[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 90 (Thursday, May 9, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31700-31702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-11654]



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Part IV





Department of Education





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Capacity Building for Traditionally Underserved Populations; Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2002; Notices

  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 90 / Thursday, May 9, 2002 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Capacity Building for Traditionally Underserved Populations

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

ACTION: Notice of final priorities.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education 
and Rehabilitative Services announces priorities under the Capacity 
Building for Traditionally Underserved Populations program. The 
Assistant Secretary may use one or more of these priorities for 
competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2002 and in later years. We take this 
action to focus on meeting the needs of traditionally underserved 
populations. We intend these priorities to enhance the capacity and 
improve the participation of minority entities to compete for 
Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) discretionary grants and 
to improve services provided to minority people with disabilities under 
programs that are authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as 
amended (Act).

EFFECTIVE DATE: These priorities are effective June 10, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Chesley, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3318, Switzer Building, 
Washington, DC 20202-2649 Telephone: (202) 205-9481 or via Internet: 
[email protected]
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the TDD number at (202) 205-8133.
    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 under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under section 21 of the Act, the Capacity 
Building for Traditionally Underserved Populations program is designed 
to support awards to minority entities and Indian tribes to provide 
training, technical assistance, or related activities to carry out 
certain programs authorized under the Act or to improve services under 
the Act. Section 21 of the Act also authorizes awards to eligible 
entities to enhance the capacity and increase the participation of 
minority entities and Indian tribes in activities funded under the Act. 
``Minority entity'' is defined under section 21(b)(5) of the Act as a 
historically Black college or university, Hispanic-serving institution 
of higher education, American Indian tribal college or university, or 
another institution of higher education whose minority student 
enrollment is at least 50 percent.
    Under section 21 of the Act, only three types of awards can be made 
as follows: (1) Section 21(b)(2)(A)--Making awards to minority entities 
and Indian tribes to carry out activities under programs authorized 
under titles II, III, VI, and VII of the Act. (2) Section 21(b)(2)(B)--
Making awards to minority entities and Indian tribes to conduct 
research, training, technical assistance, or a related activity to 
improve services provided under the Act, especially services provided 
to individuals from minority backgrounds.
    (3) Section 21(b)(2)(C)--Making awards to a State or a public or 
private nonprofit agency or organization, such as an institution of 
higher education or an Indian tribe, to provide outreach and technical 
assistance to minority entities and Indian tribes to promote their 
participation in activities funded under the Act, including assistance 
to enhance their capacity to carry out those activities.
    We published a notice of proposed priorities for this program in 
the Federal Register on November 28, 2001 (66 FR 59526).
    Except for editorial and technical revisions, there are no 
significant differences between the notice of proposed priorities and 
this notice of final priorities.

Analysis Of Comments and Changes

    In response to our invitation in the notice of proposed priorities, 
20 parties submitted comments on the proposed priorities. An analysis 
of the comments and of any changes in the priorities since publication 
of the notice of proposed priorities follows.
    Generally, we do not address technical and other minor changes. 
Also, we may choose not to address suggested statutory changes that we 
are not authorized to make under the applicable statutory authority. 
Comments: Four commenters recommended that we include a priority 
similar to Proposed Priority 1 for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), 
because there is a need for services in this area. Further, they 
indicated that TBI is an underserved population that should be included 
as a minority entity. In addition, nine commenters recommended that 
Priority 4--Capacity Building for Minority Entities--should support not 
only minority institutions, but also agencies and organizations that 
are owned or controlled by minority individuals.
    Discussion: We cannot consider these populations and entities as 
``minority entities'' under the Act. Section 21 of the Act specifically 
defines ``minority entity'' as a historically Black college or 
university, Hispanic-serving institution of higher education, American 
Indian tribal college or university, or another institution of higher 
education whose minority student enrollment is at least 50 percent.
    Changes: None.
    Comments: Six commenters recommended that for Proposed Priority 3--
Establishing New Rehabilitation Training Programs--we use the Higher 
Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) definition for a Hispanic-
serving institution of higher education.
    Discussion: The Department of Education uses the HEA definition of 
``Hispanic-serving institution of higher education.'' The HEA 
definition applies to all priorities of the Act, not just Priority 3.
    Changes: We've added a provision in the priorities section to 
clarify that all priorities should use the HEA definition of Hispanic-
serving institution of higher education.
    Comments: One commenter recommended that capacity building for 
minority entities be expanded to include other programs like special 
education and the 21st Century Learning Centers.
    Discussion: Section 21(b)(2)(A) of the Act specifies that capacity 
building must be directed to promoting the participation of minority 
entities in activities funded under the Act. Thus, there is no 
authority to include programs, such as special education and the 21st 
Century Learning Centers, which are not activities funded under the 
Act.
    Changes: None.

    Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in 
which we choose to use one or more of these priorities, we invite 
applications through a notice in the Federal Register. When inviting 
applications we designate the priority as absolute, competitive 
preference, or invitational. The effect of each type of priority 
follows:

    Absolute priority: Under an absolute priority we consider only 
applications that meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)).
    Competitive preference priority: Under a competitive preference 
priority we give competitive preference to an application by either (1) 
awarding additional points, depending on how well or the extent to 
which the application meets the competitive priority (34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting an application that meets the 
competitive priority over an application

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of comparable merit that does not meet the priority (34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
    Invitational priority: Under an invitational priority we are 
particularly interested in applications that meet the invitational 
priority. However, we do not give an application that meets the 
invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other 
applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
    Priorities: For purposes of these priorities, a ``minority entity'' 
includes a Hispanic-serving institution whose Hispanic student 
enrollment is 25 percent of the institution's student population.

Priority 1--Train Staff of the Independent Living Services for 
Older Individuals Who Are Blind Program

    We will fund a project that meets this priority. The project funded 
must meet the requirements in section 21(b)(2)(B) of the Act. A project 
must provide training that would--
    (1) Increase the capacity and skills of staff of federally funded 
independent living programs serving older blind minority consumers in 
networking towards building trust within racial and ethnic minority 
communities;
    (2) Increase the ability of staff of federally funded independent 
living programs serving older blind racial and ethnic minority 
consumers to identify and build partnerships with key or specific 
organizations and resources that provide infrastructure supports and 
specialized services to racial and ethnic minority consumers and their 
families;
    (3) Increase the skills and capacity of staff of federally funded 
independent living programs serving older blind racial and ethnic 
minority consumers to understand family and community values and 
traditions of aging racial and ethnic minority consumers that will lead 
to improved methods of effective communication and dissemination of 
information about independent living services and other related 
resources for aging individuals with visual disabilities.
    A project must--
    (1) Partner or collaborate with other key institutions and agencies 
that have expertise in this training, technical assistance, and 
networking area;
    (2) Develop a regional training and technical assistance activity 
that will enhance and improve the knowledge and skills of staff of 
federally funded independent living programs (i.e., field professionals 
and direct service providers) serving older blind consumers and improve 
outreach to racial and ethnic minority consumers and communities to 
increase their involvement in the independent living program funded 
under the Act;
    (3) Provide training and technical assistance based upon a needs 
assessment of the region or geographical area being assisted;
    (4) Include an evaluation component based upon clear, specific 
performance and outcome measures; and
    (5) Report the results of the evaluation in its annual performance 
report.
    Training must focus on the following:
    (1) Specific methods on how to integrate and build alliances with 
key organizations, institutions, and individuals within a community to 
reach older individuals who are blind from racial and ethnic minority 
backgrounds.
    (2) Specific training on how to identify, develop, and evaluate 
appropriate mediums of communication in disseminating critical 
information about this program.
    (3) Specific training on the definitions of blindness and 
disability in the context of racial and ethnic minority cultures and 
the attitudes associated with these terms.
    (4) Specific training on the implication of health-related 
conditions associated with certain racial and ethnic minority groups 
(i.e., diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, hypertension, etc.).
    (5) Specific training on what are some of the ``promising 
practices'' that are currently being used to educate consumers from 
racial and ethnic minority groups about these medical conditions and 
their relationship to blindness.

