[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-14484]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 15, 1994]


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Part IV





Department of Education





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Training in Early Childhood Education and Violence Counseling, Grants 
Availability; Notices
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 
Training in Early Childhood Education and Violence Counseling

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of Final Priorities for Fiscal Year 1994.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces final priorities for the Training in 
Early Childhood Education and Violence Counseling program to ensure 
effective use of program funds and to direct funds to areas of 
identified need during fiscal year 1994. The notice includes an 
absolute priority, two invitational priorities, and a competitive 
preference. The absolute priority would ensure that trainees would be 
prepared for work in economically disadvantaged areas. The invitational 
priorities express the Secretary's particular interest in funding 
projects that target Federal financial resources on several categories 
of disadvantaged students who are seeking careers in early childhood 
development or violence counseling, and increase the likelihood that 
the disadvantaged students would be retained in the training program. 
The competitive preference would increase the likelihood that 
applicants address the critical need for individuals trained to provide 
counseling to young children who have been affected by violence and to 
adults who work with these young children.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These priorities take effect 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: Mr. Robert Alexander, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Room 4400, Portals Building, 
Washington D.C., 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 260-0994. Individuals who 
use a telecommunication 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 Training in Early Childhood Education 
and Violence Counseling program provides assistance to institutions of 
higher education to establish innovative programs to recruit and train 
students for careers in early childhood development and care, or 
preschool programs; or providing counseling to young children from 
birth to 6 years of age who have been affected by violence and to 
adults who work with these children. The statute gives priority in 
granting funds to institutions that prepare students for work in 
economically disadvantaged areas; plan to focus their recruitment, 
retention, and training efforts on disadvantaged students; and have 
demonstrated effectiveness in providing the type of training for which 
the institution seeks assistance.
    On February 10, 1994, the Secretary published a notice of proposed 
priorities for this program in the Federal Register (59 FR 6249).
    The purpose of these priorities is to advance the National 
Education Goals by improving early childhood education and child care 
services in disadvantaged areas, providing training opportunities to 
adults in order that they may possess the skills necessary to compete 
in a global economy, and enhancing the ability of educators and others 
to help young children and their families cope with violence.

Analysis of Comments and Questions

    In response to the Secretary's invitation in the notice of proposed 
priorities, 11 parties submitted comments. An analysis of the comments 
and of the changes in the proposed priorities follows. Technical and 
other minor changes--and suggested changes the Secretary is not legally 
authorized to make under the applicable statutory authority--are not 
addressed.
    Comment: Nine commenters indicated that the proposed absolute 
priority, which would have required that the training program result in 
a two-year certificate or degree, would be unduly restrictive.
    Discussion: The proposed priority was not intended to limit the 
kind of training grantees could provide only to courses of study 
resulting in a two-year certificate or degree. It was intended to 
permit institutions of higher education to provide a range of training 
opportunities--including a Child Development Associate certificate, 
Head Start's training certificate, and masters' and doctoral degrees as 
part of an articulated system or continuum of training so long as one 
of the credentials offered for the career ladder was a two-year degree 
or certificate. The Secretary believes that the inclusion of shorter 
term entry level training, as one of the components of a training 
continuum can lead to fulfilling jobs and meaningful career and higher 
education opportunities for many individuals. Two-year degrees or 
certificates are often offered by institutions of higher education 
either directly or indirectly through partnerships with community 
colleges or other training sources.
    Changes: In response to the concern about requiring a course of 
study leading to a two-year degree or certificate, the Secretary has 
changed the absolute priority to an invitational priority. The phrase 
``either directly or through a partnership with a community college or 
other training source,'' has been added after institution of higher 
education (IHE) and the word ``primary'' modifying ``component'' has 
been deleted.
    Comment: Five commenters believed the proposed absolute priority 
defining several groups of disadvantaged individuals to be targeted for 
training to be overly prescriptive. One commenter objected to giving 
priority to welfare recipients and not to other poverty-level 
individuals who are not welfare recipients.
    Discussion: The Act itself requires projects to target services on 
disadvantaged students. The intent of the proposed priority was to 
further clarify the term ``disadvantaged'' in order to develop 
successful training models for these populations, not to exclude 
students who are not disadvantaged from participation in the training 
program.
    Changes: In response to the concern about requiring projects to 
target recruitment and training primarily on certain categories of 
disadvantaged individuals, the Secretary has eliminated the word 
``primarily'' and changed the priority from absolute to invitational. 
The invitational priority expresses the Secretary's interest in funding 
projects that target recruitment and training on individuals living in 
poverty and graduating high school students who have been eligible for 
free or reduced price lunch.
    Comment: Three commenters recommended deletion of the proposed 
absolute priority requiring students to engage in field experience in 
communities where there is highly concentrated poverty, a high 
incidence of violence, or both, as either unnecessary or, in 
combination with the other two proposed absolute priorities, unduly 
restrictive.
    Discussion: The Secretary considers field experience to be an 
essential component of a successful training program--not just to 
increase employability and the likelihood that students will return to 
disadvantaged areas for employment, but also to improve student 
retention during the training experience.
    Changes: None.
    Comment: Four commenters said that giving competitive preference 
for applicants whose proposed projects include training and field 
experience in violence counseling gives the impression that training in 
violence counseling is merely an ``add-on'' component.
    Discussion: On the contrary, it is the intention of the competitive 
preference to emphasize training in violence counseling and ensure that 
projects funded under the program address issues of violence as a core 
part of the program and not as an optional ``add-on.'' Under the 
statute, training may be in ``early childhood development and care, or 
preschool programs; or providing counseling to young children from 
birth to 6 years of age who have been affected by violence and to 
adults who work with such children.'' Thus, applicants have the option 
of addressing either one or both components. The Secretary recognizes 
the importance of meaningful training for all early childhood 
professionals to assist them in helping children, their parents, and 
other caregivers who have been victims of violence or who live in 
violent environments.
    Changes: None.

