[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 97 (Tuesday, May 20, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27680-27681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13172]



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Part III





Department of Education





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Rehabilitation Short-Term Training; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 97 / Tuesday, May 20, 1997 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

RIN 1820-ZA09


Rehabilitation Short-Term Training

AGENCY: Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice of proposed priority for fiscal year 1997.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes a priority for fiscal year 1997 under 
the Rehabilitation Short-Term Training program. The Secretary takes 
this action in order to improve the leadership among top-level managers 
and administrators of the State Vocational Rehabilitation Services 
program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 19, 1997.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposed priority should be 
addressed to Sylvia Johnson, U.S. Department of Education, 600 
Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3318, Switzer Building, Washington, 
D.C. 20202-2601. Comments may also be sent through the Internet to: 
Sylvia__J[email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sylvia Johnson. Telephone: (202) 205-
9312. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TDD) may call the TDD number at (202) 205-8133. Internet: 
Sylvia__J[email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice contains a proposed priority to 
establish a National Rehabilitation Leadership Institute to improve the 
leadership skills of top-level managers and administrators of the State 
Vocational Rehabilitation Services program.

Goals 2000: Educate America Act

    The Goals 2000: Educate America Act (Goals 2000) focuses the 
Nation's education reform efforts on the eight National Education Goals 
and provides a framework for meeting them. Goals 2000 promotes new 
partnerships to strengthen schools and expands the Department's 
capacities for helping communities to exchange ideas and obtain 
information needed to achieve the goals.
    This proposed priority would address the National Education Goal 
that every adult American will be literate and will possess the 
knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and 
exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. The proposed 
priority would further the objectives of this Goal by focussing 
available funds on projects that improve the leadership skills of top 
administrators of State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies, which 
will improve the responsiveness of the VR system to adults with 
disabilities and their vocational pursuits.
    The Secretary will announce the final priority in a notice in the 
Federal Register. The final priority will be determined by responses to 
this notice, available funds, and other considerations of the 
Department. Funding of particular projects depends on the availability 
of funds, the nature of the final priority, and the quality of the 
applications received. The publication of this proposed priority does 
not preclude the Secretary from proposing additional priorities, nor 
does it limit the Secretary to funding only this priority, subject to 
meeting applicable rulemaking requirements.

    Note: This notice of proposed priority 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.

Priority

Background

    Authority for the Rehabilitation Short-Term Training program is 
contained in section 302 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended 
(29 U.S.C. 774). Under this program the Secretary makes awards to 
public agencies and private agencies and organizations, including 
institutions of higher education, Indian tribes, and tribal 
organizations. This program is designed for the support of special 
seminars, institutes, workshops, and other short-term courses in 
technical matters relating to the vocational, medical, social, and 
psychological rehabilitation programs, independent living services 
programs, and client assistance programs.
    The State Vocational Rehabilitation Services program is undergoing 
significant change. In their efforts to improve the employment outcomes 
of the individuals they serve, State VR agencies have been changing the 
way they operate. For example, most State VR agencies have taken steps 
to streamline VR services, analyzing their practices, policies, and 
procedures and eliminating or modifying those that inhibit responsive 
service delivery. In addition, State VR agencies increasingly recognize 
that their success in promoting the employment of their consumers 
depends in part on the strength of their linkages with employers and 
with generic employment and training programs.
    The changed environment of State VR agencies demands a different 
set of skills from leaders and managers than has traditionally been 
required. Managers and leaders in the VR system need to develop new 
skills that will enable them, for example, to change their agencies' 
focus from processes and compliance to the achievement of high-quality 
outcomes and to build working relationships with organizations outside 
their agencies.

Elements of a VR Leadership Training Program

    To have maximum utility to administrators in the State VR Services 
program, a leadership training program must include training in 
leadership skills that includes periodic reinforcement and feedback to 
participants, application of leadership skills to VR issues, and 
provision of training in a peer setting.
    Many skills associated with effective leadership can be taught, 
given sufficient instruction, practice, and feedback on performance. 
Effective skills training uses a strategy of repeated practice over 
time with feedback on performance. In the training arena, this often 
translates into providing a series of training programs. The time 
between training programs is used for practicing newly learned skills. 
Subsequent events allow for feedback by instructors and peers on their 
efforts. For example, an institute may propose a series of short 
courses (several days each) over the course of a year, each building 
upon the other. The time between the courses would be used to try out 
new techniques and exercise new skills. At the next course, experiences 
may be discussed to allow the instructors to provide feedback. The 
instructors could then move along to new topics. It is a progressive 
learning technique that has proven effective, especially when training 
busy professionals such as rehabilitation administrators. There also 
may be a ``pick and choose'' series of courses from which a given 
administrator, in concert with a training specialist on the grantee's 
staff, could select to develop a ``customized'' program of learning. 
Efforts such as these have proven to be effective in programs designed 
for busy professionals.
    The second element of effective VR leadership training is the 
application of training to actual issues. This approach both helps 
trainees solve real problems and relates to a long-held principle of 
adult learning: adults learn most effectively when the content of the 
training is directly related to issues they face. Within VR, new 
policies, initiatives, and legislation will require top administrators 
and directors to make

