[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 13, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31224-31225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14384]




[[Page 31223]]

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Part III





Department of Education





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Bilingual Education: Evaluation Activities, Benchmark Study; Final 
Priority and Cooperative Agreement Award Applications for Fiscal Year 
1995; Notices

  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 113 / Tuesday, June 13, 1995 / 
Notices   
[[Page 31224]] 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[1885-ZA00]


Bilingual Education: Evaluation Activities, Benchmark Study

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of final priority and selection criteria for fiscal year 
(FY) 1995.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces a priority and selection criteria for 
FY 1995 for program evaluation activities authorized by title VII of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). 
The Secretary takes this action to conduct program evaluation 
activities for the purpose of improving the education of limited 
English proficient (LEP) students. The priority limits this competition 
to evaluation activities that investigate the dynamics of school change 
over time in school districts serving LEP students.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This priority takes effect July 13, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR APPLICATIONS CONTACT: Milagros E. Lanauze, 
U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue SW., room 5623, 
Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-6510. Telephone: (202) 205-9475. 
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

    Title VII of the ESEA was recently reauthorized and now promotes 
coherent and comprehensive educational programs for limited English 
proficient students based on the principle that all children can to 
achieve to high standards. The ESEA and the Goals 2000: Educate America 
Act (Goals 2000) will now aim at fostering school reform and changing 
the manner in which all students, including LEP students, receive 
educational services. Title VII's new grants programs, authorized by 
subpart 1 of part A, will assist the Nation's school reform efforts for 
the education of LEP students.
    Section 7131 of the ESEA authorizes the Secretary to conduct 
evaluation activities to improve bilingual education and special 
alternative instruction programs for LEP children and youth.
    In order to examine how school reform efforts are affecting the 
education of LEP students, the Secretary is establishing an absolute 
priority under section 7131 to fund a five-year ``Benchmark Study'' to 
evaluate the dynamics of school change in schools that serve LEP 
students and are undergoing the process of school reform.

Objectives

    The priority limits the competition to applications that cover the 
three objectives listed below.
    (a) To evaluate the effectiveness of the Comprehensive School 
Grants program, which is authorized by supart 1 of part A of title VII 
of the ESEA. This program is expected to play a key role in promoting 
education reform for LEP students.
    (b) To study the dynamics of school change in schools that serve 
LEP students, including:
    (1) Establishing salient benchmarks in the process of school reform 
in schools serving LEP students and in the changes in instruction for 
LEP students.
    (2) Examining how school instructional and organizational changes 
affect LEP students.
    (c) To link or coordinate with other Department of Education 
evaluation activities.

Selection Criteria

    The Secretary has established selection criteria to evaluate the 
quality of applications for this competition. In awarding a cooperative 
agreement, the Secretary will consider the technical soundness of the 
project, the quality of key personnel involved in the project, the 
quality of the plan of operation and adequacy of resources, the quality 
of the dissemination plan, and the adequacy of the proposed budget and 
cost-effectiveness.
    The Secretary has included a criterion regarding the quality of the 
dissemination plan. Yearly dissemination activities that forge links 
and promote communication between researchers and practitioners will 
assist in promoting the purpose of this priority:
    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary gives an absolute 
preference to applications that meet the following priority. The 
Secretary funds under this program only an application that meets this 
absolute priority:
    An application that--
    (a) Proposes a five-year evaluation study to investigate the 
dynamics of school change over time in school districts serving LEP 
students through the Comprehensive School Grants program;
    (b) Proposes to establish benchmarks reflecting the status of the 
schools being studied at the beginning of the school reform process and 
towards the end of the project period; and
    (c) Provides an assurance that the study will link or coordinate 
with other Department of Education evaluation activities, particularly 
evaluation activities conducted under title I of the ESEA.

