[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16716-16718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8393]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.297A]


The Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and 
Recruitment Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year 
(FY) 1999.

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    PURPOSES OF PROGRAM: The Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development, 
Teacher Training and Recruitment Program supports--
    (1) Curricula--the development of curricula to address the needs of 
Native Hawaiian students, particularly elementary and secondary 
students, which may include programs of instruction conducted in the 
Native Hawaiian language and mathematics and science curricula 
incorporating the relevant application of Native Hawaiian culture and 
traditions;
    (2) Preteacher training--the development and implementation of 
preservice teacher training to ensure that student teachers within the 
State, particularly those who are likely to be employed in schools with 
a high concentration of Native Hawaiian students, are prepared to 
better address the unique needs of Native Hawaiian students within the 
context of Native Hawaiian culture, language, and traditions;
    (3) Inservice teacher training--the development and implementation 
of inservice teacher training to ensure that teachers, particularly 
those employed in schools with a high concentration of Native Hawaiian 
students, are prepared to better address the unique needs of Native 
Hawaiian students within the context of Native Hawaiian culture, 
language, and traditions; and
    (4) Teacher recruitment--the development and implementation of 
teacher recruitment programs to enhance teacher recruitment within 
communities with a high concentration of Native Hawaiian students and 
to increase the numbers of teachers who are of Native Hawaiian 
ancestry.
    Consistent with these statutory purposes, the Secretary has 
established absolute priorities that will govern the distribution of 
funds under the program.
    ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: Native Hawaiian educational organizations or 
educational entities with experience in developing or operating Native 
Hawaiian programs or programs of instruction conducted in the Native 
Hawaiian language.
    APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE: April 6, 1999.
    DEADLINE FOR TRANSMITTAL OF APPLICATIONS: May 21, 1999.
    DEADLINE FOR INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW: July 20, 1999.
    AVAILABLE FUNDS: $1,500,000.
    ESTIMATED NUMBER OF AWARDS: 1-2 awards in each of the six absolute 
priority categories.
    ESTIMATED SIZE OF AWARDS: $125,000.
    ESTIMATED RANGE OF AWARDS: $125,000--$250,000.

    Note: These estimates are projections for the guidance of 
potential applicants. The Department is not bound by any estimates 
in this notice.

    PROJECT PERIOD: Up to 36 months.
    APPLICABLE REGULATIONS: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 81, 
82, and 85.
    ABSOLUTE PRIORITIES: The Secretary has published elsewhere in this 
issue of the Federal Register a notice of final priorities, which 
establishes absolute priorities in the following areas under the 
Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and Recruitment Program: (1) 
computer literacy and technology education; (2) agriculture education 
partnerships; (3) astronomy; (4) indigenous health; (5) waste 
management; and (6) prisoner education programs.
    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary will fund under this 
competition only applicants that meet one of the absolute priorities.

[[Page 16717]]