Absolute Priority

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary gives an absolute 
preference to and will fund only those applications that meet the 
following priority. The Secretary funds under this competition only 
applications that meet this absolute priority:
    Background: Under this absolute priority, all individuals served by 
the proposed project must receive substantial field experience in early 
childhood development and care, preschool education, or violence 
counseling.
    Research in adult learning emphasizes the need to link training to 
practical issues in participants' lives--often through the use of 
concurrent hands-on practice. This is especially important for trainees 
who will be working in disadvantaged areas. Coursework alone is 
insufficient to prepare trainees for work in the childcare field; the 
curriculum should relate closely to real-world issues and include 
practical experience. Students need experience working with children in 
appropriate high-quality settings where they can observe other teachers 
and practice what they have learned through coursework.
    Training programs in early childhood education and violence 
counseling that include concurrent classroom training and field 
experience components are not only more likely to retain students, but 
may result in higher employability following the training and increase 
the likelihood that students will return to disadvantaged areas for 
employment.

Priority

    All individuals served by the proposed project must receive 
substantial field experience in early childhood development and care, 
preschool education, or violence counseling. The field experience must 
be in communities where there is highly concentrated poverty, a high 
incidence of violence, or both.

Competitive Preference

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) the Secretary gives preference to 
applications that meet the following competitive priority. The 
Secretary awards 10 points to an application that meets this priority 
in a particularly effective way. These points are in addition to any 
points the application earns under the selection criteria for the 
program.
    Background: Each day in American communities, children are 
witnesses to violent acts or are victims of abuse or personal assault. 
Recent studies report high percentages of young children witnessing 
shootings and stabbings at home and on the street. Other studies show 
an alarming increase in the numbers of pediatric firearm deaths and 
injuries.
    Some experts describe the impact of violence on many children as 
``post-traumatic stress disorder.'' Research has found that chronic 
exposure to violence can have serious developmental consequences for 
children, including psychological disorders, grief and loss reactions, 
impaired intellectual development and school problems, truncated moral 
development, pathological adaptation to violence, and identification 
with the aggressor. Furthermore, research demonstrates that the younger 
the child, the greater the threat of exposure to violence is to healthy 
development.
    Most teachers and childcare providers have not been trained to help 
children cope with the effects of violence. Given the national epidemic 
of violence, there is a responsibility to enhance the ability of 
educators to help young children and their families cope with violence 
and promote their resilience. There is also a need to train additional 
service providers to address the developmental impact of exposure to 
violence on young children and to support families in their efforts to 
protect their children's physical and emotional well-being. The purpose 
of this competitive preference is to provide a strong incentive for all 
applicants to include a course of study in violence counseling in their 
proposed projects.

