[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38884-38885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18656]



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Part V





Department of Education





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Office of Elementary and Secondary Education--School Improvement 
Programs--Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and 
Recruitment Program; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 143 / Wednesday, July 25, 2001 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Elementary and Secondary Education--School Improvement 
Programs--Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and 
Recruitment Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of final funding priorities for fiscal year (FY) 2001.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces final funding priorities for the 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2001 grant competition under the Native Hawaiian 
Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and Recruitment Program. After 
funding continuation awards, the Secretary will use the remaining funds 
available under the program to support new grants that meet either of 
the following absolute priorities as described in this notice:
    Absolute Priority 1--The project focuses entirely on activities in 
one or more of the following areas: (a) aquaculture, (b) prisoner 
education initiatives, (c) waste management innovation, (d) computer 
literacy, (e) Big Island astronomy, and (f) indigenous health programs; 
or
    Absolute Priority 2--The project focuses entirely on Native 
Hawaiian language revitalization activities, including K-12 language 
immersion programs, preservice and in-service teacher training 
programs, and programs designed to increase the number of Native 
Hawaiian teachers.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 24, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Thomas, (202) 260-1541. If you 
use a telecommunications 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 alternative format 
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on 
request to the contact person listed in the preceding paragraph.

    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. The 
notice inviting applications will specify the deadline date which 
applications for an award must be mailed or hand-delivered to the 
Department.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Secretary published a notice of proposed 
priorities for this competition in the Federal Register on June 11, 
2001 (66 FR 31216-31218). This notice announces the final priorities 
for the competition.
    In response to the notice of proposed priorities, the Secretary 
received comments from three organizations. One commenter strongly 
supported aquaculture as an area for Absolute Priority 1 and 
recommended no changes to the priority. A summary of the other 
comments, responses to the comments, and any changes to the priorities 
is provided below.

Analysis of Comments and Changes

    Comment: One commenter expressed concern that the amount of funding 
that would be available to support activities under Absolute Priority 
1, and prisoner education in particular, was too limited.
    Response: After funding continuation awards and supporting 
activities in the significant area of Native Hawaiian language 
revitalization, the Secretary anticipates that there will be 
approximately $900,000 to support activities under Absolute Priority 1. 
The actual amount of funding to be awarded between the two absolute 
priorities and among the categories in Absolute Priority 1 will be 
determined on the basis on the quality of the applications received. 
Additional resources under this program are not available.
    Changes: None.
    Comments: A second commenter suggested that all grantees seeking 
funds under the first proposed absolute priority be required to include 
as part of their projects preservice and in-service teacher training.
    Response: While preservice and in-service teacher training are 
allowable activities under the program, the Secretary believes that 
applicants should have the flexibility to seek funds to support any one 
or more of the four statutory purposes--curricula development, 
preservice teacher training, in-service teacher training, or teacher 
recruitment.
    Changes: None.
    Comment: The second commenter also proposed some editorial 
revisions to portions of the first proposed absolute priority to 
clarify the intent of the priority.
    Response: The proposed editorial revisions clarify the intent of 
the first proposed absolute priority but do not substantively change 
the priority. The suggested changes are reflected in the final 
priority.
    Changes: Minor editorial revisions are reflected in the 
aquaculture, Big Island astronomy, and indigenous health sections of 
Absolute Priority 1.
    Comment: The second commenter also suggested that the second 
proposed absolute priority specifically state that the Native Hawaiian 
language revitalization activities include native speaker programs, the 
use of media to provide enrichment and community participation, and 
other specific activities.
    Response: The Secretary believes that it is important to give 
applicants flexibility in developing Native Hawaiian language 
revitalization proposals. The specific activities suggested by the 
commenter may be included in a proposal that addresses the second 
absolute priority, but are not required.
    Changes: None.
    Absolute Priorities: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and the Native 
Hawaiian Education Act, the Secretary gives an absolute preference to 
applicants that meet either of the following absolute priorities, and 
funds under this competition only those applications that meet either 
of these priorities:
    Absolute Priority 1--The project focuses entirely on activities in 
one or more of the following six areas:
    (a) Aquaculture--to support programs that concentrate on 
aquaculture, the science of the cultivation of marine life and its 
connections to Native Hawaiian traditions. A comprehensive aquaculture 
program will assist Native Hawaiian students in reaching challenging 
standards in science and mathematics in an intellectually stimulating 
environment and give them a greater understanding and appreciation of 
their Native Hawaiian culture.
    (b) Prisoner education initiatives--to support programs that target 
juvenile offenders or youth at risk of becoming juvenile offenders and 
that involve comprehensive and culturally sensitive strategies for 
reaching the target population through family counseling, basic 
education/jobs skills training, and the involvement of community elders 
as mentors.
    (c) Waste management innovation--to study and document traditional 
Hawaiian practices of sustainable waste management and to prepare 
teaching materials for educational purposes and for demonstration of 
the use of Native Hawaiian plants and animals for waste treatment and 
environmental remediation.
    (d) Computer literacy--to support curriculum development, teacher 
training and model programs designed to increase computer literacy and 
access for Native Hawaiian elementary and secondary school students;
    (e) Big Island astronomy--to support the development of educational 
programs in Big Island astronomy for Native Hawaiian elementary and 
secondary school students to assist them in reaching challenging 
science and mathematics standards and to encourage them to enter the 
field of astronomy

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with a firm base in Native Hawaiian traditions. A comprehensive Big 
Island astronomy program will assist Native Hawaiian students in 
reaching challenging standards in science and mathematics in an 
intellectually stimulating environment and give them a greater 
understanding and appreciation of their Native Hawaiian culture; and
    (f) Indigenous health programs--to support curriculum development, 
teacher training, and instruction activities that will foster a better 
understanding and knowledge of Native Hawaiian traditional medicine and 
preventative health practices, particularly among Native Hawaiian 
elementary and secondary students.
    Absolute Priority 2--The project focuses entirely on Native 
Hawaiian language revitalization activities, including K-12 language 
immersion programs, preservice and in-service teacher training 
programs, and programs designed to increase the number of Native 
Hawaiian teachers.

    Program Authority:  Section 9209 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 7909).

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may review 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 the PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader Program which is 
available free at this 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


    Dated: July 20, 2001.
Thomas M. Corwin,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary 
Education.
[FR Doc. 01-18656 Filed 7-24-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P