[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 160 (Tuesday, August 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44194-44198]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-21897]



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Part III





Department of Education





_______________________________________________________________________



National Awards Program for High Quality Professional Development: 
Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 160 / Tuesday, August 19, 1997 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

RIN 1850-ZA02


National Awards Program for High-Quality Professional Development

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Eligibility and Selection Criteria.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes eligibility and selection criteria to 
govern the National Awards Program for Model Professional Development 
for Fiscal Year 1998. Under these criteria, the National Awards Program 
would recognize a variety of schools and school districts with model 
professional development activities in the pre-kindergarten through 
twelfth grade levels that have led to increases in student achievement.

DATES: Comments must be received by the Department on or before 
September 18, 1997.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning these proposed definitions and 
selection criteria should be addressed to Sharon Horn, Office of 
Educational Research and Improvement, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW--Room 
506E, Washington, DC 20208 phone: 202-219-2203. Comments also may be 
sent by e-mail to [email protected] or by FAX at (202) 219-2198.
    Comments that concern information collection requirements must be 
sent to the Office of Management and Budget at the address listed in 
the Paperwork Reduction Act section of this notice. A copy of those 
comments may also be sent to the Department representative named in the 
ADDRESSES section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Horn, phone: (202) 219-2203. 
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Through this notice the Secretary proposes 
definitions and criteria to govern applications for recognition 
submitted under the second National Awards Program for Model 
Professional Development. This Program began in 1996, in coordination 
with a wide range of national education organizations, to highlight and 
recognize schools and school districts whose professional development 
activities are aligned with the statement of Mission and Principles of 
Professional Development that the Department developed in 1994. See 
Appendix A. This second National Awards Program, to be conducted during 
Fiscal Year (FY) 1998, will be implemented in ways similar to last 
year's program (see, for example, the Notice Inviting Applications for 
Awards published in the Federal Register on June 14, 1996 at 61 FR 
30450), but with criteria designed to better inform applicants of the 
kind of information that successful applicants will need to provide. 
Again this year, the Secretary would recognize successful applicants at 
a ceremony in Washington, D.C., and present each successful applicant 
with an award of not less than $5,000 that the recipient could use to 
expand, promote or publicize its professional development activities.
    The reasons for wanting to continue the National Awards Program are 
clear. Schools and school districts throughout the Nation are 
undertaking efforts to raise academic standards and to improve the 
academic achievement of all students. For these efforts to be 
successful they must include strategies for permitting teachers (and 
other school and local educational agency (LEA) staff) to obtain the 
skills and knowledge they need to enable all students to achieve. 
Indeed, whatever the school reform initiative, teachers are the core. 
However, teachers need access to new knowledge and skills to enable 
them to continue to teach to higher standards and to respond to the 
challenges facing education today.
    Realizing that high-quality professional development must be at the 
core of any effort to achieve educational excellence, the Secretary in 
1994 directed a broadly representative team within the U.S. Department 
of Education to examine the best available research and exemplary 
practices related to professional development, and work with the field 
to develop a set of basic principles of high-quality professional 
development. Out of this national effort came the Department's 
Statement of Mission and Principles of Professional Development. This 
statement reflected both extensive collaboration with a wide range of 
education constituents and review of public comment received on a draft 
Statement of Mission and Principles of Professional Development 
published in the Federal Register on December 9, 1994 (59 FR 63773). 
The Department issued the final Statement of Mission and Principles 
(Appendix A) in 1995 after review of public comment and reexamination 
of the best available research on exemplary practices. This statement 
is grounded in the practical wisdom of leading educators across the 
country about the kind of professional development that, if 
implemented, maintained, and supported, will have a positive and 
lasting effect on teaching and learning in America.
    The Statement of Mission and Principles of Professional Development 
represents a framework for guiding school and school district staff as 
they design and implement their professional development activities. 
Many of the same national education organizations that worked with the 
Department to develop the Mission and Principles of Professional 
Development sought the Department's help last year in identifying and 
recognizing those professional development efforts across the pre-
kindergarten through twelfth grade spectrum that reflect the Mission 
and Principles. Given the efforts of schools and school districts 
throughout the Nation to pursue school reform initiatives, the 
Secretary agreed with these organizations about the urgent need to 
identify sites whose professional development activities can be models 
for other schools and districts that are working to enhance their own 
professional development activities.
    Therefore, the Secretary last year announced the first National 
Awards Program for Model Professional Development. The public expressed 
great interest in the program, and the Department received over 100 
applications. In February of this year, the Department recognized five 
schools and school districts in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Kansas and 
California for the high quality of their professional development 
activities and the link between those activities and improved student 
learning. But the importance of high-quality professional development 
to successful strategies to increase student achievement demands that 
this Awards Program be continued, and more schools and school districts 
have the opportunity for national recognition. Therefore, the Secretary 
is pleased to propose definitions and criteria to govern the second 
National Awards Program.
    The Secretary will announce the final eligibility and selection 
criteria in a notice in the Federal Register. The final eligibility and 
selection criteria will be determined by responses to this notice and 
other considerations of the Department.

