[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 231 (Friday, December 2, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-29641] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: December 2, 1994] _______________________________________________________________________ Part VIII Department of Education _______________________________________________________________________ Secondary Education and Transitional Services for Youth With Disabilities Program; Notice DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Secondary Education and Transitional Services for Youth With Disabilities Program AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of proposed priority. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education proposes to establish an absolute priority for an award to provide technical assistance to improve the transition from school to work and other postsecondary settings, including assistance to State and local partnerships that are responsible for developing and implementing School-to-Work Opportunities systems. This proposed priority is intended to provide technical assistance to support students with disabilities, including those with severe disabilities, in a wide range of school to work experiences and promote their successful transition to a variety of postsecondary settings. 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 January 3, 1995. ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposed priority should be addressed to Joseph Clair, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Switzer Building, Room 4622, Washington, D.C. Telephone: (202) 205-9503. (Internet address: Sec__T[email protected].). Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Over the last decade, three pieces of Federal legislation have been enacted that impact on the transition of students with disabilities from school to postsecondary settings, including gainful employment. These include amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994. Each piece of legislation is described below. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended, now requires that a statement of needed transition services be included in the individualized education program (IEP) of all eligible students beginning no later than age 16, and at a younger age if appropriate, and that the statement of required services be updated on an annual basis. 20 U.S.C. 1401(a)(20)(D). Transition services are defined as ``a coordinated set of activities for a student, designed within an outcome-oriented process, which promotes movement from school to post- school activities * * * and shall include instruction, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation.'' 20 U.S.C. 1401(a)(19). The Rehabilitation Act now requires the State Vocational Rehabilitation programs to enter into formal interagency cooperative agreements with education officials responsible for the provision of a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities in order to facilitate the development and accomplishment of long term rehabilitation goals, intermediate rehabilitation objectives, and goals and objectives to enable students with disabilities to live independently before leaving the school setting. State vocational rehabilitation plans must address: (i) Provisions for determining State lead agencies and qualified personnel responsible for transition services; (ii) procedures for outreach to and identification of youth in need of such services; and (iii) a timeframe for evaluation and follow-up of youth who have received such services. 29 U.S.C. 721(a)(24). In May of 1994, President Clinton signed into law the School-to- Work Opportunities Act of 1994. This law, administered jointly by the Departments of Education and Labor, establishes a national framework within which all States can create statewide School-to-Work Opportunities systems. These systems will be designed to help youth acquire the knowledge, skills, abilities, and labor market information they need to make a smooth and effective transition from school to career-oriented work and to further education and training. Under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, 20 U.S.C. 6101 et seq., States and local partnerships are developing and implementing plans for school-to-work opportunities systems that will provide opportunities for all students, including those with disabilities, to prepare successfully for high-skill, high-wage jobs or further education and training. Any student who completes a School-to-Work Opportunities program of study will receive: (1) A high school diploma, (2) a certificate or diploma recognizing one or two years of postsecondary education, if appropriate, and (3) a portable, industry- recognized skill certificate. While each State and locality will have broad latitude to design its own system, every system will have common core components:Work-based learning. Providing students with a planned program of job training and work experiences in a broad range of tasks in an occupational area, as well as workplace mentoring. School-based learning. Including a coherent multi-year sequence of instruction--typically including at least 2 years of secondary education and at least 1 or 2 years of postsecondary education--tied to occupational skills standards and challenging academic standards such as those established by States under Goals 2000. Connecting activities. To ensure coordination of the work- and school-based learning components, such as providing technical assistance in designing work-based learning, matching students with employers' work-based learning opportunities, and collecting information on what happens to students after they complete the program. This award will be jointly funded in fiscal year 1995 under three statutory authorities: (1) The Secondary Education and Transitional Services for Youth with Disabilities Program authorized by section 626 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; (2) Sections 202(b)(4) and (6) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and (3) The Cooperative Demonstration Program authorized by section 420A of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act (the Perkins Act). In fiscal year 1996, the award will include funding from section 311(d) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Secretary has determined that this joint award is necessary because of the need to provide technical assistance to support students with disabilities in a wide range of school to work experiences and promote their successful transition to a variety of postsecondary settings including gainful employment. The funds provided under the Cooperative Demonstration Program must meet the cost-sharing requirement of section 420A(b)(2) of the Perkins Act implemented by 34 CFR 426.30. In the first year of the project, we anticipate providing $25,000 from the Cooperative Demonstration program. The funds provided under section 311(d) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 must be used only for youth with severe disabilities. In the application notice, we will inform potential applicants how much funding we estimate will come from each program for fiscal year 1995. As noted above, we anticipate that the source and amount of funding will change