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major changes in procedures and practices within their agencies. Tying 
the content of leadership training to these types of issues makes the 
training in leadership skills more effective and helps solve real world 
problems.
    The third element of effective leadership training is the provision 
of training in a peer setting. A well-tested management principle 
relates to the benefits of working in teams with others who face 
similar situations. Group, as opposed to individual, examination of 
issues often reveals a wider range of options for addressing those 
issues and results in better solutions.
    Leadership skills, like all skills, can improve over time. 
Therefore, the Secretary considers progressive levels of leadership 
training programs, such as courses for new directors, programs for 
administrators and directors with various levels of experience, and 
seminars for seasoned administrators and directors, essential to 
meeting the diverse needs of VR administrators and directors.
    The Secretary has determined that it is in the best interest of the 
State VR Services program to provide leadership skills training through 
one national institute. Having one institute lends consistency in the 
quality and content of training and better enables the Secretary to 
monitor the quality and relevance of the training. The Secretary 
intends to be involved with the grantee to provide direction and 
technical assistance on the content of the training.
    To expand the funding base for the project and to encourage State 
agencies to contribute to the costs of training, the Secretary is 
proposing that participants be required to provide some level of 
contribution for training. The Secretary recognizes that State agencies 
have limited budgets and that some State policies limit the use of 
funds for tuition and related costs. However, the Secretary expects 
that a reasonable fee structure will not preclude the participation of 
State agencies.
    In summary, the Secretary has determined that it is in the best 
interest of the State VR Services program to develop a leadership 
training program that focuses on leadership skills as applied to the 
unique issues facing State VR agencies in a peer setting. Progressive 
levels of training are needed to meet the varying needs of 
administrators and directors. One institute would ensure consistency in 
training and provide for better quality control. State agencies would 
be required to provide some degree of support to the program.

Proposed Priority

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and section 302(a)(1) of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Secretary proposes to give 
an absolute preference to applications that meet the following 
priority. The Secretary proposes to fund under this competition only 
applications that meet this absolute priority:
    The Secretary proposes to fund one project to establish a National 
Rehabilitation Leadership Institute that will focus on developing the 
leadership skills of top-level managers and administrators in State VR 
agencies. The project must have plans for addressing the leadership 
needs in all VR agencies funded under the Act.
    The project must employ a curriculum that focuses on the 
development of leadership skills and on the application of those skills 
to current challenges and issues in the VR program. The project must be 
capable of structuring leadership curricula around current VR issues of 
national significance, such as using VR standards and indicators to 
assess and improve agency performance, coordinating effectively with 
generic employment and training programs, and increasing client choice. 
Actual issues will be determined by the advisory committee (described 
later in this notice) and the Secretary.
    The project must employ a curriculum that includes several levels 
of training to meet the needs of audiences ranging from new State 
administrators and directors to seasoned administrators and directors. 
The project's curriculum must include sequential courses that allow for 
repeated practice of newly learned skills over time, with performance 
feedback. The project must provide training in a peer setting.
    The project must coordinate its training activities with activities 
conducted under the State VR In-Service Training program and the 
Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program. These programs are also 
charged with improving the leadership skills of State agency personnel. 
Therefore, collaboration and coordination are necessary.
    The project must establish an advisory committee that includes RSA 
central and regional office representatives, representatives of State 
VR agency administrators, rehabilitation counselors, VR clients, other 
educators and trainers of VR personnel, and others as determined to be 
appropriate by the grantee and RSA. This committee must provide 
substantial input on and direction to the training curriculum, 
including the specific VR issues to be incorporated.
    The project must include an evaluation component based upon clear, 
specific performance and outcome measures. The results must be reported 
in its annual progress report.
    The project must provide for some degree of participant 
contribution to training costs.

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 
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 
this program.

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, in Room 
3423, Mary Switzer Building, 330 C Street S.W., 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 Parts 385 and 390.

    Authority: 29 U.S.C. 774.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 84.246D, 
Rehabilitation Short-Term Training)

    Dated: May 15, 1997.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 97-13172 Filed 5-19-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P