[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 236 (Friday, December 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-30251]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 9, 1994]


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Part II





Department of Education





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Notice of Final Priorities; Special Projects and Demonstrations for 
Providing Vocational Rehabilitation Services to Individuals With 
Disabilities, Youth With Disabilities; Projects With Industry: Notice 
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 1995; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

RIN 1820-ZA00

 

Special Demonstrations; and Projects With Industry

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of final priorities.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces priorities under the following 
programs administered by the Office of Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services (OSERS): (1) Special Projects and 
Demonstrations for Providing Vocational Rehabilitation Services to 
Individuals with Disabilities, (2) Special Projects and Demonstrations 
for Providing Transitional Rehabilitation Services to Youth with 
Disabilities, and (3) Projects With Industry (PWI). The Secretary may 
use these priorities for competitions in fiscal year (FY 1995) and 
subsequent years. These priorities are intended to expand employment 
opportunities for individuals with disabilities through the provision 
of vocational rehabilitation services. In addition, the priorities 
provide for a competitive preference to be given to projects providing 
program services in an Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community 
designated under section 1391 of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended 
by title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. The 
Secretary may use the competitive preference in FY 1995 and subsequent 
years.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These priorities take effect on January 9, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Finch, U.S. Department of 
Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3038 MES, Washington, 
D.C. 20202-2740. Telephone: (202) 205-9796. 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: This notice contains priorities under the 
following programs:
    Special Projects and Demonstrations for Providing Vocational 
Rehabilitation Services to Individuals with Disabilities.
    Special Projects and Demonstrations for Providing Transitional 
Rehabilitation Services to Youth with Disabilities.
    Projects With Industry.
    The purpose of each program is stated separately under the title of 
that program.
    Funding of particular projects depends on the availability of 
funds, the nature of the final priorities, and the quality of the 
applications received.
    On July 26, 1994, the Secretary published a notice of proposed 
priorities for these programs in the Federal Register (59 FR 38086).

    Note: This notice of final priorities does not solicit 
applications. Notices inviting applications under these competitions 
are published in separate notices in this issue of the Federal 
Register.

Analysis of Comments and Changes

    In response to the Secretary's invitation in the notice of proposed 
priorities, six parties submitted comments. Two commenters indicated 
strong support for the priorities as proposed. Four commenters, while 
supporting the proposed priorities, asked for certain changes in or 
clarification of the priorities. An analysis of the comments and of the 
changes in the priorities since publication of the notice of 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.

Priority for Special Projects and Demonstrations for Providing 
Transitional Rehabilitation Services to Youth With Disabilities

    Comment: None.
    Discussion: The Department of Education has withdrawn the general 
priority for Special Projects and Demonstrations for Providing 
Transitional Rehabilitation Services to Youth with Disabilities because 
of insufficient fiscal year (FY) 1995 funds. The priority was 
identified as Competition I under this program.
    Changes: A single competition will be held in FY 1995 under the 
Special Projects and Demonstrations for Providing Transitional Services 
to Youth with Disabilities program, listed in the proposed priorities 
as Competition II. This competition will be limited to projects that 
propose to provide services to youth and young adults with serious 
emotional disturbance (SED) or serious mental illness (SMI).

Comments Regarding Competitive Preference for Programs Within 
Empowerment Zones and/or Enterprise Communities

    Comment: Two commenters indicated that a competitive preference 
should not be given to projects providing services within Empowerment 
Zones or Enterprise Communities. Both commenters felt that location 
should not be a factor in serving individuals with disabilities. One 
commenter expressed a belief that this was an absolute priority.
    Discussion: As indicated in the notice of proposed priorities, the 
Empowerment Zone initiative is a critical element of the 
Administration's community revitalization strategy. Communities 
designated as Empowerment Zones or Enterprise Communities already will 
have demonstrated a capacity for the type of cooperative planning that 
is critical to successful rehabilitation partnerships. Therefore, the 
Secretary has determined that it would serve the purposes of the 
Special Demonstrations and the Projects With Industry programs to award 
a competitive preference, providing bonus points to applications that 
propose to serve these zones and communities.
    Changes: None.

Comments Regarding the Absolute Priority to Provide Transitional 
Rehabilitation Services for Youths and Young Adults with Serious 
Emotional Disturbance (SED) or Serious Mental Illness (SMI)

    Comments: Two commenters opposed the limitation of this priority to 
the SED and SMI population and indicated the need to support 
transitional services to youths with other disabilities.
    Discussion: The Secretary notes that youth and young adults with 
SED and SMI are among the most underserved individuals with 
disabilities and, therefore, has decided to target funds under this 
program to the specific needs of this population.
    The Department currently supports other transition programs within 
the Office of Special Education Programs. Competitions in Early 
Education Programs for Children With Disabilities, Services for 
Children with Deaf-Blindness, Postsecondary Education Programs for 
Individuals with Disabilities, Secondary Education and Transitional 
Services for Youth with Disabilities Program, and Program for Children 
with Severe Disabilities will be held in FY 1995. In addition, 
competitions and funds are available through the School-to-Work 
Opportunities Act, jointly administered by the Departments of Education 
and Labor. All of these programs serve a more general population of 
youth with disabilities and provide the necessary services.
    Changes: None.

