362(c).
Dated: February 19, 1999.
Judith Johnson,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 99-4553 Filed 2-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P