    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 eligibility and selection criteria.

Proposed Eligibility Criteria

    As with last year's program, eligible applicants would be schools 
and school districts in the States (including schools

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located on Indian reservations, and in the District of Columbia, Puerto 
Rico, and the outlying areas) that provide educational programs in the 
pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade levels.
    The Secretary also proposes to retain application selection 
criteria that are built on two key elements: (1) A demonstration that 
the professional development activities are fully aligned with the 
Mission and Principles of Professional Development, and (2) a 
demonstration of how, consistent with the Mission and Principles, the 
professional development activities benefit all affected students, and 
have led to improved student achievement and improved teacher 
effectiveness. As noted above, the statement of Mission and Principles 
of Professional Development reflects broad agreement of what is ``best 
practice.'' It was prepared in collaboration with a great many national 
educational associations and upon review of public comment. The 
Secretary believes that professional development activities can only be 
considered exemplary if they, in fact, are linked to increased student 
achievement.
    Again, this year, the format of applications would remain fairly 
simple. However, the application material would be revised to better 
identify topics applicants would need to address to demonstrate 
alignment with the Mission and Principles of Professional Development 
and a link to increased student achievement. In addition, to promote 
fairness among those seeking recognition under the National Awards 
Program, all applications would need to be prepared in accordance with 
formatting instructions included in the application packet.

Proposed Selection Criteria

    Applicants would be free to develop their applications in any way 
they choose as long as they comply with the requirements set out in the 
application packet. The degree to which applicants demonstrate 
alignment with the Mission and Principles of Professional Development 
and a link to increased student achievement would be evaluated using 
the following criteria:
    Guiding Principles: In evaluating applications for the National 
Awards Program, reviewers will look to see whether the application, 
taken as a whole, demonstrates that the school's or school district's 
professional development activities is comprehensive and leads to 
improved teacher effectiveness and increased student achievement. In 
doing so, reviewers would be guided by the extent to which and how well 
applicants respond to the following criteria, the most important of 
which would concern objective evidence of success. Each proposed 
criterion includes one or more questions that are designed to help 
applicants formulate their responses. It would not be necessary for 
applicants to answer each question individually. But, taken as a whole, 
the description of their professional development activities should 
respond to the topic of each criterion with enough information so that 
reviewers can determine whether the school or district's professional 
development is comprehensive and leads to improved teacher 
effectiveness and increased student achievement.

A. Background and Overview of Professional Development

    In this section applicants would provide a brief explanation of why 
they consider professional development in their schools or districts 
exemplary by describing its key components and relating those to the 
U.S. Department of Education's Principles of Professional Development. 
This description would provide evidence that the professional 
development activities are not narrowly focused on one subgroup of 
students or staff within the school or district.
    In responding to this criterion, applicants should consider the 
following questions:
    1. What are the infrastructure, content, and process components of 
professional development in the school or district?
    2. How does professional development in the applicant's school or 
district reflect the U.S. Department of Education's Mission and 
Professional Development Principles?
    3. Why does the applicant consider professional development in the 
school or district to be exemplary?

