[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 53 (Monday, March 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11086-11088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6304]
[[Page 11085]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part II
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Postsecondary
Education Programs for Individuals With Disabilities; Notices
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 53 / Monday, March 18, 1996 /
Notices
[[Page 11086]]
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Postsecondary Education Programs for Individuals With Disabilities
Agency: Department of Education.
Action: Notice of proposed priority.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority for
four Regional Centers on Postsecondary Education for Individuals who
are Deaf, a program administered by the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act. The Secretary may use this priority in Fiscal Year 1996
and subsequent years. The Secretary takes this action to focus Federal
assistance on identified needs to improve educational opportunities and
outcomes for postsecondary students who are deaf. The proposed priority
is intended to ensure wide and effective use of program funds. The
Secretary also proposes selection criteria that will be applied in
evaluating applications submitted for this competition.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 17, 1996.
ADDRESSES: All comments concerning the proposed priority should be
addressed to Ramon Rodriguez, U.S. Department of Education, 600
Independence Avenue SW., Switzer Building, Room 3125, Washington, D.C.
20202-2524.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ramon Rodriguez, U.S. Department of
Education, 600 Independence Avenue SW., Switzer Building, Room 3125,
Washington, D.C. 20202-2524. Telephone: (202) 205-8555. Fax: (202) 205-
9252. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the TDD number at (202) 206-9156. Internet:
Ramon.__R[email protected]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice contains information on the
Regional Centers on Postsecondary Education for Individuals who are
Deaf under the Postsecondary Education Programs for Individuals with
Disabilities, a program authorized by section 625 of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act. The purpose of this program is to
provide assistance for the development, operation, and dissemination of
specially designed model programs of postsecondary, academic,
vocational, technical, continuing, or adult education for individuals
with disabilities.
This proposed priority would support the National Education Goal of
every adult American being literate and possessing the knowledge and
skills necessary to compete in a global economy by helping students who
are deaf to reach higher levels of academic achievement.
The Secretary will announce the final priority in a notice in the
Federal Register. The final priority will be determined by responses to
this notice, available funds, and other considerations of the
Department. Funding of particular projects depend on the availability
of funds, the content of the final priority, and the quality of the
applications received. Further, the activities of the projects funded
under this priority could be affected by the enactment of legislation
reauthorizing the program. The publication of the proposed priority
does not preclude the Secretary from proposing additional priorities,
nor does it limit the Secretary to funding only this priority, subject
to meeting applicable rulemaking requirements.
Note: This notice of proposed priority does not solicit
applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition
will be published in the Federal Register concurrent with or
following publication of the notice of final priority.
Priority
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to give an
absolute preference to applications that meet this priority. The
Secretary proposes to fund under this competition only applications
that meet the priority.
Proposed Absolute Priority--Regional Centers on Postsecondary Education
for Individuals Who Are Deaf
Purpose
The purpose of this proposed priority is to support projects that
assist educational institutions to implement proven models, components
of models, and other exemplary practices, including innovative
technology, to increase and improve postsecondary opportunities for
individuals who are deaf.
Background
This priority would support four regional centers on postsecondary
education for individuals who are deaf that will provide technical
assistance to a range of postsecondary institutions, including
academic, vocational, technical, continuing, and adult education
programs, to expand the array of educational opportunities within the
region that are available to students who are deaf. The centers must
provide technical assistance to institutions currently not serving
students who are deaf to assist them to develop services and to
institutions currently serving students who are deaf to assist them to
improve existing programs. In carrying out the objectives of this
priority, projects must distribute technical assistance services and
resources equitably, taking into account population and geographic
size, within each State in its targeted geographic region.
Each regional center must:
(a) Conduct assessments of the technical assistance needs of
postsecondary education institutions related to recruiting; enrolling;
addressing the varying communication needs of and methods used by
individuals who are deaf; and, otherwise effectively serving students
who are deaf;
(b) Provide consultation, in-service training, and planning and
development assistance to postsecondary education institutions and
their staff to enhance the access of individuals who are deaf to
postsecondary education and training;
(c) Provide technical assistance on the responsibilities of
postsecondary education institutions under Federal statutes, including
section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with
Disabilities Act;
(d) Develop outreach strategies and disseminate information to
individuals who are deaf to enhance their awareness of available
postsecondary educational opportunities;
(e) Disseminate information about financial and other resources
available to students and to postsecondary institutions to help them
accommodate these students;
(f) Develop training materials and disseminate information on
proven models, components of models, and other exemplary practices,
including innovative technology, among postsecondary educational
programs to assist them in implementing effective and cost-efficient
service delivery systems that foster integration of students who are
deaf with other students;
(g) Encourage the use of consortia of postsecondary education
institutions and other cooperative arrangements to provide services and
assistance to students who are deaf, including coordination of
postsecondary education options with existing public and private
community services that may address the educational, remedial, support
service, transitional, independent living, and employment needs of
individuals who are deaf;
(h) Coordinate technical assistance and dissemination activities
with
[[Page 11087]]
relevant information clearinghouses and organizations such as the
National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with
Disabilities (HEATH), National Information Center for Children and
Youth with Disabilities, National Transition Alliance, and Association
of Higher Education and Disability;
(i) Coordinate material development, technical assistance,
outreach, and information dissemination activities with each other to
ensure that activities are not duplicative; that individuals who are
deaf have information on postsecondary programs throughout the country
that provide accommodations; and that information on proven models,
components of models, and other exemplary practices, including
innovative technology, are equally available in each of the four
regions. This coordination must include carrying out collaborative
activities and cross-regional initiatives, where appropriate; and
(j) Evaluate the impact, effectiveness, and results of
postsecondary institutions within the region in accommodating students
who are deaf.