Priority

    Competitive preference will be given to applicants whose proposed 
project includes training and field experience leading to a degree or 
certificate in violence counseling for some or all of the participants.

Invitational Priority 1--Focusing Training and Recruitment on Certain 
Categories of Disadvantaged Students

    Background: There is a growing need for well-qualified early 
childhood educators and childcare providers, especially by parents who 
are on public assistance and seeking employment. Studies demonstrate 
that more than 11 million children are involved in early care and 
education outside their homes, including approximately 60 percent of 
children in families with incomes of $10,000 or less. The quality of 
the services these children receive will depend on the knowledge and 
skills of the people who care for and teach them.
    The statute requires grantees to focus their recruitment, 
retention, and training efforts on disadvantaged individuals. Under 
this invitational priority, the Secretary encourages each IHE to 
include in its application a plan for targeting its recruitment, 
retention, and training efforts, at least in part, toward one or more 
of the following categories--(1) Individuals who are living in poverty; 
(2) graduating high school seniors who are eligible for free or reduced 
priced lunch; (3) individuals who lack a postsecondary degree and are 
currently working in a Chapter 1 Head Start or Even Start program or 
other Federal, State, or local program primarily serving disadvantaged 
young children; or (4) individuals who lack a postsecondary degree and 
are parents of children participating in Chapter 1 Head Start or Even 
Start programs or another Federal, State, or local programs primarily 
serving disadvantaged young children.

Invitational Priority

    The Secretary is especially interested in funding applicants that 
include a plan demonstrating that their recruitment, retention and 
training efforts will be targeted, at least in part, toward one or more 
of the following categories:
    (1) Individuals living in poverty.
    (2) Graduating high school seniors who are eligible for free or 
reduced priced lunch.
    (3) Individuals who lack a postsecondary degree and are currently 
working in a Chapter 1 Head Start or Even Start program or other 
Federal, State, or local programs primarily serving disadvantaged young 
children.
    (4) Individuals who lack a postsecondary degree and are parents of 
children participating in Chapter 1 Head Start or Even Start programs 
or another Federal, State, or local program primarily serving 
disadvantaged young children.

Invitational Priority 2--Training Programs Resulting in a Two-Year 
Certificate or Degree

    Background: The typical lead teacher in non-school sponsored early 
childhood classrooms has completed high school and has had some 
postsecondary education. In Head Start, for example, one study found 
that 56.5 percent of lead teachers had a high school diploma, or 
equivalent, or a Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate 
(Observational Study of Early Childhood Programs), but had not 
completed a formal education program at the postsecondary level. The 
same study showed that 63.2 percent of the teaching assistants or aides 
in school-sponsored preschool programs had not completed any formal 
education beyond high school and most lacked specific training in early 
childhood education.
    Childcare workers have one of the highest turnover rates of all 
occupations. During the past decade, staff turnover in child care 
centers nearly tripled. Some of the reasons often cited for this high 
turnover rate are low pay, lack of benefits, stressful working 
conditions, and lack of training in critical job safety skills, and 
child development knowledge. Under this invitational priority, the 
Secretary encourages each IHE to include in its application plans for a 
curriculum that would include a course of study leading to a two-year 
certificate or degree in early childhood development and care, 
preschool education, or violence counseling.
    Earning a two-year degree can enhance the career opportunities and 
improve the retention for individuals working in programs serving low-
income children. At the same time, institutions that offer a two-year 
degree, either directly or through a partnership with a community 
college, can attract and retain low-income individuals for whom a four-
year degree may initially seem out of reach.

Invitational Priority

    In addition to funding applications that include training leading 
to four-year and graduate degrees, the Secretary is especially 
interested in funding applications that include as one component of the 
proposed project a course of study leading to a two-year certificate or 
degree in early childhood development and care, preschool education, or 
violence counseling. The course of study could be offered either 
directly by the applicant institution, or through a partnership with a 
community college or other educational agency or training source.

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 
notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for this 
program.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.266, Early 
Childhood Education and Violence Counseling Program.)

    Dated: June 7, 1994.
Thomas W. Payzant,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 94-14484 Filed 6-14-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P