B. Goals and Outcomes

    In this section, applicants would describe their professional 
development goals, how they were developed, how they relate to school 
improvement, and how they are based on needs assessment and address the 
achievement of all students (regardless of gender; socio-economic 
level; disadvantaged status; racial, ethnic or cultural background; 
exceptional abilities or disabilities; or limited English proficiency), 
not just a subgroup. Applicants also would address the changes in 
teaching and student learning that are expected to result from 
professional development. In doing so, they would include how 
professional development goals and outcomes promote teaching and 
learning to high standards.
    In responding to this criterion, applicants should consider the 
following questions:
    1. What are the applicant's broad goals of professional development 
in its school or district?
    2. What are the applicant's goals for ALL students' achievement 
through professional development?
    3. What are the ways that the professional development goals are 
connected to the school or district's long-term school improvement 
plans?
    4. What process was used to create the professional development 
goals and plan, and who is involved in the development?
    5. What are the ways in which teachers' professional development 
needs are assessed and incorporated in the plan for professional 
development?
    6. How do the professional development goals and outcomes focus on 
increasing teachers' expertise in teaching to high standards?
    7. What changes in teaching and student learning result from 
participation in professional development in the school or district? 
What was the rationale for believing these changes would result in 
improved teaching and learning?

C. Professional Development Design and Implementation

    Overall, the applicant's response to this section would show how 
the context, content and processes of its professional development 
activities are consistent with the Department's Mission and Principles 
of Professional Development. The description would provide evidence 
that professional development reflects research and best practice; 
includes comprehensive evaluation; includes organizational structures 
(e.g., roles and policy) and resources (e.g., use of time, expertise, 
funds) that support it; promotes continuous inquiry and improvement; 
and, ensures that the larger school community understands its 
importance to school improvement.
    The applicant would describe the data-based processes that are used 
for checking that professional development is connected to the school 
or district improvement plan and that the professional development 
design supports the attainment of expected changes in teaching practice 
and student learning. The description would include any formal and 
informal processes used to routinely collect information for monitoring 
how the school or district is progressing toward their goals; for 
assessing the links

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between the plan, professional development activities and teacher and 
student outcomes; and, for adjusting what isn't working.
    Applicants with resources to procure and use technology in the 
classroom also would include a discussion of how the needs of teachers 
to more effectively use technology are met and how the impact on 
student achievement is addressed and assessed.
    In responding to this criterion, applicants should consider the 
following questions:
    1. How is professional development a part of what ALL teachers do? 
What role do administrators and other members of the school community 
play in professional development?
    2. How do the applicant's professional development design and 
activities reflect research and best practice?
    3. Why were the specific content, instructional strategies, and 
learning activities selected for professional development?
    4. What are the processes for documenting and monitoring the 
alignment of the improvement plans, professional development 
activities, and teacher and student outcomes?
    5. How do organizational structures support the implementation of 
professional development at individual, collegial and organizational 
levels?
    6. What resources and types of sustained support (financial and 
other) are available for professional development for individuals, 
groups, and the whole school or district? How are current resources 
obtained?
    7. How does the applicant's design of its overall professional 
development activities reflect comprehensive evaluation? What data are 
routinely collected to assess the alignment? How are collected data 
used to refine professional development?
    8. How does the applicant ensure that the school community 
understands how the professional development components fit together 
and connect to the overall school plan?

D. Objective Evidence of Success

    This portion of the application would be fundamental to the 
characterization of the applicant's professional development, and would 
be the most important selection criterion that reviewers would use. 
Applicants would need to demonstrate clearly that teacher effectiveness 
and student achievement have increased as a direct result of the 
implemented professional development. Data that indicate this 
connection should be described. The focus here is on evidence. In doing 
so, applicants would make a compelling argument for how professional 
development positively affects outcomes for all teachers and all 
students, emphasizing areas where any achievement gaps between groups 
(e.g., gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity) have been closed.
    In responding to this criterion, applicants should consider the 
following questions:
    1. What evidence from data-gathering processes demonstrate that 
professional development in the school or district has improved all 
teachers' effectiveness?
    2. What evidence is there that professional development in the 
school or district has improved students' achievement across all grade 
levels and all subject areas?
    3. What evidence is there that professional development in the 
school or district leads to a narrowing of existing achievement gaps 
between groups of students?

