FR Doc E4-3404
[Federal Register: December 1, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 230)]
[Notices]
[Page 69898-69900]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01de04-49]
Download: 
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Comprehensive School Reform Quality Initiatives Program
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice of proposed priorities.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education
proposes priorities for the competitions under the Comprehensive School
Reform (CSR) Quality Initiatives program to reflect the importance of
all children meeting challenging State academic content and State
academic achievement standards. The Assistant Secretary may use these
proposed priorities for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2005 and in
later years.
DATES: We must receive your comments on or before January 3, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Address all comments about these proposed priorities to
Margaret McNeely, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue,
SW., Room 3W103, Washington, DC 20202-6200, Fax (202) 260-8969. If you
prefer to send your comments through the Internet, use the following
address: compreform@ed.gov.
You must include the term COMMENTS in the subject line of your
electronic message.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Margaret McNeely. Telephone: (202)
260-1335 or via the Internet at compreform@ed.gov.
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) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Invitation To Comment
We invite you to submit written comments regarding these proposed
priorities. To ensure that your comments have maximum effect in
developing the notice of final priorities, we urge you to identify
clearly the specific proposed priority that each comment addresses.
We invite you to assist us in complying with the specific
requirements of Executive Order 12866 and its overall requirement of
reducing regulatory burden that might result from these proposed
priorities. Please let us know of any further opportunities we should
take to reduce potential costs or increase potential benefits while
preserving the effective and efficient administration of the program.
During and after the public comment period, you may inspect all
public comments about these proposed priorities in Room 3W103, 400
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, 20202 between the hours of 8:30
a.m. and 4 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, we will supply an appropriate aid, such as a reader or
print magnifier, to an individual with a disability who needs
assistance to review the comments or other documents in the public
rulemaking record for these proposed priorities. If you want to
schedule an appointment for this type of aid, please contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
General
The purpose of the CSR Quality Initiatives program, authorized
under section 1608 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended (ESEA), is to provide discretionary grants to support
activities that will enhance the State-administered CSR program and to
enable schools that have been identified for improvement, corrective
action, or restructuring under Title I of the ESEA to meet their
State's definition of adequate yearly progress (AYP). Under this
program, the Secretary awards funds to support two specific categories
of activities: Category 1--technical assistance to States, school
districts and schools in making informed decisions regarding approving
or selecting providers of comprehensive school reform, and Category 2--
capacity building for comprehensive school reform providers to expand
their work in more schools, assure quality and promote financial
stability.
Background of Proposed Priorities
Grantees under Category 1 assist States, local educational agencies
(LEAs), and schools in making informed decisions regarding approving or
selecting providers of comprehensive school reform, consistent with the
requirements of section 1606(a) of the ESEA, as amended. Research and
evaluation studies of comprehensive school reform implementation
indicate that schools in need of improvement face a myriad of
challenges in meeting AYP. One of these challenges is to expand the
knowledge of district and school personnel regarding school reform
strategies and methods so that they can effectively assist in
identifying clearly the teaching and learning needs of the school and
can identify the service provider that can best meet those needs. With
more quality information about the problem areas and scientifically-
based solutions, schools will be in a stronger position to implement
school reforms effectively. In addition to the need for schools and
districts to become better consumers of school reform data and
research, school- and district-based reformers need to have a better
understanding of the timeline for implementing the necessary changes in
teaching and learning and how to track student achievement gains
throughout the process. Accordingly, we are proposing a priority for
Category 1 projects that will provide States, districts and schools
with high-quality information tools and other forms of technical
assistance to identify the instructional needs of students and to
select a reform approach and provider to meet those needs effectively
so that all students are able to meet challenging State academic
content and student achievement standards and so that schools are able
to make AYP.
To implement the matching requirements of the ESEA, we are also
proposing a priority for Category 1 projects that propose to match
Federal funds received under this competition with funds from one or
more private organizations.
[[Page 69899]]
Category 2 projects foster the development of comprehensive school
reform models and provide effective capacity building for comprehensive
school reform providers to expand their work in more schools and ensure
quality. Meeting the needs of all students within CSR schools,
including traditionally underserved students such as students with
disabilities, limited English proficient students and students in rural
areas, requires additional development efforts on the part of CSR
service providers. Although some service providers recommend one or
more strategies for including these underserved students, there is
still a need to provide schools with better information, guidance and
professional development on how to serve these students specifically.
Thus, for Category 2 projects, we are proposing a priority for projects
that will focus activities on developing and testing strategies to meet
the needs of these groups of students.