STATUTORY PRIORITIES: In accordance with section 9209(b) of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Secretary gives priority to 
awarding grants for activities that --
    (1) focus on the needs of at-risk youth; or
    (2) employ a program of instruction conducted in the Native 
Hawaiian language.
    These statutory priorities are embedded in the selection criteria 
for this competition.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applications will be reviewed on the basis 
of the selection criteria included in this notice. All funded projects 
must meet one of the absolute priorities. While applicants have 
discretion in determining how best to address the absolute priorities, 
the Secretary is particularly interested in receiving quality proposals 
that include the components described below. Funded proposals may lack 
some of these specific components, but address the absolute priorities 
in other effective ways.
    (1) Computer literacy and technology education. While computer 
skills have become increasingly necessary for both academic and 
employment success in today's society, many Native Hawaiian students 
lack meaningful access to computers and computer training. The 
Secretary believes that high quality computer literacy and technology 
education programs should be conducted for Native Hawaiian elementary 
and secondary school students. These model programs should consist of 
curricula development, teacher training, and programs of instruction 
designed to increase both academic and career opportunities for 
elementary and secondary students. In providing these services, 
eligible entities are encouraged to partner with other organizations or 
institutions with expertise in utilizing state-of-the-art centralized 
computer systems and teleconferencing capabilities.
    (2) Agriculture education partnerships. In order to improve the 
economic and social conditions in many rural areas of Hawaii, the 
Secretary supports the expansion of partnerships between community-
based agricultural businesses and high schools with high concentrations 
of Native Hawaiian students. These agriculture education partnerships 
will integrate agricultural and business practices into high school 
curricula through model programs involving curricula development, 
teacher training, and instructional programs.
    (3) Astronomy. The Secretary believes that the development of 
instructional programs for elementary and secondary school students in 
astronomy would assist Native Hawaiians in reaching challenging science 
and mathematics standards. Model programs would include the development 
of culturally appropriate advanced mathematics and science curricula 
based upon recent scientific findings in the field of astronomy. 
Exposure to the use of observatory and other astronomical equipment as 
well as other experiential and hands-on activities would be fostered 
through such programs.
    (4) Indigenous health programs. Because of a lack of available 
instruction in Native Hawaiian traditional medicine, knowledge of 
traditional healing practices is being lost for younger generations of 
Native Hawaiians. Younger Native Hawaiians are not being trained 
adequately, for example, on where traditional medicines can be found, 
how they are harvested in a manner that will conserve the resource, and 
how such medicines are to be applied. The Secretary believes that this 
problem can be addressed through the support of teacher training, 
curriculum development, and instructional activities in traditional 
medicine.
    (5) Prisoner education. In Hawaii, the number of incarcerated 
Native Hawaiians, including Native Hawaiian juveniles, far exceeds 
their relative percentage in the State's population. The Secretary 
believes that a successful prisoner education program would target 
convicted, at-risk Native Hawaiian youths as an alternative to 
incarceration. A comprehensive program should consist of prevention, 
intervention and treatment services as well as education, job training, 
judicial and case management services. A funded applicant should have 
experience in working with and in encouraging the re-integration of 
youth offenders into schools or career paths or both within the 
community in a culturally sensitive manner. To help ensure success of 
the program, funded applicants should work in partnership with the 
Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Office 
of Youth Services, and other appropriate agencies.
    (6) Waste management treatment programs. Funds under this priority 
support curriculum development, teaching training, and instructional 
programs related to the study and documentation of traditional Hawaiian 
practices of sustainable waste management, including activities to 
prepare Native Hawaiians to participate actively in the risk assessment 
and remediation of environmental health hazards that impact upon Native 
Hawaiians. A successful applicant should have specific knowledge of the 
capacities of Native Hawaiian plants and animals to contribute to the 
management of modern waste materials. The applicant should have 
experience in educational programming, especially for elementary and 
secondary school grades, so that knowledge about traditional Hawaiian 
methods of sustainable waste management can be developed and used. The 
project may include an emphasis on environmental technologies 
applicable to the remediation of environmental health risks to Hawaiian 
homelands and surplus Federal lands subject to reuse.

SELECTION CRITERIA: The Secretary will use the following selection 
criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 to evaluate applications under this 
competition. Under the criterion ``Quality of the project design'', the 
factors are weighed in accordance with the points indicated. With 
respect to the other criteria, the factors under each criterion are 
weighed equally. The maximum score for all of the selection criteria is 
100 points. The maximum score for each criterion, and the factors 
within each criterion, are as follows:
    (a) Significance (15 points). (1) The Secretary considers the 
significance of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The significance of the problem or issue to be addressed by the 
proposed project.
    (ii) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely 
to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in 
teaching and student achievement.
    (b) Quality of the project design (35 points). (1) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements. 
(10 points)
    (ii) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach to the priorities established for the competition. 
(10 points)
    (iii) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable. 
(10 points)
    (iv) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs

[[Page 16718]]

of the target population or other identified needs. (5 points)
    (c) Quality of project personnel (10 points). (1) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed 
project.
    (2) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been under represented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director.
    (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of key project personnel.
    (iii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of project consultants or subcontractors.
    (d) Adequacy of resources (5 points). (1) The Secretary considers 
the adequacy of resources for the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the 
lead applicant organization.
    (ii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project.
    (e) Quality of the management plan (15 points). (1) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, time lines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (ii) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and 
continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project.
    (iii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate 
to meet the objectives of the proposed project.
    (f) Quality of the project evaluation (20 points). (1) The 
Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of 
the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for 
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible.

FOR APPLICATIONS OR INFORMATION CONTACT: Madeline E. Baggett, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 
20202-6140. Telephone (202) 260-2502. 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 
alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding 
paragraph.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternate format, also, by contacting that person. 
However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate format 
the standard forms included in the application package.
    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 or
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.

    Note: The official application notice for a discretionary grant 
competition is the notice published in the Federal Register.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7909.

    Dated: March 30, 1999.
Judith Johnson,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 99-8393 Filed 4-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P