E. Implications for the Field

    In this section of the application, applicants would describe the 
lessons learned as the applicant's professional development has 
matured. Applicants also would describe ways in which others would 
benefit from learning about their professional development activities, 
indicating what knowledge and practical advice (e.g., tools, 
strategies, or processes) the applicants would be able to offer.
    In responding to this criterion, applicants should consider the 
following question:
    1. What lessons about providing quality professional development 
has the applicant learned that other schools and districts could use?

Proposed Selection Procedures

    The Secretary intends to evaluate applications using unweighted 
selection criteria. The Secretary believes that the use of unweighted 
criteria is most appropriate because they will allow the reviewers 
maximum flexibility to apply their professional judgements in 
identifying the particular strengths and weaknesses in individual 
applications. However, to receive recognition under the National Awards 
Program, reviewers would need to find that the applicant's professional 
development activities reflect model practices as evidenced by 
exemplary responses to each of the criteria identified under the 
``PROPOSED SELECTION CRITERIA'' section of this Notice. A key element 
in review of any application will be the extent to which the applicant 
demonstrates clear links between professional development activities 
and increases in student achievement. See Selection Criteria at D, 
Objective Evidence of Success. In analyzing the response to Selection 
Criterion E, Implications for the Field, reviewers will not expect the 
same level of specificity from applications as will be expected in 
response to the other Selection Criteria. Reviewers, in examining the 
response to Selection Criterion E, will be primarily interested in 
seeing that applicants have considered the issues raised by that 
Criterion.
    After an initial screening, the Department would use outside panels 
of experts to evaluate the quality of the applications against these 
basic criteria. This stage in the process may include telephone 
interviews with project contacts to discuss and clarify information, 
and will lead to the selection of up to twenty semifinalists. The 
Department then would use outside experts to conduct site visits, which 
may involve the collection of additional information, of these 
semifinalists, and through recommendations of the site-reviewers (and 
possibly through a final panel of outside experts) present final 
recommendations to the Secretary on which schools or school districts 
merit national recognition. The Secretary would select for recognition 
those applications of highest quality based on the results of the 
review process. Again this year the Secretary intends to recognize 
those schools and school districts with the very best professional 
development practices at a national ceremony in Washington, D.C. 
Successful applicants also would receive other forms of recognition 
including a monetary award that the Department anticipates would be in 
the range of $5,000 to $10,000 per recipient. Recipients would be able 
to use these funds to support their professional development activities 
and make them known to others.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
    This notice and the proposed application packet contains 
information collection requirements. As required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d)), the Department of Education 
has submitted a copy of this notice and the application packet to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its review.
    Collection of Information: National Awards Program.
    Schools and school districts that operate programs for children in 
the pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade levels are eligible to apply 
for national recognition of the quality of their professional 
development activities. Information in the application would

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include (1) a description of the applicant's professional development 
activities in terms of specific criteria designed to clarify the kinds 
of activities that would align with the Department's statement of the 
Mission and Principles of Professional Development, and (2) basic 
identifying and demographic information about the applicant school or 
school district. Applications also would be limited in page number and 
have to meet basic formatting requirements. The Department would use 
this information to select the highest-quality applicants through a 
review of responses to the criteria and site visits that can confirm 
the accuracy of information contained in the applications.
    All information is to be collected once only from each applicant. 
Annual reporting and record keeping burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 30 hours for each response for 200 
respondents, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching 
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and 
completing and reviewing the collection of information. For the 20 
applicants selected for site reviews, there will be an additional 
annual reporting and record keeping burden that is estimated to average 
20 hours for each response. Thus, the total annual reporting and record 
keeping burden for this collection is estimated to be 6,400 hours.
    Organizations and individuals desiring to submit comments on the 
information collection requirements should direct them to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, room 10235, New Executive 
Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; Attention: Desk Officer for U.S. 
Department of Education.
    The Department considers comments by the public on this proposed 
collection of information in--
     Evaluating whether the proposed collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility;
     Evaluating the accuracy of the Department's estimate of 
the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhancing the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimizing the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology; e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    OMB is required to make a decision concerning the collection of 
information contained in this notice of proposed eligibility and 
selection criteria between 30 and 60 days after publication of this 
document in the Federal Register. Therefore, a comment to OMB is best 
assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of 
publication. This does not affect the deadline for the public to 
comment to the Department on the proposed notice.

