[Federal Register: February 21, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 35)]
[Notices ]
[Page 6753-6758]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
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_______________________________________________________________________
Part IV
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Proposed
Priorities; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
Notice of Proposed Priorities
SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes priorities for three programs
administered by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services (OSERS) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
The Secretary may use these priorities in Fiscal Year 1996 and
subsequent years. The Secretary takes this action to focus Federal
assistance on identified needs to improve outcomes for children with
disabilities. The proposed priorities are intended to ensure wide and
effective use of program funds.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 22, 1996 for the
Training Personnel for the Education of Individuals with Disabilities
Program (CFDA 84.029) and the Program for Children and Youth with
Serious Emotional Disturbance (CFDA 84.237); and April 22, 1996 for the
Research in the Education of Individuals with Disabilities Program
(CFDA 84.023).
ADDRESSES: All comments concerning proposed priorities should be
addressed to: Linda Glidewell, U.S. Department of Education, 600
Independence Avenue SW., Room 3524, Switzer Building, Washington, D.C.
20202-2641.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The name, address, and telephone
number of the person at the Department to contact for information on
each specific proposed priority is listed under that priority.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice contains four proposed
priorities under three programs authorized by the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act, as follows: Research in Education of
Individuals with Disabilities Program (one proposed priority); Training
Personnel for the Education of Individuals with Disabilities Program
(two proposed priorities); and Program for Children and Youth with
Serious Emotional Disturbance (one proposed priority). The purpose of
each program is stated separately under the title of that program.
These proposed priorities would support the National Education
Goals by improving understanding of how to enable children and youth
with disabilities to reach higher levels of academic achievement.
The Secretary will announce the final priorities in a notice in the
Federal Register. The final priorities will be determined by responses
to this notice, available funds, and other considerations of the
Department. Funding of particular projects depends on the availability
of funds, the content of the final priorities, and the quality of the
applications received. Further, priorities could be affected by
enactment of legislation reauthorizing these programs. The publication
of these proposed priorities does not preclude the Secretary from
proposing additional priorities, nor does it limit the Secretary to
funding only these priorities, subject to meeting applicable rulemaking
requirements.
Note: This notice of proposed priorities does not solicit
applications. Notices inviting applications under these competitions
will be published in the Federal Register concurrent with or
following publication of the notices of final priorities.
Research in Education of Individuals With Disabilities Program
Purpose of Program: To advance and improve the knowledge base and
improve the practice of professionals, parents, and others providing
early intervention, special education, and related services--including
professionals in regular education environments--to provide children
with disabilities effective instruction and enable these children to
learn successfully.
Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to give
an absolute preference to applications that meet the following
priority. The Secretary proposes to fund under this competition only
applications that meet this absolute priority:
Proposed Absolute Priority--Research Institute to Accelerate Learning
for Children With Disabilities With Curricular and Instructional
Interventions
Background
The consequences of failing to learn are serious. Lack of learning
in one domain reduces an individual's capacity to benefit from
educational experience. Failure establishes a self-perpetuating cycle
and negatively affects the individual's disposition toward lifelong
learning, employment, and contribution to society. Most children with
disabilities face challenges to learning. These challenges are
amplified as calls are made for higher standards to be achieved by all
students, including children with disabilities, and as more children
with disabilities are educated in general education classrooms.
Evidence from the National Longitudinal Transition Study indicates
children with disabilities are not learning subject matter content. An
urgency exists to develop powerful curricular and instructional
interventions that maximize rates of development, promote generalized
learning, and reduce discrepancies between their performance and that
of their peers.
Intervention research has demonstrated that children with
disabilities possess the potential to learn, participate, and
contribute in school, home, community, and work place. Research on
instructional interventions for children with disabilities has been the
hallmark of special education research. For example, research on direct
instruction, behavioral management interventions, learning strategies,
peer mediated learning, and reciprocal teaching has led to improvements
in professional practice.
Yet, single solution interventions are insufficient for teaching
children with disabilities complex subject matter content. In many
instances, these interventions are content free. Moreover, little
empirical evidence is available on the context of the classroom for
supporting the implementation of these solutions.
