[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 73 (Monday, April 16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 19472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-9385]



[[Page 19472]]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Bilingual Education Graduate Fellowship Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of proposed waiver.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes to waive the requirements in Education 
Department General Administrative Regulations at 34 CFR 75.261 as they 
apply to the currently funded Bilingual Education Graduate Fellowship 
Programs. 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. The 
Secretary proposes to issue continuation awards to the Bilingual 
Education Graduate Fellowship Program grantees in order to ensure the 
most efficient use of Federal funds. The Department is therefore 
soliciting public comment on the proposed waiver.

DATES: Comments must be received on May 16, 2001.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposal should be addressed to 
Joyce Brown, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
room 5618, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-6642.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce Brown, Telephone: (202) 205-
9727, or Cynthia Ryan, Telephone: (202) 205-8842. Individuals who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf 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) by requesting it from the 
contact person listed under ADDRESSES.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On October 15, 1997, the Department issued a notice inviting 
applications for new awards under the Bilingual Education Graduate 
Fellowship Program for Fiscal Year 1998. In this notice the Department 
announced that it would make approximately 35 awards of up to 36 months 
under section 7145 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965, as amended by the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (Public 
Law 103-382, enacted October 20, 1994 (the Act) (20 U.S.C. 7475). This 
section authorizes the Secretary to award fellowships for masters, 
doctoral, and post-doctoral study related to instruction of children 
and youth of limited English proficiency in such areas as teacher 
training, program administration, research and evaluation, and 
curriculum development, and for the support of dissertation research 
related to such study. The award period for the 34 participating 
institutions of higher education ends August 31, 2001. An extension 
would permit only the continued funding of currently enrolled fellows 
who have not received the maximum allowable years of assistance. 
However, to do so, the Department must waive the requirements in EDGAR 
at 34 CFR 75.261.

Basis for Extension

    Due to the impending reauthorization of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, which authorizes the Bilingual 
Education Graduate Fellowship Program, the Secretary believes that 
extending the performance period of current grantees represents a wiser 
course of action than holding a competition for new projects under 
expiring legislation. This action would allow support to continue for 
approximately 175 fellows who have received fewer than the maximum 
allowable years of assistance under this program. An additional year of 
assistance would enable most of these students to complete their 
programs of study and begin to repay the assistance as required under 
the current statute. Therefore, the Department proposes to issue 
continuation awards to the current grantees for one year.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    The Secretary certifies that the proposed waiver 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 34 
institutions of higher education currently receiving Federal funds. 
However, the proposal would not have a significant economic impact on 
the institutions because the waiver 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. 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.

Invitation To Comment

    Interested persons are invited to submit comments and 
recommendations regarding this proposed waiver. All comments submitted 
in response to this proposal will be available for public inspection, 
during and after the comment period, in room 3521, 300 C Street, SW., 
Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday 
through Friday of each week except Federal holidays.

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 the following site: 
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister
To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free 
at the preceding site. 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 the document 
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 84.195C, Bilingual 
Education Graduate Fellowship Program)

    Dated: April 11, 2001.
Art Love,
Acting Director, Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages 
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 01-9385 Filed 4-13-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U