Priority Relating to Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), the Secretary gives preference to 
applications that are otherwise eligible for funding under the three 
programs and that meet the following competitive priority. The 
Secretary may implement this priority for fiscal year 1995 and for any 
later fiscal year. The Secretary awards 10 bonus points to an 
application that meets this competitive priority. These bonus points 
would be in addition to any points the application earns under the 
selection criteria for the program:

Competitive Priority--Providing Program Services in an Empowerment Zone 
or Enterprise Community

Background
    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 9 
areas as Empowerment Zones and up to 95 areas as Enterprise Communities 
in accordance with Internal Revenue Code (IRC) 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 area 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 IRC.
    The Department anticipates that the Empowerment Zones and 
Enterprise Communities will be announced by early January 1995. 
Interested individuals may contact the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development (HUD) at 1-800-998-9999 for additional information on the 
Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community program, including which 
communities have applied for designation or which have been selected.
    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 together will 
support sustainable communities. Empowerment Zones and Enterprise 
Communities will be designated by the Department of Agriculture and 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.
    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 Community 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 Projects With 
Industry program and the Special Demonstrations programs under the 
Rehabilitation Act, the Department intends to give preferences to 
Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities in the Urban Community 
Service 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.

Relationship of the PWI and Special Demonstrations Programs to the 
Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community Program

    The Special Demonstrations program for providing vocational 
rehabilitation services makes grants to expand or otherwise improve 
vocational and other rehabilitation services to individuals with 
disabilities, especially those with the most severe disabilities. 
Vocational rehabilitation services may include training with a view 
toward career advancement, training (including on-the-job training) in 
occupational skills, and rehabilitation technology services.
    The Special Demonstrations program for providing transitional 
services to youths with disabilities focuses on the delivery of job 
training services. The goal of the services is to facilitate a smooth 
transition of youths from school to work or to higher education.
    Services under both of these Special Demonstrations programs are 
designed to assist individuals with disabilities to live and function 
as contributing members of society by enhancing their opportunities for 
employment. Minorities with disabilities, people living with HIV/AIDS, 
and youths and young adults with serious emotional disturbance or 
serious mental illness are among the populations with a high incidence 
of unemployment and poverty.
    The purpose of the PWI program is to create and expand job and 
career opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the 
competitive labor market by engaging the talent and leadership of 
private industry as partners in the rehabilitation process; to identify 
competitive job and career opportunities and the skills needed to 
perform those jobs; to create practical settings for job readiness and 
training programs; and to provide job placements and career 
advancement. In order to support the purpose of the program, all PWI 
projects are required to have a Business Advisory Council comprised of 
representatives of private industry, business concerns, organized 
labor, and individuals with disabilities and their representatives.
    The PWI and Special Demonstrations programs under the 
Rehabilitation Act are ideally suited to play a key role in the 
Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community program because studies have 
shown strong correlations between disability and unemployment and 
between disability and poverty. These rehabilitation programs serve a 
common purpose: to provide assistance to individuals with disabilities 
in obtaining gainful employment. Employment is achieved by providing 
job training, job placement, transition services, and related 
vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities. 
Just as Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities link economic 
development and education and training efforts, the Special 
Demonstrations and PWI programs support projects that strengthen 
communities by preparing individuals with disabilities for employment 
in local businesses.
    Provision of rehabilitation services in an urban or rural high-
poverty area that has developed a strategic plan to link economic 
development to education, training, public safety, and human services 
will also help achieve the purpose of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 
as amended (Act), to empower individuals with disabilities to maximize 
employment, economic self-sufficiency, independence, and inclusion and 
integration into society. Moreover, providing services in a zone or 
community will help support the purpose of section 21 of the Act to 
ensure that the needs of individuals with disabilities from minority 
backgrounds and from other traditionally underserved populations are 
addressed.
    Communities receiving designations as Empowerment Zones or 
Enterprise Communities already have demonstrated a capacity for the 
type of cooperative planning that is critical to successful 
rehabilitation partnerships. Projects funded under these programs will 
provide models for partnerships in other distressed areas and will 
further 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 the global economy and exercise the rights and 
responsibilities of citizenship.
    Accordingly, the Secretary has determined that it would serve the 
purposes of the three programs in this notice to award a competitive 
preference to applications that propose projects that serve these zones 
and communities.

Priority

    Under each of the following programs, competitive preference will 
be given to applications that--(1) Propose the provision of substantial 
services in Empowerment Zones or Enterprise Communities, as described 
under each program listed in this notice; and (2) Propose projects that 
contribute to the strategic plan of the Empowerment Zone or Enterprise 
Community and that are made an integral component of the Empowerment 
Zone or Enterprise Community activities. Ten bonus points will be 
assigned to applications determined to be approvable on the basis of 
their evaluation under the applicable program selection criteria.

