[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 136 (Wednesday, July 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38072-38073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18707]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department requests public comment on draft Principles of 
Effectiveness that would govern recipients' use of fiscal year 1998 and 
future years' funds received under Title IV-State and local programs of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act--the Safe and Drug-Free 
Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) State Grants program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 15, 1997.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this notice should be addressed to 
William Modzeleski, Director, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program, U.S. 
Department of Education, 600 Independence Ave., SW, Room 604 Portals, 
Washington, D.C. 20202-6123. Internet: William__M[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact William Modzeleski, Director, Safe and 
Drug-Free Schools Program, U.S. Department of Education, 600 
Independence Ave., SW, Room 604 Portals, Washington, D.C. 20202-6123. 
Telephone: (202) 260-3954. 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 SDFSCA, as reauthorized in 1994 by the 
Improving America's Schools Act (Pub. L. 103-382), offers States, 
school districts, schools, and other recipients of SDFSCA State grant 
funds wide latitude in using these funds to implement the kinds of drug 
and violence prevention programs that they believe best serve their 
needs. While the Administration favors local discretion over Federal 
prescription in the use of SDFSCA State and local grant funds, the 
Administration also has a responsibility to promote the most effective 
possible use of these limited resources, which in many instances are 
the only funds available to local schools to address their youth drug 
and violence problems. With information about promising and successful 
drug and violence prevention programs and strategies becoming more 
available (for example, see National Institute on Drug Abuse 
publication number NIH 974212, Preventing Drug Abuse Among Children and 
Adolescents: A Research-Based Guide (March 1997), State and local 
decisions about which prevention approaches to implement should be 
guided by research on best practices. Furthermore, schools and 
community organizations that initiate activities designed to prevent 
youth drug use or violence without conducting a high-quality needs 
assessment or establishing clear and objective measurable expectations 
about program outcomes have difficulty determining whether their 
programs are successful.
    Therefore, as one of a series of activities designed to improve the 
quality of drug and violence prevention programming implemented with 
SDFSCA funds, the Secretary is proposing that all SDFSCA State Grants 
program funds be used to support only activities that implement 
research-based drug and violence prevention strategies and programs in 
a manner consistent with the Principles of Effectiveness set forth in 
this Notice. These Principles, in conjunction with existing statutory 
and regulatory provisions, would help ensure that State and local 
educational agencies, Governors' offices, and community-based 
organizations plan and implement effective drug and violence prevention 
programs.

Proposed Principles of Effectiveness

    To address the concerns discussed above, the Department's fiscal 
year 1998 budget proposal includes appropriations language that would 
require all recipients of SDFSCA State Grant funds to use their Title 
IV funds in a manner consistent with the Department's final statement 
of these Principles of Effectiveness. In developing these Principles, 
the Department has reviewed research findings and the best available 
practices related to making schools drug- and violence-free, and has 
initiated a number of informal discussions with members of the public 
and the research community on how these Principles might improve the 
outcome of programs supported with SDFSCA funds.
    The proposed Principles are set forth in Appendix A to this notice. 
If Congress enacts the Department's proposed appropriations language 
for fiscal year 1998 and for subsequent fiscal years, these Principles 
(once they are published in final in a future

[[Page 38073]]

Federal Register notice) would apply, by law, for each of those years 
to all recipients of SDFSCA State Grant program funds in designing, 
implementing, and assessing their SDFSCA drug and violence prevention 
programs in conjunction with existing statutory and regulatory 
requirements of the SDFSCA. Within the context of these Principles, 
program recipients would still be free to determine for themselves the 
activities that best meet their needs.
    The Department is considering various strategies--such as issuance 
of further guidance and technical assistance--to ensure that recipients 
understand the final Principles and know how to implement them to 
promote the effective use of SDFSCA funds. Between now and July 1, 1998 
(when fiscal year 1998 Title IV funds become available for obligation), 
the Department will work with recipients of SDFSCA funds to help them 
understand and implement these Principles of Effectiveness. The 
Department also will monitor States' implementation of the Principles.