in future years and will notify the grantee. If other sources of funding are added that would result in additional requirements in a future year, the Secretary will notify the grantee concerning those requirements. Proposed Priority: Accessing School-to-Work and Postsecondary Environments--A Technical Assistance Effort Purpose The purpose of this technical assistance project is to improve the skills and knowledge-base of (1) staff delivering transitional services and (2) School-to-Work Opportunities grantees to assist individuals with disabilities, including those with severe disabilities, to become integrated into appropriate transition programs and School-to-Work Opportunities systems established at State and local levels. The proposed project must provide technical assistance to all Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) transition and postsecondary education projects as well as to States funded under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act to ensure that they provide personnel with the necessary training to accommodate and support students with disabilities, including those with severe disabilities, in the transition to a variety of postsecondary settings. The project must also disseminate information to other interested parties. Project activities must include the development of effective practice information on: (1) Promoting compliance with transition requirements mandated by Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the School-to-Work Opportunities Act; (2) Helping students with disabilities, including those with severe disabilities, access transition programs including those supported by developing School-to-Work Opportunities systems; (3) Overcoming administrative, attitudinal, and programmatic barriers that limit the planning and implementation of effective practices for students with disabilities in transitional programs, such as those that school personnel can use to encourage and facilitate extensive student/parent involvement; (4) Working with statewide School-to-Work Opportunities systems, in collaboration with activities initiated by the State Systems for Transition Services projects, to help students with disabilities, including those with severe disabilities, acquire the academic and occupational skills, abilities, and labor market information they need to make a smooth and effective transition from school to career- oriented work or to further education or training; (5) Building on and enriching current promising programs such as tech-prep education, career academies, school-to-apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship, cooperative education, adult education, adult services, and business-education compacts; (6) Facilitating the representation of disability interests in the formation of partnerships among secondary and postsecondary educational institutions, private and public employers, labor organizations, government, community groups, parents, and other key groups; and (7) Ensuring that students with disabilities, including those with severe disabilities, are provided an integrated array of learning experiences in the classroom and at the worksite, including appropriate modification of curriculum, instructional techniques, equipment, and the work environment. The Secretary anticipates funding one cooperative agreement with a project period of up to 60 months subject to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation awards. In making the initial award, the Secretary will consider the extent to which applicants provide evidence that States receiving School-to-Work Opportunities grants are likely to participate in the training and other technical assistance activities provided by the Technical Assistance Project. The Technical Assistance Project must demonstrate collaborative relationships among other established and relevant school-to-work and transitional efforts, including entities that will be involved with the broader technical assistance efforts of the school-to-work opportunities initiative and entities which have assisted in the development of statewide School-to-Work Opportunities systems. Procedures to promote the involvement of students, parents, relevant employment training agencies and other providers of adult services, and members of underrepresented populations, such as minorities, women, and disadvantaged persons, in the proposed project must be clearly delineated. In determining whether to continue this technical assistance project for the third, fourth, and fifth years, the Secretary, in addition to applying the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), will consider the recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts selected by the Secretary. The review, including a two-day visit to the project, is to be performed during the third quarter of the second year and must be included in the year's evaluation required under 34 CFR 75.590. Funds to cover costs associated with the services to be performed by the review team are estimated to be approximately $4,000. Priority The Technical Assistance Project considered for funding under this priority must-- (1) Identify proven models, components of models, or exemplary practices and approaches that can successfully support and accommodate students with disabilities, including those with severe disabilities, in transition from school to employment and other postsecondary environments, including information from model demonstration transition projects supported by all programs in OSERS and those projects supported with funds received under the School-to-Work Opportunities grants; (2) Document proven and exemplary transition practices and approaches for students with disabilities by collecting, analyzing, and reporting a variety of descriptive and outcome data, including (a) specific information on the educational settings, the students targeted by the practices and approaches (e.g., age, disability, level of functioning and membership in a special population, if appropriate), (b) outcome data for the students who are the focus of these practices and approaches; and (c) outcome data for the teachers, administrators, and other service providers involved in the effort; (3) Prepare, field-test, revise, and publicize user-friendly documentation of model practices; (4) Disseminate information on effective practices to all relevant audiences, including project directors, policy makers, administrators, personnel from educational agencies, community leaders, parents, service providers, grantees under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, and other interested parties; (5) Coordinate a network among relevant OSERS transitional efforts, specifically research and model demonstration projects, technical assistance entities, and clearinghouses. Coordination activities must include (a) the analysis of research and model demonstration project designs through progress and final reports describing the interventions and the synthesis of findings across competitions to identify effective practices, (b) the provision of logistical support for an annual project directors' meeting for all OSERS-sponsored transition and postsecondary projects, and (c) the development of an annual directory of these projects; (6) Maintain a