Priority
The Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority for the
purpose of establishing a research institute to study kindergarten
through grade six curricular and instructional classroom based
interventions that accelerate subject matter learning for children with
disabilities and promote its sustained use by practitioners. These
studies must examine--
(1) The effectiveness of the intervention for children with
disabilities; and
(2) The classroom context that supports the implementation of the
interventions that produce and sustain positive learning outcomes for
children with disabilities, including such factors as classroom groups;
classroom and cross-classroom management strategies; curriculum design
principles; classroom settings; instructional materials; amount of time
on task; integration into the curriculum; and teacher actions, skills,
and attitudes.
The research may include, but need not be limited to, studying
classroom based exemplars and models, designing and implementing
interventions, and collecting student and teacher data from exemplars,
using a rich array of research methods to reach the intended goals of
this priority and as articulated by the proposed research hypotheses.
The research Institute must--
(a) Design and conduct a strategic program of research that focuses
on
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helping students with disabilities in kindergarten through grade six
learn subject matter content in critical areas such as reading and
math, and builds upon the existing research knowledge for teaching
children with disabilities;
(b) Design and conduct a strategic program of research across
multiple sites to represent organizational and demographic diversity;
(c) Collect, analyze, and communicate student outcome data and
supporting context data; and multiple outcome data for teachers,
parents, administrators, as appropriate;
(d) Collaborate with experts and researchers in related subject
matter and methodological fields, as appropriate for the program of
research, to design and conduct the strategic program of research;
(e) Collaborate with communication specialists and professional and
advocacy organizations to ensure that findings are prepared in formats
that are useable for specific audiences such as teachers,
administrators, and other service providers;
(f) Develop linkages with Education Department technical assistance
providers to communicate research findings and distribute products;
(g) Provide training and research opportunities for a limited
number of graduate students including students who are from
traditionally underrepresented groups; and
(h) Meet with the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
project officer in the first four months of the project to review the
program of research and communication approaches.
The project must budget for two trips annually to Washington, D.C.
for: (1) A two-day Research Project Directors' meeting; and (2) another
meeting to meet and collaborate with the OSEP project officer.
Under this priority, the Secretary anticipates making one award for
a cooperative agreement with a project period of up to 60 months
subject to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation
awards. In determining whether to continue the Institute for the fourth
and fifth years of the project period, the Secretary, in addition to
the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), will consider--
(1) The recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts
selected by the Secretary. The services of the review team, including a
two-day site visit to the project are to be performed during the last
half of the Institute's second year and may be included in that year's
evaluation required under 34 CFR 75.590. Costs associated with the
services to be performed by the review team must also be included in
the institute's budget for year two. These costs are estimated to be
approximately $4,000;
(2) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
Research Institute; and
(3) The degree to which the Institute's research designs and
methodologies demonstrate the potential for advancing significant new
knowledge.
For Further Information Contact: Ellen Schiller, U.S. Department of
Education, 600 Independence Avenue SW., Room 3523, Switzer Building,
Washington, D.C. 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-8123. FAX: (202) 205-
8105. Internet: Ellen__Schiller@ed.gov
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)
may call the TDD number: (202) 205-8953.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441 and 1442.
Training Personnel for the Education of Individuals With
Disabilities Program
Purpose of Program: The purpose of Grants for Personnel Training is
to increase the quantity and improve the quality of personnel available
to serve infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.
Priorities: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to
give an absolute preference to applications that meet the following
priorities. The Secretary proposes to fund under these competitions
only applications that meet these absolute priorities:
Proposed Absolute Priority 1--Preparation of Special Education, Related
Services, and Early Intervention Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers,
Children, and Youth With Low-Incidence Disabilities
Background
The national demand for educational, related services, and early
intervention personnel to serve infants, toddlers, children and youth
with low-incidence disabilities exceeds available supply. However,
because of the small number of these personnel needed in each State,
institutions of higher education and individual States are reluctant to
support the needed professional development programs. Of the programs
that are available, not all are producing graduates with the
prerequisite skills needed to meet the needs of the low-incidence
disability population. Federal support is required to ensure an
adequate supply of personnel to serve children with low-incidence
disabilities and to improve the quality of appropriate training
programs so that graduates possess necessary prerequisite skills.
Priority: The Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority
to support projects that increase the number and quality of personnel
to serve children with low-incidence disabilities. This priority
supports projects that provide preservice preparation of special
educators, early intervention personnel, and related services personnel
at the associate, baccalaureate, master's, or specialist level.
