[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 123 (Monday, June 28, 1999)] [Notices] [Pages 34638-34640] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-16408] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Postsecondary Education, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities--Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Models on College Campuses Grant Competition AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of final priority and selection criteria for fiscal year 1999. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary announces a final priority and selection criteria for fiscal year (FY) 1999 under the Office of Postsecondary Education, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities--Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Models on College Campuses Grant Competition. The Secretary takes this action to use Federal financial assistance to identify and disseminate models of alcohol and other drug (AOD) prevention at institutions of higher education (IHEs). Alcohol and other drug use are closely related problems that are frequently addressed together as part of comprehensive AOD prevention efforts. However, for the purposes of this competition, the Secretary is interested in making awards to five (5) IHEs that have innovative programs aimed at alcohol prevention and five (5) IHEs that have innovative programs aimed at other drug prevention. These specific programs should be implemented within the context of a comprehensive AOD prevention effort on campus. IHEs that receive awards will use the funds to maintain, improve, or further evaluate their innovative programs and disseminate information about these innovative programs to other IHEs. EFFECTIVE DATE: This priority takes effect on June 28, 1999. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this priority, contact Kimberly Light at the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-6123. Telephone: 202-260-3954. Fax: 202-260-7767. Internet: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877- 8339. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) upon request to the contact person listed above. Note: This notice of final priority does not solicit applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice contains the final priority and selection criteria for FY 1999. Under the absolute priority, the Secretary may make awards for up to 12 months to institutions of higher education. [[Page 34639]] Applications for this competition must be received at the address specified in the notice inviting applications for this competition no later than 4:30 p.m. on the deadline date. Applications received after that time will not be eligible for funding. Postmarked dates will not be accepted. Absolute Priority Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), Title VII, Part B of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, and the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999, the Secretary gives an absolute preference to applications that meet the following priority. The Secretary funds under this competition only applications that meet this absolute priority. Under the absolute funding priority for this grant competition, an IHE that wishes to be considered for an award as a model under this competition must identify, propose to maintain, improve, or further evaluate, and propose to disseminate information about an innovative and effective alcohol or other drug prevention program being used on its campus. Applications must: (1) Describe an innovative alcohol or other drug prevention program, and indicate how that program is integrated within a comprehensive approach to reducing alcohol and other drug-related problems on campus; (2) Provide evidence of the effectiveness of the innovative program in reducing either alcohol or other drug use, in reducing the problems resulting from either alcohol or other drug use, or in meeting outcome objectives that are associated with reductions in alcohol or other drug use or resulting problems; (3) Provide a plan to maintain, improve, or further evaluate the program during the year following award; and (4) Provide a plan to disseminate information to assist other IHEs in implementing a similar innovative program. In making awards under this grant program, the Secretary may take into consideration the geographic distribution and the diversity of activities addressed by the projects in addition to the rank order of applicants. Selection Criteria The following selection criteria will be used to evaluate applications for new grants under this competition. The maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points. (1) Significance (30 points). In determining the significance of the model, the Secretary considers the following factors: (A) The extent to which the program involves the development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on, or are alternatives to, existing strategies. (20 points) (B) The potential replicability of the program, including, as appropriate, the potential for implementation in a variety of settings. (5 points) (C) The extent to which the results of the program are to be disseminated in ways that will enable others to use the information or strategies. (5 points) (2) Quality of the program design (40 points). In determining the quality of the design of the program, the Secretary considers the following factors: (A) The extent to which the design of the program reflects up-to- date knowledge from research and effective practice. (20 points) (B) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the program are clearly specified and measurable. (5 points) (C) The extent to which the design of the program is appropriate to, and successfully addresses, the needs of the target population or other identified needs. (10 points) (D) The quality of the plan to maintain, improve, or further evaluate the program. (5 points) In applying the above criteria, the Secretary considers the following information: (1) The quality of the needs assessment and how well this assessment relates to the goals and objectives of the innovative program; (2) How well the innovative program is integrated within a comprehensive alcohol and other drug prevention effort; (3) The level of institutional commitment, leadership and support for alcohol and other drug prevention efforts; (4) The clarity and strength of the institution's alcohol or other drug policies and the extent to which those policies are broadly disseminated and consistently enforced; (5) The extent to which students and employees are involved in the program design and implementation process; (6) The extent to which the institution has joined with community leaders to address AOD issues; and (7) If applying to be considered as an alcohol prevention model, what steps the institution is taking to limit alcoholic beverage sponsorship, advertising, and marketing on campus; and what steps are being taken to establish or expand upon alcohol-free living arrangements for students. (3) Quality of the project evaluation (30 points). In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors: (A) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives and outcomes of the program. (10 points) (B) 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 program and produce quantitative and qualitative data to the extent possible. (20 points) In applying the above criteria, the Secretary considers the following information: (1) The quality of the evaluation methodology and evaluation instruments; (2) Whether both process (formative) and outcome (summative) data are included for each year that the alcohol or other drug prevention program has been implemented, including data collected both before and after initiation of the program; and (3) How evaluation information has been used for continuous improvement of the institution's approach to alcohol or other drug prevention. Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking It is the Secretary's practice, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), to offer interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed rules. Section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), however, exempts from this requirement rules that apply to the first competition under a new or substantially revised program. Funding was provided for this new initiative in the FY 1999 appropriations act enacted October 21, 1998. The Secretary, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, has decided to forego public comment in order to ensure timely awards. 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 government for coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance. In accordance with this order, this document is intended to provide early notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for this program. Electronic Access to This Document Department of Education documents are published in the Federal Register, in text or portable document format (pdf) [[Page 34640]] on the World Wide Web at either of the following sites: http://www.ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm http://www.ed.gov/news.html To use pdf you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with search, which is available free at either of the preceding sites. If you have questions about using pdf, call the U.S. Government Printing Office, toll free, at 1-888-293-6498. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Program Authority: 20 USC 1138-1138d; Public Law 105-277, 112 Stat. 2681, 2681-371. (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.116X, Office of Postsecondary Education, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities-- Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Models on College Campuses Grant Competition) Dated: June 23, 1999. Judith Johnson, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Claudio R. Prieto, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education. [FR Doc. 99-16408 Filed 6-25-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P