[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 102 (Tuesday, May 28, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37312-37314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-13265]



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Part V





Department of Education





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Reauthorization of Federal Support for Vocational and Technical 
Education Programs; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 67 , No. 102 / Tuesday, May 28, 2002 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Reauthorization of Federal Support for Vocational and Technical 
Education Programs

AGENCY: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings and request for comment on the 
reauthorization of Federal support for vocational and technical 
education programs.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary announces a series of public meetings 
and invites comments from the public regarding the reauthorization of 
programs under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education 
Act of 1998 (the Act) and related issues, including Federal support for 
secondary school reform.

DATES: We must receive your written comments on or before July 30, 
2002.
    We will also hold public meetings about the reauthorization of 
programs under the Act. The dates, times, and places of the meetings 
are under PUBLIC MEETINGS elsewhere in this notice.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning the reauthorization of 
programs under the Act to Gerri Anderson, Conference Manager, 1010 
Wayne Avenue, Suite 300, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; or by using one 
of the following methods:
    1. E-Mail. We encourage you to e-mail your comments to the 
following address: [email protected].
    2. Facsimile. You may submit comments by facsimile at (301) 589-
4122.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gail Schwartz, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4311, Mary E. Switzer 
Building, Washington, DC 20202-7100. Telephone: (202) 205-5445.
    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 under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

Public Meetings

Dates, times, and addresses

    We will hold public meetings according to the following schedule:
    1. Date: June 3, 2002, Time: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Location: 
Oakland Community College, Wallace F. Smith Performing Arts Theatre, 
27055 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334-4579, Phone: (248) 
522-3400, Fax: (248) 522-3903.
    Hotel Information: A limited number of rooms have been reserved at 
the Best Western Executive Hotel & Suites located at 31525 W. Twelve 
Mile Road, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334. To make your reservations, 
please call 248-553-0000 and refer to ``OVAE Public Meeting.'' The room 
rate is $89.27 (tax inclusive) for the reserved rooms on a first come 
first served basis. Check-in time is 3 p.m., and check-out time is 12 
p.m.
    2. Date: June 4, 2002, Time: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
    Location: St. Louis Chamber of Commerce, 12th Floor, Meeting Room, 
1 Metro Square, St. Louis, MO 31300, Phone: (314) 444-1192.
    Hotel Information: A limited number of rooms have been reserved at 
the Westin Hotel located at 811 Spruce Street, St. Louis MO 63102. To 
make your reservations, please call 1-800-937-8461 or 314-621-2000 and 
refer to ``OVAE Public Meeting.'' The room rate is $103.34 (tax 
inclusive) per night for the reserved rooms. Rooms are on a first-come 
first-served basis. Check-in time is 3 p.m., and check-out time is 12 
p.m.
    Additional public meetings will be held in California and North 
Carolina in August 2002. The exact dates, times, and locations to be 
determined.

Participants

    Those who wish to present comments on the reauthorization of 
Federal support for vocational and technical education programs and 
related issues at one of the public meetings must reserve time on the 
agenda for that meeting by contacting Gerri Anderson, Conference 
Manager, 1010 Wayne Avenue, suite 300, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 
Telephone: (voice) 1 (888) 589-4366; fax: (301) 589-4122; or via e-mail 
at: [email protected].

Reservations for presenting comments will be accepted on a first-come, 
first-served basis.

    Participants will be allowed approximately 3 to 5 minutes to 
present their comments, depending upon the number of individuals who 
reserve time on the agenda. At the meeting, participants also are 
encouraged to submit two written copies of their comments. Persons 
interested in making comments are encouraged to address the issues and 
questions discussed under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities at the Public Meetings

    The meeting rooms and proceedings will be accessible to individuals 
with disabilities. When making reservations, anyone presenting comments 
at or attending a meeting who needs special accommodations, such as 
sign language interpreters, Braille materials, and communication access 
real-time transcription, should inform Gerri Anderson of his or her 
specific accessibility needs. You should make requests for 
accommodations at least 10 working days prior to the scheduled meeting 
date. Although we will attempt to meet a request we receive after that 
date, we may not be able to make available the requested auxiliary aid 
or service because of insufficient time to arrange it.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Invitation to Comment