The term ``low-incidence disability'' means a visual or hearing
impairment, or simultaneous visual and hearing impairments, significant
mental retardation, or an impairment such as severe and multiple
disabilities, severe orthopedic disabilities, autism, and traumatic
brain injury, for which a small number of highly skilled and
knowledgeable personnel are needed.
Applicants may propose to prepare one or more of the following
types of personnel:
(1) Special educators including early childhood, speech and
language, adapted physical education, and assistive technology
personnel;
(2) Related services personnel who provide developmental,
corrective, and other supportive services that assist children with
low-incidence disabilities to benefit from special education. Both
comprehensive programs and specialty components of programs that
emphasize children with low-incidence disabilities within a broader
discipline may be supported; or
(3) Early intervention personnel who serve children birth through
age 2 with disabilities and their families. Early intervention
personnel include persons prepared to provide training for, or be
consultants to, service providers and case managers.
The Secretary particularly encourages projects that address the
needs of more than one State, provide multi-disciplinary training, and
include collaboration among several institutions and between training
institutions and public schools. In addition, projects that foster
successful coordination between special education and regular education
professional development programs to meet the needs of children with
low-incidence disabilities in inclusive settings are encouraged.
Projects must:
(a) Show how their proposed activities address the need for trained
personnel to serve children with low-incidence disabilities, as
identified in
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State Comprehensive Systems of Personnel Development, in the State or
States where personnel trained by the project are expected to be
employed;
(b) Prepare personnel to address the specialized needs of children
with low-incidence disabilities from different cultural and language
backgrounds;
(c) Incorporate best practices in the design of the program and the
curricula;
(d) Incorporate curricula that focus on improving results for
children with low-incidence disabilities;
(e) Promote high expectations for students with low-incidence
disabilities and foster access to the general curriculum in the regular
classroom, wherever appropriate; and
(f) Develop linkages with Education Department technical assistance
providers to communicate information on program models used and program
effectiveness.
Under this absolute priority, the Secretary plans to award
approximately:
* 55 percent of the available funds for projects that
support careers in special education, including early childhood
educators;
* 30 percent of the available funds for projects that
support careers in related services; and
* 15 percent of the available funds for projects that
support careers in early intervention.
For Further Information Contact: Verna Hart, U.S. Department of
Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3519, Switzer Building,
Washington, D.C. 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-5392. FAX: (202) 205-
9070. Internet: Verna__Hart@ed.gov Individuals who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the TDD number:
(202) 205-7381.
Proposed Absolute Priority 2--Preparation of Personnel to Serve
Children and Youth With High-Incidence Disabilities
Background: In many States, there are insufficient numbers of
personnel available to meet the needs of children with high-incidence
disabilities. In addition, the quality of personnel preparation
programs needs to be improved so that professionals will be better
prepared to help children with high-incidence disabilities reach their
individual developmental goals and meet challenging standards.
Priority: The Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority
to support projects that increase the number and quality of personnel
to serve children ages 3 through 21 with high-incidence disabilities
such as mild or moderate mental retardation, speech or language
impairments, emotional disturbance, or specific learning disabilities.
This priority supports projects that provide preservice preparation of
special educators, including early childhood educators and related
services personnel.
A preservice program is defined as one that leads toward a degree,
certification, or professional standard, and may be supported at the
associate, baccalaureate, master's or specialist level. A preservice
program may include the preparation of currently employed personnel who
are seeking additional degrees, certifications, or endorsements.
Applicants may propose to prepare one or more of the following
types of personnel:
(1) Special educators including speech and language, adapted
physical education, and adaptive technology personnel;
(2) Related services personnel who provide developmental,
corrective, and other supportive services that assist children with
high-incidence disabilities to benefit from special education; and
(3) Early childhood special education or related services personnel
who address the needs of children age three through five with high-
incidence disabilities and their families.
The Secretary particularly encourages projects that foster
successful coordination between special education and regular education
professional development programs to meet the needs of children with
high-incidence disabilities in inclusive settings.
