[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 1995)] [Notices] [Pages 2956-2957] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 95-714] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Education Program--National Research and Development Center AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of proposed priority, selection criteria, and post-award requirements. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes a priority, selection criteria, and post-award requirements for an award to support a national research and development center to study the education of gifted and talented children and youth. The work of the center is intended to increase knowledge related to improving educational practices so that the nation's most gifted and talented children and youth may better contribute to the national welfare. DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 27, 1995. ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposed priority should be addressed to Judith Anderson, U.S. Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue NW., Room 611b, Washington, DC 20208-5573. Comments may also be sent through the internet to ``Javits-C[email protected].'' FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judith Anderson. Telephone: (202) 219- 2079. 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 Secretary seeks to improve the education of gifted and talented children and youth and to use the methods and materials developed in gifted and talented education programs to improve education for all children. This is an integral part of advancing the National Education Goals and GOALS 2000, which require that all students must attain high standards of academic excellence. Gifted and talented education programs and methods can contribute to systemic reform, in which schoolwide efforts are used to coordinate high standards, assessments, challenging curricula, and teacher preparation to improve the education of all students. The Secretary also believes that the educational needs of gifted and talented students from populations historically underserved by gifted education programs deserve particular attention. Under the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act of 1994 (Javits Act) as authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 as amended, the Secretary seeks to provide support for a national research and development center designed to conduct sound and coherent education research programs on methods and techniques for gifted and talented education. A deliberate, sustained, and coordinated initiative must be undertaken to carry out research and development activities related to improving the education of gifted and talented students. The Secretary plans to make the award under this competition as a cooperative agreement. Applicants for the award must be institutions of higher education, State educational agencies, or a combination of these entities. The Secretary believes that this center can strengthen its capacity to accomplish the work of its mission by involving partners such as historically black colleges and universities, community colleges, or state and local education research organizations. As described in the Javits Act, the purpose of the center is to increase the understanding of how to improve the education of gifted and talented students, including those who may not be identified or served through traditional assessment methods and programs, such as economically disadvantaged individuals, individuals of limited-English proficiency, and individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, the Secretary believes that the experience and knowledge gained in developing and implementing programs for gifted and talented students can and should be used as a basis to develop rich and challenging curricula for all students, and to design instructional strategies and other means to improve all students' education. Finally, the Secretary believes that educators should consider the schoolwide impact of gifted and talented programs. Proposed Priority Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to give an absolute preference to applications that meet the following priority. The Secretary proposes to fund only applications that meet this absolute priority: Each project must propose plans to establish a national research and development center that--Conducts research and development activities concerning the [[Page 2957]] educational needs of children and youth who give evidence of high performance capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop such capabilities; Contributes to increasing the capacity of educational systems to provide all students with equal opportunities to learn to high standards and achieve educational success; Uses research methods in at least some of its studies that involve advanced or innovative quantitative or qualitative techniques of sampling, data gathering, conceptualization and measurement of variables, data analyses, and interdisciplinary perspectives; Conducts one or more definitive research studies that have national implications and that will inform policy or practice across the nation; i.e., use large representative samples and rigorous scientific techniques that preclude biased results and support generalizable, replicable findings concerning the education of sizable populations of children or youth; Includes research and development activities related to the following topics: (a) Identifying, teaching, and serving gifted and talented students; (b) Improving the education of gifted and talented students who may not be identified and served through traditional assessment methods and programs, (including economically disadvantaged individuals, individuals of limited-English proficiency, and individuals with disabilities); (c) Using knowledge and experience gained in developing and implementing gifted and talented programs and methods to serve all students; and (d) Understanding the effects of gifted education programs on the educational achievement of students schoolwide; and Documents, reports, and disseminates its research activities in ways that will allow others to use the research results. Proposed Selection Criteria The Secretary proposes not to use the selection criteria set forth in the Javits Gifted and Talented Program regulations, 34 CFR 791.21. The Secretary proposes to use selection criteria set forth in this notice to evaluate an application for the center award. The proposed criteria are consistent with the provisions of the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination and Improvement Act of 1994. Selection Criteria: The Secretary plans to use the following selection criteria to evaluate applications when a competition is announced. The maximum score for all these criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses. (a) Research Mission and Technical Soundness. (40 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality and significance of the center's overall research agenda, definitive study or studies, and other individual research projects, including-- (1) The coherence, significance, and technical merits of the center's research projects and agenda, in the context of the current state of the field; and (2) The importance, quality of design and methodological rigor of the center's definitive study or studies. (b) Personnel. (30 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the qualifications and time commitments of the center's personnel, including-- (1) The time commitment, experiences, and expertise of the primary researchers enabling them to achieve the center's mission; and (2) The qualifications of the Director and support staff, and whether they will commit at least a majority of their time to center activities. (c) Institutional Arrangements. (30 points) The Secretary reviews each application to evaluate the capacity of the center's institutional structure and arrangements to support the center's projects and objectives, including-- (1) The center's ability to respond to and provide leadership for those who can use or benefit from the center's research; (2) The center's plans to support, monitor, and complete research projects that meet the highest standards of professional excellence; and (3) The center's ability to disseminate useful research findings and other information to appropriate audiences in ways that will maximize the benefits of its work. PROPOSED POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS: The Secretary proposes the following post-award requirements consistent with the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination and Improvement Act of 1994. A grantee receiving a center award shall-- (a) Provide OERI with information about center projects and products and other appropriate research information so that OERI can monitor center progress and maintain its inventory of funded research projects. This information must be provided through media that include an electronic network; (b) Conduct and evaluate research projects in conformity to the highest professional standards of research practice; and (c) Reserve five percent of each budget period's funds to support activities that fall within the center's mission, are designed and mutually agreed to by both the center and OERI, and enhance OERI's ability to carry out its mission. Such activities may include developing research agendas, conducting research projects, collaborating with other federally-supported entities, and engaging in leadership and dissemination activities. The Secretary believes that use of the proposed selection criteria will improve the quality of applications, and that the proposed post- award requirements will enhance the quality of the center's research, development, and dissemination activities. The Secretary will announce the final priority, selection criteria, and post-award requirements in a notice in the Federal Register. The final priority, selection criteria and post-award requirements will be determined by responses to this notice, available funds, and other considerations of the Department. Funding of a particular project will depend on the availability of funds, the nature of the final priority, and the quality of the applications received. Note: This notice 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, selection criteria, and post-award requirements. Program Authority: P.L. 103-382, Title X, Part B (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.206, Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act of 1994) Dated: January 5, 1995. Sharon P. Robinson, Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement. [FR Doc. 95-714 Filed 1-11-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P