    In addition to soliciting comments during the public meetings, we 
invite the public to submit written comments on the reauthorization of 
Federal vocational and technical education programs, as well as related 
issues, including secondary school reform. We are particularly 
interested in comments that address the issues and questions described 
under Key Issues for Public Comment elsewhere in this notice.
    During and after the comment period, you may inspect all public 
comments about the reauthorization by contacting Gerri Anderson, 
Conference Manager, 1010 Wayne Avenue, suite 300, Silver Spring, MD, 
between the hours of 8:30 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 notice. If you want to schedule an 
appointment for this type of aid, please contact the person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Background and description of the Act

    The Act authorizes Federal support to improve secondary and 
postsecondary vocational and technical education programs. The Act 
includes nine programs, with more than $1.3 billion in funding for 
fiscal year 2002. The funded programs are: Vocational and Technical

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Education Assistance to States; Tech-Prep Education State Grants; 
National Activities, including: the National Research Center(s); Native 
American Vocational and Technical Education; Tribally Controlled 
Postsecondary Vocational and Technical Institutions; Native Hawaiian 
Vocational Education; Occupational and Employment Information, commonly 
known as America's Career Resource Network State Grants; the Career 
Clusters Initiative; and Tech-Prep Demonstrations.
    The statutory authorization for these programs expires on September 
30, 2003. In order to contribute in a timely manner to congressional 
reauthorization discussions, we are beginning a review of these 
programs, as well as related issues, including secondary school reform. 
To ensure public participation in our review and decision-making, we 
invite public comment on these issues.
    You may obtain an electronic copy of the Act on the Internet at the 
following site: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/CTE/legis.html.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the Act in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact number listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

