[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 115 (Thursday, June 16, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-14591]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 16, 1994]


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Part IV





Department of Education





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National Workplace Literacy Program; Proposed Priority; Notice
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

RIN 1830-ZA00

 
National Workplace Literacy Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of proposed priority.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes an absolute priority to focus fiscal 
year 1995 funds for new workplace literacy projects on communities that 
have been designated as Empowerment Zones or Enterprise Communities 
authorized under section 1391 of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended 
by title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. Under 
the proposed absolute priority, funds under this competition would be 
reserved only for projects that provide workplace literacy services to 
Empowerment Zones or Enterprise Communities through partnerships 
eligible for funding in the National Workplace Literacy Program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 18, 1994.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning the proposed priority must be 
addressed to Mr. Ronald S. Pugsley, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW., room 4428-MES, Washington, DC 20202-7240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sarah Newcomb, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4417-MES, 
Washington, DC 20202-7240, Telephone (202) 205-9872 or Jeanne Williams, 
Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education, 
400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4513-MES, Washington, DC 20202-7327. 
Telephone (202) 205-5977. 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:

Background on Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community Initiative

    The Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community program is a critical 
element of the Administration's community revitalization strategy. The 
program is a first step in rebuilding communities in America's poverty-
stricken inner cities and rural heartlands. It is designed to empower 
people and communities by inspiring Americans to work together to 
create jobs and opportunity.
    Under this program, the Federal Government will designate up to 
nine areas as Empowerment Zones and up to 95 areas as Enterprise 
Communities in accordance with Internal Revenue Code section 1391, as 
amended by title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 
(Pub. L. 103-66). To be eligible for designation, an areas must be 
nominated by one or more local governments and the State or States in 
which it is located or by a State-Chartered Economic Development 
Corporation. A nominated area must be one of pervasive poverty, 
unemployment, and general distress, and must have a poverty rate of not 
less than the level specified in section 1392 of the Internal Revenue 
Code.
    In the Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community program, 
communities are invited to submit strategic plans that comprehensively 
address how the community would link economic development with 
education and training as well as how community development, public 
safety, human services, and environmental initiatives will together 
support sustainable communities. Empowerment Zones and Enterprise 
Communities will be designated by the Department of Agriculture and the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) based on the quality 
of their strategic plans. Designated areas will receive Federal grant 
funds and substantial tax benefits and will have access to other 
Federal programs. (For additional information on the Empowerment Zone 
and Enterprise Community program, contact HUD at 1-800-998-9999.)
    The Department of Education is supporting the Empowerment Zone and 
Enterprise Community initiative in a variety of ways. It is encouraging 
Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities to use funds they already 
receive from Department of Education programs (including Chapter 1 of 
Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Drug-Free 
Schools and Communities Act, the Adult Education Act, and the Carl D. 
Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act) to support the 
comprehensive vision of their strategic plans. In addition, the 
Department of Education intends to give preferences to Empowerment 
Zones and Enterprise Communities in a number of discretionary grant 
programs that are well suited for inclusion in a comprehensive approach 
to economic and community development. In addition to the National 
Workplace Literacy Program described in this notice in which the 
Department intends to give an absolute preference, the Department 
intends to give competitive preferences to Empowerment Zones and 
Enterprise Communities in the Urban Community Service program, the 
Rehabilitation Act Projects with Industry program, Rehabilitation Act 
Special Demonstration Projects program, the Parent Training program and 
Early Childhood Education program under the Individuals With 
Disabilities Education Act, and a variety of discretionary programs 
under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Notices concerning 
those programs will be published at a later date.

