[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 223 (Friday, November 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69620-69621]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29451]



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Part III





Department of Education





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Parent Training and Information Centers Program; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 223 / Friday, November 17, 2000 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Parent Training and Information Centers Programs

AGENCY: Department of Education, Office of Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services.

ACTION: Notice of proposed waiver.

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SUMMARY: We are proposing to waive the requirements in EDGAR at 34 CFR 
75.261 as applied to the Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) 
funded in FY 1999 and to authorize the Centers to carry out additional 
activities to support fifth year funding. Section 75.261 sets forth the 
conditions for extending a project period, including the general 
prohibition against extending projects that involve the obligation of 
additional Federal funds. We also propose to issue one year 
continuation awards in FY 2003 to 15 Parent Training and Information 
Centers project funded in FY 1999 in order to ensure the most efficient 
use of Federal funds. Only those grantees who currently hold the FY 
1999 four year grant awards under the Parent Training and Information 
Centers projects would be eligible to apply for the funds. The 
Department is therefore soliciting public comment on the proposed 
waiver.

DATES: Comments must be received on December 18, 2000.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposal should be addressed to 
Debra Sturdivant or Donna Fluke, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 3527, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 
20202-2641.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Debra Sturdivant, Telephone: (202) 
205-8038, or Donna Fluke, Telephone: (202) 205-9161. If you use a 
telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Invitation To Comment

    We invite you to submit comments regarding this proposed waiver.
    We invite you to assist us in complying with the specific 
requirements of Executive Order 12866 and its overall requirement of 
reducing regulatory burden that might result from this proposed waiver. 
Please let us know of any further opportunities we should take to 
reduce potential costs or increase potential benefits while preserving 
the effective and efficient administration of the program.
    During and after the comment period, you may inspect all public 
comments about this proposed waiver in Room 3414, Switzer Building, 330 
C Street SW., Washington, D.C., between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 
p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday of each week except Federal 
holidays.

Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities in Reviewing the 
Rulemaking Record

    On request, we will supply an appropriate aid, such as a reader or 
print magnifier, to an individual with a disability who needs 
assistance to review the comments or other documents in the public 
rulemaking record for this proposed waiver. If you want to schedule an 
appointment for this type of aid, you may call (202) 205-8113 or (202) 
260-9895. If you use a TDD, you may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service at 1-800-877-8339.

Background

    On June 9, 1999, we issued a Notice Inviting Applications for New 
Awards under the Parent Training and Information Centers Program for 
Fiscal Year 1999. In this notice the Department announced that it would 
make fifteen awards of up to 48 months (four-year cycle awards) under 
34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
(IDEA), which directed us to support the establishment of Parent 
Training and Information Centers that provide training and information 
to parents of children with disabilities to help improve results for 
their children.
    The fifteen Centers affected by this notice include thirteen State 
awards and two other awards, one that focuses on the needs of Native 
Americans families, and one that focuses on military families. The 
grant period for these centers extends for four years until May 31, 
2003.

Reasons

    Beginning with the awards made under this program in FY 2000, we 
have determined that five years provides a more appropriate funding 
cycle in order to foster more efficient use of Federal funds. On this 
basis, we believe that it makes the most programmatic sense to issue 
continuation awards to the existing fiscal year 1999 grantees in order 
to make their award cycle consistent with the fiscal year 2000 five-
year cycle awards. However, to do so, we must waive the requirement in 
34 CFR 75.261(c)(2), which prohibits project period extensions that 
involve the obligation of additional Federal funds. We are proposing 
this waiver at this time in order to give the affected grantees early 
notice of the availability of a fifth year of funding.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    We certify that the proposed waiver and the activities required to 
support fifth year funding would not have a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities.
    The small entities that would be affected by this proposal are the 
fiscal year 1999 PTI Centers currently receiving Federal funds. 
However, the proposal would not have a significant economic impact on 
the Centers because the waiver and activities required to support fifth 
year funding would not impose excessive regulatory burdens or require 
unnecessary Federal supervision. The proposal would impose minimal 
requirements to ensure the proper expenditure of program funds, 
including requirements that are standard to continuation awards.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980

    This proposal has been examined under the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1980 and has been found to contain no information collection 
requirements.

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of 
the Executive order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a 
strengthened Federalism. The Executive order relies on processes 
developed by State and local governments for coordination and review of 
proposed Federal financial assistance.
    This document provides early notification of the Department's 
specific plans and actions for this program.

Assessment of Educational Impact

    We particularly request comments on whether this proposed waiver 
would require transmission of information that any other agency or 
authority of the United States gathers or makes available.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at either of the 
following sites:

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


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To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free 
at either of the previous sites. If you have questions about using PDF, 
call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-
293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is published in the 
Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of 
the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is 
available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html


(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.328, Training and 
Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities.)
    Dated: November 13, 2000.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 00-29451 Filed 11-16-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U