We are also proposing a priority that would apply to both Category
1 and Category 2 projects. Both the technical assistance and capacity
building projects are national in scope thus impacting more than one
school, district or State. The strategies and approaches developed by
the Category 1 projects will be used across the country and across
site-specific conditions. Therefore, the most effective technical
assistance effort will take place in varied sites. For the Category 2
projects, the focus is on improving services to students and should be
developed and tested across multiple locations and conditions. Thus,
for both Category 1 and Category 2 projects, we are proposing a
priority that would provide assistance to LEAs in more than one State.
Discussion of Priorities
We will announce the final priorities in a notice in the Federal
Register. We will determine the final priorities after considering
written responses to this notice and other information available to the
Department. This notice does not preclude us from proposing or funding
additional priorities, subject to meeting applicable rulemaking
requirements.
Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in
which we choose to use these proposed priorities, we invite
applications through a notice in the Federal Register. When inviting
applications we designate the priority as absolute, competitive
preference, or invitational. The effect of each type of priority
follows:
Absolute Priority: Under an absolute priority we consider only
applications that meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)).
Competitive Preference Priority: Under a competitive preference
priority we give competitive preference to an application by either (1)
awarding additional points, depending on how well or the extent to
which the application meets the competitive priority (34 CFR 75.105
(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting an application that meets the competitive
priority over an application of comparable merit that does not meet the
priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
Invitational Priority: Under an invitational priority we are
particularly interested in applications that meet the invitational
priority. However, we do not give a competitive or absolute preference
over other applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
Priorities
Proposed Priority for Category 1 Applicants
To help ensure that the activities supported under Category 1
(technical assistance in making informed decisions) of the CSR Quality
Initiatives program best address the needs of States, districts and
schools, the Assistant Secretary proposes the following priority:
The grantee will provide assistance to States, LEAs and schools in
selecting a comprehensive school reform provider or developing
comprehensive school reforms for schools that are identified as being
in need of improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under
section 1116 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended. The applicant will provide a plan for providing States, LEAs
and schools with information tools and technical assistance in such
areas as using data to identify the instructional needs of students and
to clarify the technical assistance and professional development needs
of teachers and administrators.
Proposed Priority for Category 1 Applicants
For Category 1 grants, the statute requires that the awards be
matched with funds from private organizations. In response to this
requirement, the Assistant Secretary proposes the following priority:
The applicant must demonstrate, in its grant application, that its
CSR Quality Initiative award will be matched with funds from one or
more private organizations. For each year that a grantee receives a CSR
Quality Initiative award, the match, including any in-kind
contributions, must total at least 10 percent of the award.
Proposed Priority for Category 2 Applicants
To help ensure that all children meet challenging State academic
content and academic achievement standards, the Assistant Secretary
proposes the following priority for Category 2 applicants:
The applicant will implement activities to: (1) Develop and field-
test specific instructional strategies to meet the needs of students
who have been traditionally underserved by comprehensive reform
providers, such as students with disabilities and students with limited
English proficiency and to integrate those strategies into
scientifically research-based comprehensive school reforms, or (2)
increase the capacity of comprehensive reform providers to serve
students in rural areas. These strategies or capacities could be
additions or enhancements to existing CSR models or services already
being provided.
Proposed Priority for Category 1 and 2 Applicants
The Assistant Secretary proposes the following priority for
Category 1 and Category 2 grants:
The grantee will assist LEAs in more than one State.
Executive Order 12866
This notice of proposed priorities has been reviewed in accordance
with Executive Order 12866. Under the terms of the order, we have
assessed the potential costs and benefits of this regulatory action.
The potential costs associated with the notice of proposed
priorities are those resulting from statutory requirements and those we
have determined as necessary for administering this program effectively
and efficiently to provide the most benefits for the greatest number of
students.
In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative
and qualitative--of this notice of proposed priorities, we have
determined that the benefits of the proposed priorities justify the
costs.
We have also determined that this regulatory action does not unduly
interfere with State, local and tribal governments in the exercise of
their governmental functions.
Summary of potential costs and benefits: The potential costs
associated with these proposed priorities are minimal, while the
benefits are significant. Grantees may anticipate costs associated with
completing the
[[Page 69900]]
application process in terms of staff time, copying, and mailing or
delivery. The use of e-Application technology reduces mailing and
copying costs significantly.
The benefits of the CSR Quality Initiatives projects are in helping
low-performing schools make AYP. These proposed priorities will
generate new strategies for schools, districts, and States so that all
students are able to meet challenging State academic content and
student achievement standards.
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.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site:
http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using 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.
You may also view this document in text at the Applicant
Information link of the following site: http://www.ed.gov/programs/compreform
.
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.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.322B Comprehensive
School Reform--Quality Initiatives)
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6518.
Dated: November 26, 2004.
Raymond Simon,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. E4-3404 Filed 11-30-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P