Projects must:
(a) Show through letters of acknowledgement from States or other
documentation that the proposed professional development activities
support the Comprehensive Systems of Personnel Development of the State
or States where personnel prepared by the project are expected to be
employed;
(b) Show through letters of acknowledgement from States or other
documentation that the proposed personnel preparation meets the
standards for employment in the State or States where personnel
prepared by the project are expected to be employed;
(c) Prepare personnel to address the needs of children with high-
incidence disabilities from different cultural and language
backgrounds;
(d) Incorporate best practices in the design of the program and
curricula;
(e) Incorporate curricula that focus on improving results for
children with high-incidence disabilities;
(f) Promote high expectations for children with high-incidence
disabilities and foster access to the general curriculum in the regular
classroom, wherever appropriate; and
(g) Develop linkages with Education Department technical assistance
providers to communicate information on program models used and program
effectiveness.
Under this absolute priority, the Secretary plans to award
approximately:
* 55 percent of the available funds for projects that
support careers in special education;
* 30 percent of the available funds for projects that
support careers in related services; and,
* 15 percent of the available funds for projects that
support careers in early childhood education.
For Further Information Contact: Martha Bokee, U.S. Department of
Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3078, Switzer Building,
Washington, D.C. 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-5509. FAX: (202) 205-
9070. Internet: Martha____Bokee@ed.gov. Individuals who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the TDD number:
(202) 205-7381.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1431.
Program for Children and Youth With Serious Emotional Disturbance
Purpose of Program: To support projects designed to improve special
education and related services to children and youth with serious
emotional disturbance. Types of projects that may be supported under
the program include, but are not limited to, research, development, and
demonstration projects. Funds may also be used to develop and
demonstrate approaches to assist and prevent children with emotional
and behavioral problems from developing serious emotional disturbance.
Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to give
an absolute preference to applications that meet the following
priority. The Secretary proposes to fund under this competition only
applications that meet this absolute priority:
Proposed Absolute Priority--Center to Promote Collaboration and
Communication of Effective Practices for Children With, or At Risk of
Developing, Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED)
Background: ``Collaboration'' is one of the seven strategic targets
identified in the National Agenda for Achieving Better Results for
Children and Youth with SED, developed by the Office of Special
Education Programs (OSEP) with extensive participation by a variety of
individuals and organizations.
[[Page 6757]]
Collaboration is critically important, at Federal, State, and local
levels: ``To promote systems change resulting in the development of
coherent services built around the individual needs of children and
youth with and at risk of developing SED.'' In the past, there has been
too little interaction between agencies and service providers, e.g.,
education, mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice. Lack of
coordination between and across agencies has had a negative impact on
children and families. The new direction, demonstrated in many of the
projects currently funded by OSEP and other agencies, is toward more
``seamless'' and ``wrap-around'' service delivery models built around
the needs of students, families, and communities--systems that
coordinate services, articulate responsibilities, and provide system-
wide and agency-level accountability.
Many of these new model programs are only in their infancy, but are
already documenting their effectiveness. It is essential that
mechanisms be put in place to foster the identification, development,
and exchange of information about these innovative projects--to
communicate their findings and approaches nationally to other
communities and agencies that are seeking solutions to the needs of
children with mental health problems and their families.
Priority: The Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority
to support one cooperative agreement for a center to promote Federal,
State, and local interagency collaboration and facilitate the
identification, development, and exchange of information on effective
practices to improve services for children with SED and for children
with emotional and behavioral problems who are at risk of developing
SED. The center must coordinate and collaborate with related centers
and activities across agencies, including but not limited to: OSEP's
ongoing activities to validate and communicate the SED National Agenda;
other OSEP and Department-supported technical assistance and
information exchange activities; and the two rehabilitation research
and training centers (RRTCs) on children's mental health jointly funded
by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
(NIDRR) and the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). The center
must provide and support information identification, development, and
exchange for Federal, State, and community-based projects and programs
providing services for children with or at risk of SED in accordance
with a plan that describes the centers schedule.
The center must:
(1) Establish working relationships with Federal, State, and local
programs and projects to identify and develop useful and usable
information for, and to foster the exchange of usable and useful
information with--
(a) Federal, State, and community-based programs and projects to
assist them in their efforts; and,
(b) Broader audiences of individuals and organizations including
parents and family members of children with or at risk of serious
emotional disturbance.
(2) Ensure and facilitate access, including electronic and
telecommunication access, to information on SED, including information
on projects funded by the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitation Services; other offices in the Department of Education;
the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Justice; and
other sources such as foundations and associations, as appropriate.
