[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 29 (Friday, February 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3302]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 11, 1994]


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Part XIII





Department of Education





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Fund for Innovation in Education: Technology Education Program for 
Teacher Networking Project; Notice of Final Priorities
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 

Fund for Innovation in Education (FIE); Technology Education 
Program--Teacher Networking Project

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of Final Priorities for Fiscal Year 1994.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces an absolute priority for Fiscal Year 
1994 under the Fund for Innovation in Education: Technology Education 
Program for teacher networking projects. The Secretary takes this 
action to focus Federal financial assistance on model projects that 
demonstrate compelling applications of electronic networks in support 
of teacher professional development. The priority is intended to (1) 
increase teacher participation in learning communities of colleagues to 
enhance teachers' access to resources for self improvement, and (2) 
provide more information about how teachers can use electronic networks 
as an effective means of professional development. The Secretary also 
announces a competitive priority for projects that propose particularly 
effective ways of providing professional development networks for 
teachers in schools with concentrations of students from poor families.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These priorities take effect either 45 days after 
publication in the Federal Register or later if the Congress takes 
certain adjournments. If you want to know the effective date of these 
priorities, call or write the Department of Education contact person.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beverly Coleman or Adria White, U.S. 
Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., Room 502, 
Washington, D.C. 20208-5644. Telephone: (202) 219-2116. 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The absolute priority in this notice 
supports the National Education Goals, and in particular Goal Three, 
which calls for American students by the year 2000 to demonstrate 
competency in challenging subject matter and for all students to learn 
to use their minds well, so they are prepared for responsible 
citizenship, further learning and productive employment.
    One promising approach to meeting the instructional challenges that 
arise from implementing standards-based reform is to provide teachers 
with immediate access to information and help. This is possible when 
teachers, linked through a computer-based electronic network, form a 
learning community that allows participants to draw upon the combined 
knowledge and resources of all participants in the network and bring 
those resources to bear on questions they face in their own classrooms.
    Electronic networks designed to enhance teacher professional growth 
are becoming increasingly available to teachers. For example, at least 
25 States now have Statewide electronic networks. Yet there is little 
understanding of what it takes for a network to be successful in 
meeting user needs, to be cost effective, and to maintain continuing 
user interest and garner long-term financial support.
    Through this absolute priority, the Secretary intends to support 
projects that model compelling applications of electronic networking in 
support of teacher professional development. By providing support for 
the demonstration of model networking projects, the Secretary intends 
to stimulate and promote the practice of teacher networking, and to 
learn more about what it takes for teacher networks to be effective.
    The implementation of standards-based reform presents particularly 
severe challenges to schools located in areas plagued by poverty and 
economic distress. Teachers in schools that serve large numbers of low-
income students frequently lack access to professional development 
resources and opportunities. The Secretary intends to address this 
problem by providing support for projects that offer particularly 
effective professional development opportunities by means of electronic 
networks to teachers in schools with high concentrations of students 
from low-income families.
    On November 12, 1993, the Secretary published a notice of proposed 
priorities for this program in the Federal Register (58 FR 60009).

    Note: This notice of final priorities does not solicit 
applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition 
is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