Priority 2--Community Rehabilitation Programs

    We will fund projects that meet the priority. Projects funded must 
meet the requirements in section 21(b)(2)(B) of the Act.
    Projects must--
    (1) Focus on referring more minorities currently served by 
community rehabilitation programs having service agreements, as well as 
those not having service agreements, to the vocational rehabilitation 
system;
    (2) Target community rehabilitation programs serving large numbers 
of minorities with disabilities;
    (3) Involve partnerships with community rehabilitation programs 
that serve significant numbers of minorities with disabilities;
    (4) Provide training on diversity;
    (5) Develop and conduct a survey that looks at why clients and 
consumers from minority backgrounds are reluctant to enter, remain in, 
or successfully exit the vocational rehabilitation program;
    (6) Design and implement strategies that address the findings of 
the survey to increase the numbers of clients and consumers from 
minority backgrounds who successfully navigate through the vocational 
rehabilitation system;
    (7) Identify effective practice models for service provision to 
unserved and underserved populations;
    (8) Disseminate those models across the United States to community 
rehabilitation program sites used by minority persons with 
disabilities;
    (9) Disseminate information about the vocational rehabilitation 
program and its potential benefits to minorities and other appropriate 
community agencies and organizations involved in community outreach 
activities;
    (10) Enhance the capacity of clinics and outreach personnel to 
detect and respond to potential clients and consumers who are reluctant 
to enter the vocational rehabilitation system;
    (11) Employ public relations and marketing strategies to highlight 
the vocational rehabilitation program in minority communities;
    (12) Include an evaluation component based upon clear, specific 
performance and outcome measures; and
    (13) Report the results of the evaluation in its annual performance 
report.

Priority 3--Establishing New Rehabilitation Training Programs

    We will fund projects that meet the following priority. Projects 
funded must meet the requirements in section 21(b)(2)(B) of the Act.
    Projects must--
    (1) Enhance and increase the capacity of minority institutions of 
higher education to prepare more individuals for careers in the public 
vocational rehabilitation program, including individuals from minority 
backgrounds;
    (2) Be located at minority institutions of higher education, 
including community colleges whose minority student enrollment is at 
least 50 percent, that are interested in establishing new first-time 
rehabilitation training programs at the associate degree, undergraduate 
degree, and graduate degree levels;
    (3) Include an evaluation component based upon clear, specific 
performance and outcome measures; and
    (4) Report the results of the evaluation in its annual performance 
report.

Priority 4--Capacity Building for Minority Entities

    We will fund projects that meet the priority. Projects funded must 
meet the requirements in section 21(b)(2)(C) of the Act.

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    Projects must--
    (1) Provide outreach, capacity building, and technical assistance 
to minority entities and Indian tribes to promote their participation 
in activities funded under the Act, including assistance to carry out 
those activities;
    (2) Provide a variety of training and technical assistance 
activities, including grant writing workshops that focus on RSA and 
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research 
discretionary grant programs, the peer review process, selection 
criteria, training on disability legislation (i.e. Americans with 
Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, etc.), and technical assistance 
to minority entities that are first-time recipients of grants funded 
under the Act in order to increase their ability to carry out their 
grants;
    (3) Include an evaluation component based upon clear, specific 
performance and outcome measures; and
    (4) Report the results of the evaluation in its annual performance 
report.

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is subject to 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 our specific plans and 
actions for this program.

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 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

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.315 Capacity 
Building for Traditionally Underserved Populations)

    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 718b.

    Dated: May 6, 2002.
Loretta L. Petty,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.
[FR Doc. 02-11654 Filed 5-8-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P