Background on National Workplace Literacy Program

    The National Workplace Literacy Program is ideally suited to play a 
key role in the Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community program 
because it links economic development and education and training 
efforts. The program, which makes discretionary grants of up to three 
years in length, supports demonstration projects that teach literacy 
skills needed in the workplace through exemplary education 
partnerships. The partnerships are established between a business, 
industry, or labor organization or a private industry council and an 
educational organization to support work-related basic skills training. 
The National Workplace Literacy Program funds may be used, among other 
things, to update or upgrade the skills of workers in line with changes 
in production processes or technology. For example, basic skill levels 
that formerly were adequate for assembly line production are inadequate 
for employees faced with sophisticated quality control systems, 
flexible production, team-based work, and participatory management 
practices.
    National Workplace Literacy projects can improve the human 
resources of Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities, increase the 
productivity of businesses located in Empowerment Zones and Enterprise 
Communities, and help attract new businesses to these needy areas. 
Further, an amendment to the program, contained in the National 
Literacy Act of 1991, establishes a statutory priority for serving 
small businesses. This is the type of business most likely to be found 
in the zones.
    In addition, the National Workplace Literacy Program is an 
important vehicle for achieving the National Education Goal that by the 
year 2000, every adult American will be literate and will possess the 
knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and 
exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. The program 
helps further this goal by improving approaches and methods used in 
meeting the literacy needs of adults in the workplace, including those 
with limited English proficiency. The National Workplace Literacy 
Program will also benefit by establishing an absolute priority related 
to Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities. Communities receiving 
these designations will already have demonstrated a capacity for the 
type of cooperative planning that is critical to a successful workplace 
literacy partnership. Projects funded under the priority will provide 
models for partnerships in other distressed areas and show how the 
National Workplace Literacy Program furthers the National Education 
Goal that every adult American will be literate and able to compete in 
the global economy.

    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 are otherwise eligible for 
funding under the National Workplace Literacy Program and that meet the 
following priority. The Secretary may implement this priority for 
fiscal year 1995 and for any later fiscal year:
    Projects that provide workplace literacy services only for (a) 
persons who reside in and work in Empowerment Zones and Enterprise 
Communities; (b) persons who work in Empowerment Zones and Enterprise 
Communities although they do not reside there; or (c) persons who 
reside in Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities and who may work 
outside the Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community. If necessary to 
the proper functioning of a project serving a substantial number of 
persons in category (c), services may also be provided to a small 
number of their coworkers who neither work nor reside in an Empowerment 
Zone or Enterprise Community.
    The proposed project under the National Workplace Literacy Program 
must contribute to the strategic plan of the Empowerment Zone or 
Enterprise Community and be made an integral component of the 
Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community activities.
    In providing workplace literacy services, partnerships must develop 
curricula related to work or use or modify curricula developed by 
successful workplace literacy partnerships. For competitions under this 
absolute priority, the Secretary will waive the selection criterion 
``Evaluation Plan'' in 34 CFR 472.22(f) and the evaluation requirements 
in 34 CFR 472.31 and, in their place, conduct a national evaluation of 
projects serving Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities. The 
purpose of the waiver is to allow Empowerment Zone and Enterprise 
Community projects to focus maximum resources on the provision of 
quality services and to further a Federal evaluation study that 
particularly can benefit other distressed areas.

Additional Factor the Secretary Considers

    After evaluating each application according to the proposed 
selection criteria, the Secretary may select for funding one or more 
applications of high quality, other than the most highly rated 
applications, if the Secretary concludes that this selection would 
improve the distribution of grants among applicants serving urban and 
rural areas.

Executive Order 12866

    This notice of proposed priority has been reviewed in accordance 
with Executive Order 12866. Under the terms of the order the Secretary 
has assessed the potential costs and benefits of this regulatory 
action.
    The potential costs associated with the notice of proposed priority 
are those resulting from statutory requirements and those determined by 
the Secretary to be necessary for administering this program 
effectively and efficiently.
    In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative 
and qualitative--of this notice of proposed priority, the Secretary has 
determined that the benefits of the proposed priority justify the 
costs.
    The Secretary has also determined that this regulatory action does 
not unduly interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the 
exercise of their governmental functions.
    To assist the Department in complying with the specific 
requirements of Executive Order 12866, the Secretary invites comment on 
whether there may be further opportunities to reduce any potential 
costs or increase potential benefits resulting from this proposed 
priority without impeding the effective and efficient administration of 
the program.

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 this proposed priority.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available 
for public inspection, during and after the comment period, in room 
4428, Switzer Building, 330 C Street, SW., 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 472.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.198B National 
Workplace Literacy Program)

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1211(a).

    Dated: June 2, 1994.
Augusta Souza Kappner,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 94-14591 Filed 6-15-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M