Analysis of the Comments and Changes

    In response to the Secretary's invitation in the notice of proposed 
priorities, five parties submitted comments. An analysis of the 
comments follows.
    Comment: Two commenters suggested that training of network 
participants in the use of telecommunications be required as part of 
the project activities.
    Discussion: The Secretary agrees that effective user training is an 
essential element that should not be overlooked in developing 
successful models of electronic networking.
    Changes: The priority has been modified to require a model 
networking project to include teacher training in the use of the 
network as one of the required professional development activities.
    Comment: One commenter suggested that the Secretary reward 
applications that propose to place the connection to the network as 
close as possible to the teachers' workspace.
    Discussion: The Secretary intends to allow the greatest amount of 
flexibility and variety in the projects that are funded. Teacher 
professional development occurs in a variety of settings and therefore, 
connections to networks will be encouraged in classrooms, in teachers' 
homes, at teacher training centers, or other places where professional 
development can be fostered.
    Changes: None.
    Comment: One commenter suggested that the Secretary give special 
consideration to networking projects that provide connections with 
university and college systems. Another commenter suggested that grant 
funds should be specially reserved for institutions of higher education 
and that network proposals from institutions should not compete with 
State-wide network initiatives. Another commenter suggested that State-
wide networks that allow access by all public schools be encouraged. 
The commenter also recommended that priority be given to State-wide 
networks that include cooperative efforts among school districts, State 
departments of education, and universities.
    Discussion: The Secretary did not specify who should be included in 
an electronic network in order to allow potential applicants the 
greatest flexibility to form projects to meet local and State needs. 
Therefore, colleges and universities could be included in networking 
projects. The Secretary hopes to fund projects that vary in terms of 
size, organizational arrangements, technology applications, and 
networking approaches. The Secretary encourages a broad range of 
participants to ensure that successful models of electronic networks 
are developed and documented. The design of the project will be left to 
the discretion of the applicant.
    Changes: None.
    Comment: One commenter suggested that the priority require projects 
to include support to help learning-challenged students gain access to 
resources available through networks.
    Discussion: The Secretary hopes to fund a broad range of projects 
that demonstrate successful models of teacher professional development. 
A project that trains teachers to help learning-challenged students to 
participate in electronic networking activities is allowable; however, 
projects would not be required to have such a focus.
    Changes: None.
    Comment: One commenter suggested that schools serving poor families 
be linked with schools that already have access to a variety of 
resources through networks.
    Discussion: The Secretary recognizes the need to provide special 
attention to schools serving poor families and has already addressed 
this concern in the competitive priority. The Secretary will award a 
10-point preference through the competitive priority to model projects 
that use electronic networks for teachers in schools and classrooms 
with high concentrations of students from low-income families. However, 
the project design and strategy will be left to the discretion of the 
applicant.
    Changes: None.
    Comment: One commenter suggested that the priority require that 
projects utilize the Internet. Another commenter suggested that the 
Secretary emphasize the support of electronic networks in rural areas.
    Discussion: The Secretary believes that both of these comments are 
already addressed in the priority. First, the priority requires that 
each teacher networking project provide teachers access to education 
data bases and other sources of information, including access to the 
Internet. Second, the Secretary suggests one example of professional 
development activities might be a project that prepares teachers to 
expand learning opportunities for students in inner-city urban or 
isolated rural schools. The competitive priority also gives a 10-point 
preference to projects that use electronic networks to serve teachers 
in schools and classrooms with high concentrations of students from 
low-income families, many of which may be located in rural areas.
    Changes: None.
    Comment: One commenter suggested that line charges and costs for 
release time for school personnel to participate in networking 
activities be allowed as part of the project funding.
    Discussion: Both telecommunications charges and costs for release 
time for school personnel to participate in training that utilizes 
electronic networking are allowable costs. However, those costs must be 
justified within the guidelines set forth by the Education Department 
General Administrative Regulations (34 CFR 74.170-74.176) and the FIE 
Program.
    Changes: None.

Priorities

Absolute Priority

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary gives an absolute 
preference to applications that meet the following priority. The 
Secretary funds under this competition only applications that meet this 
absolute priority:

Model Projects That Demonstrate Applications of Electronic Networks for 
Teacher Professional Development

    The Secretary is seeking teacher networking projects that are 
designed to achieve the following purposes (a) increase teacher access 
to and participation with their colleagues in electronic networks that 
provide resources for professional development; and (b) improve student 
instruction in the core subjects of English, science, mathematics, 
history, geography, civics, foreign languages and the arts.
    Each proposed teacher networking project must include the 
following:
    (1) A unifying focus for the professional development activities of 
the network on some aspect of standards-based reform. For example, a 
network might focus its activities on helping teachers make the 
adjustments needed within their classrooms to meet challenging State 
content standards in one of the core subjects; expanding learning 
opportunities for students in inner-city urban or isolated rural 
schools; or changing classroom instructional practices to incorporate 
hands-on learning, motivate students to meet more demanding 
expectations, or improve the quality and use of student assessments.
    (2) Computer-based electronic communication among individuals and 
groups of individuals; exchange of textual information, including 
transfer of documents; and provision of access to education data bases 
and other sources of information, including access to Internet.
    (3) Professional development activities that include creating a 
learning community of professional colleagues with a clearly defined 
common interest; linking participating teachers with one another and 
with researchers and other sources of research and practical knowledge 
about the defined area of interest; facilitating and providing 
structure for focused electronic discussions by network participants; 
training teachers to make effective use of networking resources; and 
providing direct and timely responses to teachers' questions.
    (4) Documentation activities that describe critical events in 
planning, implementing, and operating the network; that archive and 
analyze the results of network use; and that summarize data about user 
needs, cost effectiveness, and long-term network maintenance that have 
been compiled from the project experiences.

Competitive Priority

    Within the absolute priority specified in this notice, the 
Secretary, under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), gives preference to 
applications that meet the following competitive priority. The 
Secretary awards up to 10 points to an application that meets this 
competitive priority in a particularly effective way. These points are 
in addition to any points the application earns under the selection 
criteria for the program: Projects that use electronic networks to 
provide professional development opportunities for teachers in schools 
and classrooms with high concentrations of students from low-income 
families.

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.

APPLICABLE PROGRAM REGULATIONS: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 85, and 86.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 3151, 3153.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 84:215C Secretary's 
Fund for Innovation in Education: Technology Education Program)

    Dated: February 3, 1994.
Sharon P. Robinson,
Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 94-3302 Filed 2-10-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P