Key Issues for Public Comment

    Comments are encouraged on the following priority issues.
    1. Narrowing the Achievement Gap. Since the release of A Nation At 
Risk in 1983, little, if any, improvements have been made in the 
performance of our Nation's high school students. By all accounts, 
improvements have not been substantial enough so that every student is 
prepared for a successful future. In fact, data show that by the end of 
the 1980s, progress for high school students stopped cold and, through 
the 1990s, achievement gaps have remained stable or widened. A number 
of trends indicate that we are a ``Nation at Risk'' of not preparing 
our high school students for their future.
    Scores by 12th graders on the National Assessment of Educational 
Progress (NAEP) remain disturbingly low. As of 1998, only 40 percent of 
12th graders were able to read at or above a proficient level, and just 
22 percent were able to write at or above a proficient level. Only 16 
percent of 12th grade students in 2000 scored at or above a proficient 
level in math, and only 18 percent scored at or above a proficient 
level in science. Despite a substantial decrease in achievement gaps 
between 1970 and 1999, white students still consistently outperform 
peers of all other racial and ethnic backgrounds in every subject area. 
In fact, by 1999, on average, 17-year-old African-American and Hispanic 
students had skills in English, mathematics, and science comparable to 
those of 13-year-old white students. Achievement gaps also exist among 
students who pursue different programs of study. As of 1994, vocational 
concentrators lagged behind other students in English, math, and 
science achievement.
    On January 8, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the No 
Child Left Behind Act, the most sweeping reform of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act (ESEA) since it was enacted in 1965. Its 
provisions include increased accountability for States, school 
districts, and schools; greater choice for parents and students, 
particularly those attending low-performing schools; more flexibility 
for States and local educational agencies in the use of Federal 
education dollars; targeting education dollars to research-based 
programs that have been proven to help most children learn; and a 
stronger emphasis on reading, especially for our youngest children.
    Although No Child Left Behind applies to both elementary and 
secondary students, it places primary and much-needed emphasis on the 
28 million public school students enrolled in kindergarten through 8th 
grade. The reauthorization of the Perkins Act provides an opportunity 
for additional legislative reforms in vocational and technical 
education programs to improve the achievement of the Nation's high 
school students.
    [sbull] Is there a need for additional or separate Federal action 
to address the achievement gap among secondary school students?
    [sbull] Is there a need for additional or separate Federal action 
to address the achievement gap among non-baccalaureate postsecondary 
students?
    [sbull] How should Federal support for vocational and technical 
education programs be aligned with Title I of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 and other elementary and secondary 
education programs?
    [sbull] The current array of Federal programs that affect high 
schools and their students may or may not represent a coherent Federal 
high school policy. What policies and programmatic elements should an 
effective, coherent Federal strategy to promote high school 
transformation include?
    [sbull] How should existing vocational and technical education be 
modified to support this Federal strategy?
    [sbull] Nearly one-third of college freshmen take remedial math 
courses, and over one-quarter take remedial English. In some States, 
estimates of students requiring college remediation are nearly 50 
percent. What can be done to ensure that every student is prepared for 
postsecondary education, without the need for remediation?
    2. Focusing on What Works. The Federal investment in vocational and 
technical education comprises about seven percent of the total amount 
spent nationally on vocational and technical education.
    [sbull] How can these limited resources be targeted to maximize the 
return on the Federal investment?
    [sbull] What are the features of effective secondary vocational and 
technical education programs that should be given higher priority for 
Federal resources?
    [sbull] What are the features of effective postsecondary vocational 
and technical education programs that should be given higher priority 
for Federal resources?
    [sbull] How should our national program funds be targeted to help 
close the achievement gap between high- and low-performing students, 
including factors that are based on gender, ethnicity, economic status 
and disability?
    3. Increasing Accountability for Student Performance. The Act 
established a State accountability system that holds States accountable 
for meeting annual, agreed-upon levels of performance on a set of 
``core indicators'' specified in the statute. Each State has discretion 
to determine how it will measure each of the indicators.
    [sbull] While the Act's accountability system has heightened 
attention on student achievement, completion, and other outcomes, some 
contend that the system is needlessly complex and does not generate 
straight-forward, easily understandable information about student, 
program, and State performance. How can this accountability system be 
simplified and improved?
    [sbull] The Act uses a single set of indicators to measure the 
effectiveness of both secondary and postsecondary programs. However, 
some of the indicators, such as attainment of State-established 
academic proficiencies, are not readily applicable to postsecondary 
education. What indicators are most appropriate and useful for 
measuring the effectiveness of postsecondary vocational and technical 
education programs? To what types of students should they apply? For 
example, should non-credit students be included in the

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accountability system? Are the right things being measured?
    4. Coordination with Federal Employment and Training Programs. 
Title I of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) created a one-stop 
delivery system that links multiple Federal education and training 
programs in order to make these services more accessible to the public, 
to reduce duplication of services, and to facilitate coordinated 
planning across programs. Postsecondary vocational and technical 
education programs supported by the Act are ``mandatory partners'' that 
are required to participate in the one-stop delivery system. They are 
also represented on local workforce investment boards that govern the 
one-stop system in local areas.
    [sbull] Have the one-stop delivery system's goals of improving 
public access to postsecondary vocational and technical education, 
reducing duplication, and facilitating coordination been achieved in 
local areas? What changes are needed to promote the further attainment 
of these goals? How have memoranda of understanding (MOUs) worked to 
benefit the postsecondary vocational and technical education 
participant?
    [sbull] States negotiate annual levels of performance for WIA Title 
I employment programs for a set of ``core indicators'' that is similar 
to those established under the Act. Placement in employment, for 
example, is measured for both WIA Title I and the Act. Should these 
indicators be measured consistently across these programs and others, 
using the same population and other definitions? How should this common 
employment measure be constructed, and what definitions should be used? 
Are there other indicators (e.g., educational attainment) for which 
there also should be common measurement approaches and definitions?
    [sbull] Have WIA incentive grants helped states look at ways to 
promote student achievement across programs and help close the 
achievement gap?

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


    Program Authority: 20 USC 2301 et seq.

    Dated: May 22, 2002.
Carol D'Amico,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 02-13265 Filed 5-24-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P