Selection Criteria

    (a) The maximum score for all of the criteria in this section is 
100 points.
    (b) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses following the heading of the criterion.
    (c) The Secretary evaluates each application for a cooperative 
agreement under this competition by using the following selection 
criteria:
    (1) Technical soundness (40 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application to determine the technical 
soundness of the proposed activities, by examining--
    (i) The adequacy and quality of the project's design, methodology, 
instrumentation, and data analysis plan, as applicable;
    (ii) The extent to which the application demonstrates a thorough 
knowledge of current research and development concepts, theories, and 
outcomes and relates these to the proposed activity;
    (iii) If appropriate, the extent to which the perspectives of a 
variety of disciplines are used;
    (iv) The proposed plan for addressing:
    (A) Which variables have been selected for study, and which ones 
will be studied at what level of analysis.
    (B) Which educational levels (i.e., elementary, middle, secondary) 
, if any specific levels, will be included in the design.
    (C) Which geographical regions, if any specific regions will be 
used, will be included in the project design.
    (D) How the evaluation study will examine LEP students and former 
LEP students who were reclassified during the project period as 
proficient in English, to consider the impact of changes in instruction 
for LEP students.
    (E) How the evaluation study will use data from schools receiving 
title VII grants under the Comprehensive School Grants program and 
schools not receiving grants under that program.
    (v) The extent to which the application demonstrates knowledge of 
issues relating to the education of LEP students.
    (2) Quality of key personnel (20 points).
    (i) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality 
of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project, including-- 
[[Page 31225]] 
    (A) The qualifications of the project director;
    (B) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be 
used in the project;
    (C) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs (i) (A) and 
(B) of this section will commit to the project; and
    (D) The process by which 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.
    (ii) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs (i) (A) 
and (B) of this section, the Secretary considers--
    (A) Experience and training in fields related to the project 
objectives, including expertise relating to education of LEP students; 
and
    (B) Any other qualifications that pertain to the quality of the 
project.
    (3) Plan of operation and adequacy of resources (20 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of 
the plan of operation for the project and adequacy of resources for the 
project, including--
    (i) The extent to which the plan of management is effective and 
ensures proper and efficient administration of the project;
    (ii) The quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources and 
personnel (both those federally funded and those not federally funded) 
to achieve each objective;
    (iii) Adequacy of the resources that the applicant plans to devote 
to the project, including facilities, equipment, and supplies; and
    (iv) The extent to which the plan establishes sound fiscal 
procedures that ensure proper and efficient administration of project 
funds.
    (4) Quality and reasonableness of the dissemination plan (10 
points).
    The Secretary reviews each application to consider--
    (i) The quality of the dissemination plan;
    (ii) The extent to which the project's dissemination plan includes 
activities in each year of the project that--
    (A) Inform the educational community, including practitioners, 
researchers, and administrators, of project findings; and
    (B) Disseminate documents prepared by the recipient, such as 
technical and research reports, to the educational community; and
    (iii) The extent to which proposed dissemination activities are 
reasonable for each year of the project.
    (5) Budget and cost-effectiveness (10 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to 
which--
    (i) Each year's budget is adequate to support the project; and
    (ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, 
and potential significance of the project.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking

    In accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), 
it is the practice of the Department of Education to offer interested 
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However, in 
order to make timely grant awards in FY 1995, the Director, in 
accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions 
Act, has decided to issue this final notice of priority and selection 
criteria, which will apply only to this competition.

Executive Order 12866

    This notice of final 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 final priority 
are those resulting from statutory requirements and those determined by 
the Secretary as necessary for administering this program effectively 
and efficiently.
    In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative 
and qualitative--of this notice of final priority, the Secretary has 
determined that the benefits of the proposed final 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.

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 order 
is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened 
federalism by relying on the 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.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7451.

    Dated: May 5, 1995.

(Catalog of Domestic Assistance Number 292A Bilingual Education: 
General Research Programs)

Eugene E. Garcia,
Director, Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-14384 Filed 6-12-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P