Executive Order 12866

Potential Costs and Benefits
    This notice of proposed eligibility and selection criteria 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 proposed 
eligibility and selection criteria are those resulting from statutory 
requirements and those determined by the Secretary as necessary for 
administering this program effectively and efficiently. Burdens 
specifically associated with information collection requirements are 
identified and explained elsewhere in this preamble under the heading 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. In assessing the potential costs and 
benefits--both quantitative and qualitative--of this notice of proposed 
eligibility and selection criteria, the Secretary has determined that 
the benefits of the proposed eligibility and selection criteria justify 
the costs.
    The Secretary has also determined that this regulatory action does 
not unduly interfere with local governments in the exercise of their 
governmental functions.

Summary of Potential Costs and Benefits

    The benefit from the proposed eligibility and selection criteria 
will be to recognize a variety of schools and school districts with 
model professional development activities in the pre-kindergarten 
through twelfth grade levels that have led to increases in student 
achievement.
    The potential costs of these proposed eligibility and selection 
criteria are discussed elsewhere in this notice under the section on 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Invitation To Comment

    Interested persons are invited to submit comments and 
recommendations regarding these proposed eligibility and selection 
criteria. All comments submitted in response to these proposed 
eligibility and selection criteria will be available for public 
inspection, during and after the comment period, in Room 506E, 555 New 
Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 
4:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday of each week except 
Federal holidays.
    To assist the Department in complying with the specific 
requirements of Executive Order 12866 and its overall requirement of 
reducing regulatory burden, the Secretary invites comments on whether 
there may be further opportunities to reduce any regulatory burdens 
found in this notice.

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.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 8001.

    Dated: August 14, 1997.
Ramon Cortines,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.

Appendix A--

Mission And Principles Of Professional Development U.S. Department 
Of Education--Professional Development Team, July 5, 1995

    Professional development plays an essential role in successful 
education reform. Professional development serves as the bridge 
between where prospective and experienced educators are now and 
where they will need to be to meet the new challenges of guiding all 
students in achieving to higher standards of learning and 
development.
    High-quality professional development as envisioned here refers 
to rigorous and relevant content, strategies, and organizational 
supports that ensure the preparation and career-long development of 
teachers and others whose competence, expectations and actions 
influence the teaching and learning environment. Both pre-and in-
service professional development require partnerships among schools, 
higher

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education institutions and other appropriate entities to promote 
inclusive learning communities of everyone who impacts students and 
their learning. Those within and outside schools need to work 
together to bring to bear the ideas, commitment and other resources 
that will be necessary to address important and complex educational 
issues in a variety of settings and for a diverse student body.
    Equitable access for all educators to such professional 
development opportunities is imperative. Moreover, professional 
development works best when it is part of a systemwide effort to 
improve and integrate the recruitment, selection, preparation, 
initial licensing, induction, ongoing development and support, and 
advanced certification of educators.
    High-quality professional development should incorporate all of 
the principles stated below. Adequately addressing each of these 
principles is necessary for a full realization of the potential of 
individuals, school communities and institutions to improve and 
excel.
    The mission of professional development is to prepare and 
support educators to help all students achieve to high standards of 
learning and development.

Professional Development--

     Focuses on teachers as central to student learning, yet 
includes all other members of the school community;
     Focuses on individual, collegial, and organizational 
improvement;
     Respects and nurtures the intellectual and leadership 
capacity of teachers, principals, and others in the school 
community;
     Reflects best available research and practice in 
teaching, learning, and leadership;
     Enables teachers to develop further expertise in 
subject content, teaching strategies, uses of technologies, and 
other essential elements in teaching to high standards;
     Promotes continuous inquiry and improvement embedded in 
the daily life of schools;
     Is planned collaboratively by those who will 
participate in and facilitate that development;
     Requires substantial time and other resources;
     Is driven by a coherent long-term plan;
     Is evaluated ultimately on the basis of its impact on 
teacher effectiveness and student learning; and this assessment 
guides subsequent professional development efforts.

[FR Doc. 97-21897 Filed 8-18-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P