[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 54 (Monday, March 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 13789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-6935]



[[Page 13789]]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants for States and Partnerships 
Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education; Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice inviting individuals to serve as field readers.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Higher Education Programs invites interested 
individuals to apply to serve as field readers evaluating grant 
applications submitted for funding in fiscal year 1999 for the Teacher 
Quality Enhancement Grants for States and Partnerships Program. This 
program includes three new competitive grant programs that, together, 
are intended to improve teacher quality in America by effectively 
addressing the Nation's need to recruit and prepare teachers who have 
the skills and content knowledge needed to teach all children to high 
academic standards. The three programs include--State Grants to support 
the implementation of comprehensive statewide reforms to improve 
teacher quality, Partnership Grants to bring about fundamental change 
and improvement in traditional teacher education programs, and Teacher 
Recruitment Grants to reduce shortages of qualified teachers in high-
need school districts.

DATES: Any individual interested in serving as a field reader should 
mail or fax two copies of his or her resume to the address listed in 
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice no later 
than April 2, 1999, indicating the program in which he or she is 
interested in serving as a field reader. Resumes should not exceed two 
pages.
    Duties and Compensation of Field Readers: Field readers will review 
applications according to the applicable published selection criteria. 
Each field reader will serve for a period of approximately five days. 
Each field reader who is selected will receive compensation for certain 
travel expenses and an honorarium.
    Field Reader Qualifications: The Department is seeking experienced 
and knowledgeable professionals who collectively can review program 
applications from a variety of perspectives on what is needed to 
successfully prepare highly competent K-12 teachers. In this regard, 
the Department seeks the help of interested professionals with 
expertise in one or more of the following areas:
     State reforms in K-12 education, and teacher licensing, 
certification, and testing of teachers.
     The accreditation of teacher preparation programs, and how 
these programs can provide prospective teachers with both strong 
teaching skills and academic content in the areas in which they will 
teach.
     The teaching needs of K-12 school districts, and 
particularly those with schools in high-poverty areas or that face 
large teacher shortages.
     The support that new teachers need in their first few 
years of teaching.
     Activities that can foster strong working relationships 
between teacher preparation programs and the school districts and 
schools in which teaching graduates will teach.
     The particular teaching needs of high-need school 
districts.
     Management and governance issues related to the 
development and sustainability of partnerships among teacher 
preparation programs, schools of arts and sciences, and high-need 
school districts.
     Other issues related to teacher licensure, certification, 
preparation, and recruitment that must be addressed if new teachers are 
to be able to enable all of their students to achieve high academic 
standards.
    Prospective field readers may come from State agencies, 
institutions of higher education, local K-12 school districts, private 
organizations, community service agencies, and other entities. Each 
field reader must have the expertise necessary to assess accurately the 
quality of a program application on the basis of the applicable 
selection criteria. Application packages for prospective applicants 
that include the program selection criteria may be accessed at the 
following Internet site: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/heatqp/
index.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Louis Venuto, Teacher Quality 
Enhancement Program, Post Office Box 23764, Washington, D.C. 20026-
3764. Telephone: (202) 708-8847. Inquiries may be sent by e-mail to 
Louis__V[email protected] or by fax to (202) 708-9272. 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.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding 
paragraph.

Electronic Access to This Document

    Anyone may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or 
portable document format (pdf) on the World Wide Web at either of the 
following sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html

To use the pdf you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with 
Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you 
have questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government Printing 
Office toll free at 1-888-293-6498.
    Anyone may also view these documents in text copy only on an 
electronic bulletin board of the Department. Telephone: (202) 219-1511 
or, toll free, 1-800-222-4922. The documents are located under Option 
G--Files/Announcements, Bulletins and Press Releases.

    Note: The official version of a document is the document 
published in the Federal Register.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1021 et seq.

    Dated: March 17, 1999.
Maureen A. McLaughlin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 99-6935 Filed 3-19-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P