The Secretary anticipates funding four cooperative agreements, each
for 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 a center for the fourth and fifth years of the project period,
in addition to applying the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), the
Secretary will consider the recommendations 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. Funds to cover
the costs of the review team must be included in the center's budget
for year two. These costs are estimated to be approximately $4,000.
To ensure that all States benefit from these projects, the
Secretary intends to support four projects which will be required to
serve each State within one of the following geographic regions:
Northeast Region--Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia,
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Southern Region--Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Virgin Islands, and West Virginia.
Midwest Region--Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Ohio, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and
Wisconsin.
Western Region--Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Northern Marianas Islands, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
Selection Criteria for Evaluating Applications
The Secretary proposes to use the following weighted criteria to
evaluate an application under the Regional Centers on Postsecondary
Education for Individuals who are Deaf competition.
The maximum score for all the criteria is 100 points.
(a) Plan of operation. (20 points)
(1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality
of the plan of operation for the project.
(2) The Secretary considers--
(i) The extent to which the management plan will ensure proper and
efficient administration of the project;
(ii) The quality of the activities proposed to accomplish the goals
and objectives;
(iii) The adequacy of proposed timelines for accomplishing those
activities; and
(iv) Effectiveness in the ways in which the applicant plans to use
the resources and personnel to accomplish the program's goals and
objectives.
(3) How the applicant will ensure that project participants who are
otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race,
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
(b) Quality of key personnel. (15 points)
(1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the
qualifications of the key personnel the applicant plans to use.
(2) The Secretary considers--
(i) The qualifications of the project director and project
coordinator (if one is used);
(ii) The qualifications of each of the other key project personnel;
(iii) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs (b)(2)(i)
and (ii) plans to commit to the project; and
(iv) How the applicant will ensure that personnel are selected for
employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age,
or disability.
(3) To determine personnel qualifications under (b)(2)(i) and (ii),
the Secretary considers--
(i) Experience and training in fields related to the objectives of
the project; and
(ii) Any other qualifications that pertain to the quality of the
project.
(c) Budget and cost effectiveness. (10 points)
(1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine if the
project has an adequate budget and is cost effective.
(2) The Secretary considers the extent to which--
(i) The budget for the project is adequate to support project
activities; and
(ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the
project.
(d) Evaluation plan. (10 points)
(1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality
of the evaluation plan for the project.
(2) The Secretary considers--
(i) The extent to which the applicant's methods of evaluation are
appropriate to the project; and
(ii) To the degree possible, the extent to which the applicant's
methods of evaluation are objective and produce data that are
quantifiable.
(e) Adequacy of resources. (5 points)
(1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine if the
applicant plans to devote adequate resources to the project.
(2) The Secretary considers the adequacy of the facilities and the
technology, equipment, and supplies the applicant plans to use.
(f) Project design. (40 points)
(1) The Secretary reviews each application to evaluate the quality
of the proposed technical assistance project design.
(2) The Secretary determines the extent to which--
(i) The technical assistance objectives are designed to meet the
purpose of the priority and are clearly defined, measurable, and
achievable; and
(ii) The proposed technical assistance addresses the needs of a
range of postsecondary institutions, including academic, vocational,
technical, continuing, and adult education programs.
(3) The Secretary determines the extent to which each application
provides for--
(i) Use of current research findings and information on model
practices;
(ii) Methods for linking postsecondary institutions in need of
technical assistance;
(iii) Innovative procedures for disseminating information and
imparting skills to postsecondary institutions, staff of these
institutions, and postsecondary students and
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potential postsecondary students who are deaf; and
(iv) Innovative procedures for collaborating and coordinating with
other entities that are involved with broader technical assistance
efforts.
Intergovernmental Review
This notice 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.
Invitation to Comment
Interested persons are invited to submit comments and
recommendations regarding the proposed priority.
All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available
for public inspection, during and after the comment period, in Room
3125, 330 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.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1424a.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: Regional
Postsecondary Centers for Individuals Who are Deaf, 84.078A)
Dated: March 8, 1996.
Howard R. Moses,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 96-6304 Filed 3-15-96; 8:45 am]
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