[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 39 (Monday, February 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-4427]
[Federal Register: February 28, 1994]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part V
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Dwight D. Eisenhower National Program for Mathematics and Science
Education; Notice
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
RIN 1850-ZA00
Dwight D. Eisenhower National Program for Mathematics and Science
Education--Model Projects in Encouraging Female and Minority Students
in Mathematics and Science; Model Science-Based Professional
Development Projects in Environmental Education
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of proposed priorities for fiscal year 1994.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes two priorities for fiscal year 1994
under the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Program for Mathematics and
Science Education: Model projects in encouraging female and minority
students in mathematics and science, and model science-based
professional development projects in environmental education. The
Secretary expects projects to generate findings that have wide
applicability; accordingly, grantees will be expected to evaluate their
activities and disseminate information about them.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 30, 1994.
ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposed priority should be
addressed to Charles Stalford, U.S. Department of Education, 555 New
Jersey Avenue NW., room 500F, Washington, DC 20208-5572.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lois Weinberg or Annora Dorsey, U.S.
Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue NW., room 500,
Washington, DC 20208-5572. Telephone: (202) 219-2175. 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 goal of the Eisenhower National Program
is to support projects of national significance in elementary and
secondary schools in mathematics and science education designed to
improve the skills of teachers and the quality of instruction in these
areas and to increase the access of students to that instruction. The
program is authorized under title II, part A, subpart 1, section 2012
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended.
On November 12, 1993, the Secretary announced in the Federal
Register (58 FR 60007) a proposed priority for the Eisenhower National
Program in model professional development in the use of technology for
mathematics and science instruction. Now, after considering the intent
of the Senate Report that accompanied the Fiscal Year 1994 Department
of Education Appropriations Act, the Secretary has decided to propose
two additional priorities, announced herein. These priorities will
serve (1) to encourage the interest and attainments of female and
minority students in mathematics and science and (2) to improve teacher
professional development in environmental education.
The Secretary may subsequently conduct an external study or studies
of the effectiveness and lessons learned from projects funded under
this program. If he does so, projects will be required to cooperate
with the conduct of the study, by sharing their experiences, project
evaluations, and data.
Regarding priority 1, the Secretary is concerned that the Nation's
schools encourage too few minority and female students to study and
pursue careers in the fields of mathematics and science. The Secretary
believes that the well-documented underrepresentation of minorities and
women in these disciplines represents a waste of human talent that the
Nation can ill afford. This priority would therefore support, and learn
from, projects that seek to stimulate and sustain the interest and
attainments of female and minority children in mathematics and science.
Regarding priority 2, the Secretary believes that environmental
education can stimulate students' interest in scientific fields and
enhance their understanding of these disciplines. The Secretary also
believes that environmental issues are important in their own right and
are, therefore, eminently worthy of study. The Secretary finds,
however, that environmental education programs of high quality are
available in too few of the Nation's schools, in part because American
teachers have very limited opportunities to increase their knowledge of
environmental issues and to learn the most successful means of
providing environmental education. The Secretary proposes, therefore,
to support and learn from projects in professional development for
teachers in environmental education.
The Secretary draws to the attention of potential applicants
responding to priority 2 the National Consortium for Environmental
Education and Training (NCEET) at the University of Michigan, an
undertaking funded by the Environmental Protection Agency under section
5 of the National Environmental Education Act of 1990. NCEET's primary
emphasis is professional development for teachers in environmental
education. Potential applicants should consult with NCEET to ensure
that their projects are not duplicative of the National Consortium's
efforts.
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 nature of the final priorities, and the quality of the
applications received. 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. A notice inviting applications under this competition
will be published in the Federal Register concurrently with or
following publication of the notice of final priorities.
Applications are not available at this time. However, to have your
name placed on a mailing list, please write to: Dwight D. Eisenhower
National Program for Mathematics and Science Education, 555 New Jersey
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20208-5572, or FAX your request to:
Eisenhower Program: 202-219-2106.
Absolute Priorities
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to give an
absolute preference to applications that meet one of the following
priorities. Each application shall respond to only one of the two
priorities, although an applicant could submit more than one
application to respond to more than one priority. The Secretary funds
under this competition only applications that meet one of these
absolute priorities:
Proposed Priority 1--Encouraging Female and Minority Students in
Mathematics and Science
The Secretary will support model projects designed to stimulate and
sustain the interest and attainments of female and minority children in
mathematics and science.
Each project must:
(a) Make use of research and the experience of projects that have
achieved success in the area of the priority.
(b) Collaborate in the planning and operation of the project with
the State science teachers' association and/or the State mathematics
teachers' association and with at least one other party such as a
school, an educational institution, a local or state educational
agency, a national education organization, a science-technology center,
or a private sector party; with these other parties, develop plans for
continuing project activities after Federal support has ended.
(c) Evaluate lessons learned from the project and use them to
improve activities on a continuing basis.
(d) Disseminate lessons learned to interested parties.
Dissemination must begin while the project is in progress and use
electronic as well as other forms of communication.
(e) In the case of projects serving elementary and middle schools,
increase teachers' own mastery of mathematics and science in order to
increase their confidence and skill in teaching these subjects
(including skills in providing hands-on learning).
(f) Involve parents and community members as role models and/or
mentors for female and minority children.
Proposed Priority 2--Science-Based Teacher Professional Development in
Environmental Education
The Secretary will support model science-based professional
development projects designed to improve student achievement in
environmental education.
Each project must:
(a) Make use of research and the experience of projects that have
achieved success in the area of the priority.
(b) Collaborate in the planning and operation of the project with
at least two other parties such as schools, educational institutions,
local or state educational agencies, national education organizations,
science-technology centers, or private sector parties; with these other
parties, develop plans for continuing project activities after Federal
support has ended.
(c) Evaluate lessons learned from the project and use them to
improve activities on a continuing basis.
(d) Disseminate lessons learned to interested parties.
Dissemination must begin while the project is in progress and use
electronic as well as other forms of communication.
(e) Use environmental education as a means to enhance students'
interest, literacy, and achievement in science.
(f) Increase teachers' own mastery of environmental issues,
including related scientific issues.
(g) Train teachers to develop varied learning experiences for
students in environmental education that include field components and
the study of individual themes, such as ecosystems (e.g., wetlands),
the water cycle, and global climate change; enable teachers to pilot-
test these varied learning experiences with students.
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.
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
500, 555 New Jersey Avenue NW., Washington, DC, between the hours of
8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday of each week except Federal
holidays.
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 755.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2992.
Dated: January 14, 1994.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.168, Dwight D.
Eisenhower National Program for Mathematics and Science Education)
Sharon P. Robinson,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Educational Research and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 94-4427 Filed 2-25-94; 8:45 am]
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