(3) Evaluate the impact of information identification, development,
and exchange activities.
It is anticipated that initial information exchanges will rely
heavily upon information already produced by programs and projects, but
that additional information will be synthesized and developed by the
center based on findings from the available research and information/
findings provided to the center by programs and projects.
The center must also ensure that the targets and cross-cutting
themes of OSEP's National Agenda for Achieving Better Results for
Children and Youth with SED are addressed in the center's information
activities. Four areas of particular interest that must be addressed in
information activities are: (1) early identification, intervention, and
prevention; (2) behavior management, conflict resolution, and other
approaches to creating more productive and safe educational
environments for all students; (3) personnel preparation; and (4)
evaluation of community-based (local) program and service
effectiveness.
Under this priority, the Secretary proposes to award one
cooperative agreement with a project period of up to 60 months subject
to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation awards. In
determining whether to continue the center for the fourth and fifth
years of the project period, the Secretary, in addition to the
requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), will consider the recommendation of a
review team consisting of three experts selected by the Secretary. The
services of the review team, including a two-day visit to the center,
are to be performed during the last half of the center's second year
and must be included in that year's evaluation required under 34 CFR
75.590. In its budget for the second year, the center must set aside
funds to cover the costs of the review team. These funds are estimated
to be approximately $4,000.
In determining whether to continue the center for the fourth and
fifth years of the project period, in addition to considering the
factors in 34 75.253(a), the Secretary will consider the following:
(a) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
center; and
(b) The degree to which the center's evaluation methods and
information activities demonstrate the potential for advancing
significant new knowledge.
The Secretary particularly encourages applicants for this
cooperative agreement to incorporate technologically innovative
approaches in all aspects of center activities, to improve their
efficiency and impact.
The project must budget for two trips annually to Washington, D.C.,
for: (1) a two-day Research Project Directors' meeting; and (2) another
meeting, in the first quarter of each project year, to meet and review
project plans and accomplishments with the OSEP project officer and
other OSEP and other agency staff to share information on the project.
For Further Information Contact: Tom V. Hanley, U.S. Department of
Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3526, Switzer Building,
Washington, D.C. 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-8110. FAX: (202) 205-
8105. Internet: Tom____Hanley@ed.gov
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)
may call the TDD number: (202) 205-8953.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1423
Executive Order 12866
This notice of proposed priorities has been reviewed in accordance
with Executive Order 12866. Under the terms of the order the Secretary
has assessed the potential costs and benefits of this regulatory
action.
The potential costs associated with the notice of proposed
priorities are those determined by the Secretary as necessary for
administering this program effectively and efficiently.
In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative
and
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qualitative--of this notice of proposed priorities, the Secretary has
determined that the benefits of the proposed priorities justify the
costs.
The Secretary has also determined that this regulatory action does
not unduly interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the
exercise of their governmental functions.
To assist the Department in complying with the specific
requirements of Executive Order 12866, the Secretary invites comment on
whether there may be further opportunities to reduce any potential
costs or increase potential benefits resulting from these proposed
priorities without impeding the effective and efficient administration
of the program.
Summary of Potential Costs and Benefits: There are no identified
costs associated with this notice of proposed priorities. Announcement
of the priorities will not result in costs to State and local
governments, recipients of grant funds, or to children and youth with
disabilities and their families. The benefit from these priorities will
be to focus activities and Federal assistance on improving outcomes for
children and youth with disabilities.
Intergovernmental Review
Except for the Research in Education of Individuals with
Disabilities Program (84.023), all other programs included in this
notice are subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 and the
regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The objective of the Executive order is
to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened
federalism by relying on processes developed by State and local
governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal financial
assistance.
In accordance with the order, this document is intended to provide
early notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for
this program.
Invitation to Comment
Interested persons are invited to submit comments and
recommendations regarding these proposed priorities.
All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available
for public inspection, during and after the comment period, in Room
3524, 300 C Street SW., Washington, D.C., between the hours of 8:30
a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday of each week except Federal
holidays.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers: Research in
Education of Individuals with Disabilities Program, 84.023; Training
Personnel for the Education of Individuals with Disabilities
Program, 84.029; and Program for Children and Youth with Serious
Emotional Disturbance, 84.237)
Dated: November 8, 1995.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 96-3843 Filed 2-20-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P