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 these proposed Principles of Effectiveness. 
The Department also is interested in receiving comments and 
recommendations on activities that it should undertake to ensure that 
all recipients understand what they must do to design and implement 
their program activities in ways that are consistent with the 
Principles once these Principles are final and become supplemental 
requirements of the SDFSCA program.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available 
for public inspection, during and after the comment period, in room 603 
Portals Building, 1250 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, D.C., between the 
hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday of each week 
except Federal holidays.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7111-7118.

    Dated: July 11, 1997.
Gerald M. Tirozzi,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Appendix A--Statement of Proposed Principles of Effectiveness for the 
Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act State Grants Program 
(Title IV--State and Local Programs, ESEA)

    Having safe and drug-free schools is one of our Nation's highest 
priorities. To ensure that recipients of Title IV funds use those 
funds in ways that preserve State and local flexibility but are most 
likely to reduce drug use and violence among youth, such recipients 
shall coordinate their SDFSCA-funded programs with other available 
prevention efforts to maximize the impact of all the drug and 
violence prevention programs and resources available to their State, 
school district, or community, and shall--
     Base their programs on a thorough assessment of 
objective data about the drug and violence problems in the schools 
and communities served.
    Each SDFSCA grant recipient shall conduct a thorough assessment 
of the nature and extent of youth drug use and violence problems. 
Grantees are encouraged to build upon existing data collection 
efforts and examine available objective data from a variety of 
sources, including law enforcement and public health officials. 
Grantees are encouraged to assess the needs of all segments of the 
youth population. While information about the availability of 
relevant services in the community and schools is an important part 
of any needs assessment, and while grantees may wish to include data 
on adult drug use and violence problems, grantees shall at minimum 
include in the needs assessment data on youth drug use and violence.
     Design their activities to meet their measurable goals 
and objectives for drug and violence prevention.
    Sections 4112 and 4115 of the SDFSCA require that grant 
recipients develop measurable goals and objectives for their program 
activities. Grantees shall develop goals and objectives that focus 
on program outcomes, as well as program implementation (sometimes 
called ``process'' data). While measures of implementation (such as 
the hours of instruction provided or number of teachers trained) are 
important, they are not sufficient to measure program outcomes. 
Grantees shall develop goals and objectives that will permit them to 
determine the extent to which program activities are effective in 
reducing or preventing drug use, violence, or disruptive behavior 
among youth.
     Design and implement their activities based on research 
or evaluation that provides evidence that the strategies used 
prevent or reduce drug use, violence, or disruptive behavior among 
youth.
    In designing and improving their programs, grant recipients 
shall, taking into consideration their needs assessment and 
measurable goals and objectives, select and implement programs that 
have demonstrated that they can be effective in preventing or 
reducing drug use, violence, or disruptive behavior. While the U.S. 
Department of Education recognizes the importance of flexibility in 
addressing State and local needs, the Department believes that the 
implementation of research-based approaches will significantly 
enhance the effectiveness of programs supported with SDFSCA funds. 
Grantees are encouraged to review the breadth of available research 
and evaluation literature in selecting effective strategies most 
responsive to their needs, and to replicate these strategies in a 
manner consistent with their original design.
     Evaluate their programs periodically to assess their 
progress toward achieving their goals and objectives, and use their 
evaluation results to refine, improve, and strengthen their program, 
and to refine their goals and objectives as appropriate.
    Grant recipients shall assess their programs and use the 
information about program outcomes to re-evaluate existing program 
efforts. While the Department recognizes that prevention programs 
may have a long implementation phase, may have long-term goals, and 
may include some objectives that are broadly focused, grantees shall 
not continue to implement strategies or programs that cannot 
demonstrate positive outcomes in terms of reducing or preventing 
drug use, violence, or disruptive behavior among youth. Grantees 
shall use their assessment results to determine whether programs 
need to be strengthened or improved, and whether program goals and 
objectives are reasonable or have already been met and should be 
revised. Consistent with sections 4112 and 4115 of the SDFSCA, grant 
recipients shall report to the public on progress toward attaining 
measurable goals and objectives for drug and violence prevention.
[FR Doc. 97-18707 Filed 7-15-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P