[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 83 (Monday, May 1, 1995)] [Notices] [Pages 21396-21397] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 95-10637] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Eisenhower Professional Development Federal Activities Program-- Initial Teacher Professional Development Projects AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of final priority for (FY) Fiscal Year 1995. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary announces an absolute priority for a FY 1995 competition under the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Federal Activities Program to support innovative Statewide policies and practices in the broad area of initial professional development for K- 12 teachers of core academic subjects. EFFECTIVE DATE: This absolute priority takes effect May 31, 1995. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Trudy Turner or Annora Dorsey, U.S. Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., Room 500, Washington, D.C. 20208-5572. Fax: (202) 219-2106; Telephone: (202) 219- 2206. 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 except Federal holidays. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The goal of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program is to provide K-12 teachers with sustained and intensive high-quality professional development that will improve teaching in the core academic subjects, and that is consistent with challenging State content standards, in order to enable all children to meet challenging State student performance standards. The Secretary has supported, and will continue to support, in-service professional development of K-12 teachers. However, the Secretary believes these efforts must be integrated with additional attention to initial teacher professional development and alignment of State requirements for licensure and induction with challenging State content and student performance standards if sustained change is to occur in American education. Funded projects should address reform of all aspects of teacher preparation, including recruitment and selection of teacher candidates, collaboration of colleges of education with colleges of arts and sciences, curriculum and instruction offered in teacher preparation programs, faculty incentives and development strategies, clinical experiences of teacher candidates, State-level licensing policies and procedures, and support for teachers in the initial years of teaching in schools. Absolute Priority Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary gives an absolute preference to applications that meet the following priority. The Secretary will fund under this competition only applications that meet this priority. Initial Teacher Professional Development Projects The Secretary will support projects to promote Statewide reform in the area of K-12 preservice teacher professional development, including preparation, licensing, and induction (first 1-3 years of teaching). Each project must form a consortium of the State education agency, State agency of higher education, one or more institutions of higher education, and one or more local education agencies to develop and implement a plan for aligning State policies regarding teacher licensing and induction at the State and local levels with challenging State content and student performance standards in the core academic subjects. Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking In accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), it is the practice of the Department of Education to offer interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed regulations that are not taken directly from statute. Ordinarily, this practice would have applied to the absolute priority in this notice. [[Page 21397]] However, in order to make timely grant awards in FY 1995, the Assistant Secretary, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act, has decided to issue the absolute priority as final requirements that will apply only to the FY 1995 grant competition. Intergovernmental Review This program is 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. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6621-6622. (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.168, Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Federal Activities Program) Dated: April 26, 1995. Sharon P. Robinson, Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement. [FR Doc. 95-10637 Filed 4-28-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P