Special Projects and Demonstrations for Providing Vocational 
Rehabilitation Services to Individuals With Disabilities

Purpose of Program

    This program is designed to provide financial assistance to 
projects for expanding or otherwise improving vocational rehabilitation 
and other rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities, 
especially individuals with the most severe disabilities.

Priorities

Competitive Priority

    Competitive preference of 10 bonus points will be given to 
applications that meet the 2 requirements described previously under 
the competitive priority for providing program services in an 
Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community.
    Under this program a project is considered to be providing 
substantial services if a minimum of 51 percent of the persons served 
by the project reside within the Empowerment Zone or Enterprise 
Community.

Invitational Priorities

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) the Secretary is particularly interested 
in applications that meet one or more of the following invitational 
priorities. However, an application that meets one or more of these 
invitational priorities does not receive competitive or absolute 
preference over other applications:
Invitational Priority 1--Services to Minorities
    The Secretary is particularly interested in applications that 
propose to provide culturally sensitive vocational rehabilitation 
services and make significant outreach efforts to identify and serve 
individuals with disabilities from minority backgrounds.
Invitational Priority 2--Services to People Living With HIV/AIDS
    The Secretary is particularly interested in applications that 
propose to provide vocational rehabilitation services to people living 
with HIV/AIDS.

Applicable Program Regulations

    34 CFR Parts 369 and 373.


    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 777a(a)(1).

Special Projects and Demonstrations for Providing Transitional 
Rehabilitation Services to Youth With Disabilities

Purpose of Program

    This program is designed to provide job training for youths with 
disabilities to prepare them for entry into the labor force, including 
competitive or supported employment.

Priority

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and section 311(b) of the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973, as amended, 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:

Absolute Priority--Transitional Rehabilitation Services for Youths and 
Young Adults With Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) or Serious Mental 
Illness (SMI)

Background
    Young adults, between the ages of 17 and 26, with serious emotional 
disturbance or serious mental illness are among the most underserved 
individuals with disabilities. It is estimated that 4 to 9 percent of 
the total population of young adults exhibit these disorders, but fewer 
than 1.5 percent are provided services (Kauffman 1989). Youth with SED 
or SMI display inappropriate behaviors or feelings that seriously 
impair their abilities to work, live, and function successfully in 
society. The outcome of successful integrated community employment 
appears to be facilitated by a well-coordinated, multi-dimensional 
service approach that uses community-based vocational services; the 
peer group as a supportive setting; job training combined with other 
training services that address work-related topics, such as stress 
management, substance abuse, and medication issues; and individualized 
long-term supportive services (Cook 1991).

Priority

    The purpose of this priority is to support demonstration projects 
that develop model systems of comprehensive service delivery to youths 
and young adults, ages 17 through 26. Projects must provide job 
training services to youths and young adults with SED or SMI to prepare 
them for entry into the labor force.

Competitive Priority

    Competitive preference of 10 bonus points will be given to 
applications that, in addition to meeting the absolute priority 
described under this competition, meet the 2 requirements described 
previously under the competitive priority for providing program 
services in an Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community.
    Under this program a project is considered to be providing 
substantial services if a minimum of 51 percent of the persons served 
by the project reside within the Empowerment Zone or Enterprise 
Community.

Applicable Program Regulations

    34 CFR Parts 369 and 376.


    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 777a(b).

Projects With Industry (PWI)

Purpose of Program

    Projects With Industry projects create and expand job and career 
opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the competitive 
labor market by engaging the talent and leadership of private industry 
as partners in the rehabilitation process. PWI projects identify 
competitive job and career opportunities and the skills needed to 
perform those jobs, create practical settings for job readiness and 
training programs, and provide job placement and career advancement 
services.

Eligibility Requirement

    Under section 621(e)(2) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as 
amended, new grant awards under this program can be made only to 
eligible entities, identified in the program regulations in 34 CFR 
379.2, that propose to provide services to individuals with 
disabilities in States, portions of States, Indian tribes, or tribal 
organizations that are currently unserved or underserved by the PWI 
program. Each applicant is required to explain in its application why 
the geographic area it proposes to serve is currently unserved or 
underserved by the PWI program.

Competitive Priority

    Competitive preference of 10 bonus points will be given to 
applications that meet the 2 requirements described previously under 
the competitive priority for providing program services in an 
Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community.
    A PWI project may provide services at one or more sites. Under this 
program a PWI project is considered to be providing substantial 
services in a zone or community if a minimum of 51 percent of the total 
number of persons served by the project, irrespective of the number of 
sites, reside in a zone or community and at least 1 of the project 
sites is located within the boundaries of a zone or community. If there 
is only one project site, it must be located within the boundaries of a 
zone or community.

Applicable Program Regulations

    34 CFR Parts 369 and 379.


    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 795g.

Intergovernmental Review

    These programs are 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 
these programs.

    Dated: December 5, 1994.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers: 84.235 Special 
Projects and Demonstrations for Providing Vocational Rehabilitation 
Services to Individuals with Disabilities; 84.235 Special Projects 
and Demonstrations for Providing Transitional Rehabilitation 
Services to Youth with Disabilities; and 84.234 Projects With 
Industry)

[FR Doc. 94-30251 Filed 12-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P