[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 129 (Thursday, July 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 35274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-16477]




[[Page 35273]]

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Part III





Department of Education





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Training Personnel for the Education of Individuals With Disabilities; 
Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 129 / Thursday, July 6, 1995 / 
Notices   

[[Page 35274]]


DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Training Personnel for the Education of Individuals With 
Disabilities

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of waiver.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary waives the requirements in EDGAR at 34 CFR 
75.261(a) that generally prohibit project extensions that involve the 
additional obligation of Federal funds. The Secretary waives this EDGAR 
requirement for the National Center for Minority Special Education 
Research and Outreach, and the Outreach Alliance 2000 Project. The 
Secretary will issue continuation awards to both Centers in order to 
ensure the most efficient use of Federal funds.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This waiver takes effect on August 7, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Glidewell, telephone: (202) 205-
9099, or Victoria Ware, telephone: (202) 205-8687, U.S. Department of 
Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-2641. 
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 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: On July 19, 1991, the Department issued a 
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards under the Training 
Personnel for the Education of Individuals With Disabilities for Fiscal 
Year 1991. In this notice, the Department announced that it would make 
two awards for up to 48 months pursuant to section 6l0(j)(2)(C) of the 
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which directed the 
Secretary to develop and implement a plan for providing outreach 
services to minority entities and underrepresented populations to 
assist them in participating more fully in the discretionary grant 
programs authorized in Parts C through G of IDEA.
    Specifically, the Secretary advised that the Department would fund 
two Centers, one to provide technical assistance to the agencies, 
institutions, organizations, and populations identified by Congress 
seeking grant support for personnel preparation (Part D of the Act). 
The other Center was designed to provide technical assistance to the 
targeted entities and populations seeking support for research and the 
other activities authorized in Parts C, E, F, and G of the Act. The 
EDGAR selection criteria were used in making the selection.
    The grant periods have ended for the two Centers, which are 
currently expending the balance of their fiscal year 1994 funds to 
carry out approved project activities. In order to conduct the section 
610(j)(2)(C) plan activities with fiscal year 1995 support, it is 
necessary to either recompete the projects for one year or to issue 
continuation awards to the existing grantees.
    Based upon the following factors, the Department believes it makes 
the most programmatic sense and is the most efficient use of Federal 
funds to issue continuation awards. However, to do so, the Department 
must waive the requirements in EDGAR at 34 CFR 75.261(a) that generally 
prohibit project extensions that involve the additional obligation of 
Federal funds.

Reasons

    If the Department had to recompete these multi-year outreach 
Centers this year, the Department would wastefully expend resources for 
a program that might not be reauthorized. If the program is 
reauthorized, it may contain substantially different programmatic 
requirements. Such changes would require the Department to recompete 
the projects one year later based on the new statute.

Public Comment

    On April 14, 1995, the Secretary published a notice of proposed 
waiver for the two centers in the Federal Register (60 FR 19152). In 
the notice of proposed waiver the Secretary invited public comments. 
The Secretary did not receive any comments.

Waiver

    Based on the response to the notice of proposed waiver, the 
Secretary waives the application of 34 CFR 75.261(a) to the Part D 
Center authorized under Parts C, E, F, and G of the IDEA. Thus, the 
Department will issue one-year continuation awards to the current 
grantees that meet the standards for continuation in 34 CFR 75.253 and, 
if reauthorization is delayed past the date needed to conduct a 
competition for FY 1996 funds, the Department will extend the projects 
for a second-year continuation award, if the current grantees meet the 
standards for continuation awards in 34 CFR 75.253.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980

    This waiver has been examined under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1980 and has been found to contain no information collection 
requirements.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.029, Training 
Personnel for the Education of Individuals With Disabilities.)

    Dated: June 29, 1995.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 95-16477 Filed 7-5-95; 8:45 am]
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