comprehensive library on transition/school-to-work best practices for students with disabilities, including those with severe disabilities, and integrate this information into an on-line electronic bulletin board/data base. Users must be able to locally access this bulletin board/data base and download selected information free of charge; (7) Provide technical assistance, upon request, to States receiving School-to-Work Opportunities Development Grants. If requests for assistance exceed the project's ability to respond, project staff and the Federal project officer will develop a priority list of those in need of assistance. (8) Enter into agreements with States receiving School-to-Work Opportunities Implementation Grants to develop technical assistance plans that address the needs of students with disabilities, including those with severe disabilities. These plans must be based on the grantees' identified needs for the purposes of establishing School-to- Work Opportunities systems in collaboration with activities initiated by the State Systems for Transition Services projects. This assistance must include, but need not be limited to, providing information on successful practices in training, teacher instruction, adaptation of materials, curriculum development, recruitment, and evaluation; (9) Provide technical assistance, training, and on-going consultation based on agreements developed in paragraph (8) to personnel involved with or supported under the technical assistance efforts of the Federal School-to-Work Opportunities Initiative. These efforts may take on many different forms, such as the participation in national meetings, one-on-one State visits, regional sessions, and visits to successful School-to-Work Opportunities systems. The training and consultation must include the use of materials and strategies for accessing, recruiting, accommodating, and supporting students with disabilities, including those with severe disabilities, in the State School-to-Work Opportunities systems developed under the Act; (10) Assist the Departments of Education and Labor in evaluating the extent to which students with disabilities have access to, participate in, and benefit from the range of School-to-Work Opportunities Systems through the analysis of data from State and local implementation. This effort must be coordinated with the evaluation activities carried out under the Act; (11) In years 2 and 4 of the grant, conduct a national forum in Washington, DC that identifies persistent problems, proposes solutions, and responds to emerging issues and trends in providing students with disabilities with access to School-to-Work Opportunities systems. Invited participants must include, but not be limited to, Development and Implementation grantees under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act; and (12) Provide support for at least 10 graduate students annually to assist with the provision of technical assistance with an emphasis on recruiting students from traditionally underrepresented populations. Selection Criteria for Evaluating Applications Under the Accessing School-to-Work and Postsecondary Environments-- A Technical Assistance Effort competition, the Secretary proposes to use the following selection criteria. These criteria were taken from 34 CFR 380.11 (a)-(e) and 380.13 (f) and (g). (a) Plan of Operation. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the project, including-- (1) The extent to which the plan of management is effective and ensures proper and efficient administration of the project; and (2) 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 handicapping condition. (b) Quality of key personnel. (15 points) (1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project, including-- (i) The qualifications of the project director (if one is to be used); (ii) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be used in the project; (iii) The time that each person referred to in paragraph (b)(1) (i) and (ii) of this section will commit to the project; and (iv) How the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or handicapping condition. (2) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraph (b)(1) (i) and (ii) of this section, 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. (5 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which-- (1) The budget is adequate to support the project; and (2) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project. (d) Evaluation plan. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the evaluation plan for the project, including the extent to which the applicant's methods of evaluation-- (1) Are appropriate to the project; and (2) To the extent possible, are objective and produce data that are quantifiable. (e) Adequacy of resources. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the adequacy of the resources that the applicant plans to devote to the project, including facilities, equipment, and supplies. (f) Evidence of need. (10 points) (1) The Secretary reviews each application to assess whether the need for the proposed technical assistance has been adequately justified. (2) The Secretary determines the extent to which the application-- (i) Describes the technical assistance needs to be addressed by the project; (ii) Describes how the applicant identified those needs; (iii) Describes how those needs will be met by the project; and (iv) Describes the benefits to be gained by meeting those needs. (g) 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 identified needs and are clearly defined, measurable, and achievable; (ii) The content of the proposed technical assistance and instructional approach are appropriate for the project participants. (3) The Secretary determines the extent to which each application provides for-- (i) A method for gaining the participation of prospective target populations in need of technical assistance; (ii) Innovative procedures for disseminating information and imparting skills to project participants; and (iii) Use of current research finding and information on model practices in providing the technical assistance. Eligible Applicants Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), State educational agencies (SEAs), Local educational agencies (LEAs), and other public or private non-profit institutions or agencies. 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, 330 C Street S.W., Mary Switzer Building, Room 4622, Washington, D.C., between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday of each week except Federal holidays. Applicable Program Regulations 34 CFR Part 326 and 34 CFR Part 426. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1425, 20 U.S.C. 2420a, 29 U.S.C. 761a(b) (4) and (6), 29 U.S.C. 777a(d), and section 430(b) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) as amended by sections 212(b)(1) and 241 of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994, Pub. L. 103-382, October 20, 1994. (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.158, Secondary Education and Transitional Services for Youth with Disabilities Program) Dated: November 28, 1994. Judith E. Heumann, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. [FR Doc. 94-29641 Filed 12-1-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P