[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 1, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17868-17870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6678]



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Part VI





Department of Education





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Notice of Final Priority, Definitions, Requirements, and Selection 
Criteria; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 63 / Tuesday, April 1, 2008 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


 Notice of Final Priority, Definitions, Requirements, and 
Selection Criteria

AGENCY: Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of final priority, definitions, requirements, and 
selection criteria.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools 
announces a priority, definitions, requirements, and selection criteria 
under the Models of Exemplary, Effective, and Promising Alcohol or 
Other Drug Abuse Prevention Programs on College Campuses grant 
competition. The Assistant Deputy Secretary may use the priority, 
definitions, requirements, and selection criteria for competitions in 
fiscal year (FY) 2008 and later years.

DATES: Effective Date: The priority, definitions, requirements, and 
selection criteria are effective May 1, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Lucey, Jr., U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E335, Washington, DC 20202-
6450. Telephone: (202) 205-5471, or by e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We published a notice of proposed priority, 
definitions, requirements, and selection criteria for this competition 
in the Federal Register on December 26, 2007 (72 FR 73012). Except for 
minor editorial revisions in the priority, there are no differences 
between the notice of proposed priority, definitions, requirements, and 
selection criteria and this notice of final priority, definitions, 
requirements, and selection criteria.

Analysis of Comments and Changes

    In response to our invitation in the notice of proposed priority, 
definitions, requirements, and selection criteria, one party submitted 
a comment on the proposed eligibility requirements. An analysis of the 
comment and of any changes in the priority, definitions, requirements, 
and selection criteria since publication of the notice of proposed 
priority, definitions, requirements, and selection criteria follows.
    Generally, we do not address technical and other minor changes--and 
suggested changes the law does not authorize us to make under the 
applicable statutory authority.

Eligible Applicants

    Comment: One commenter recommended that eligible applicants include 
the national headquarters or educational foundations of campus-based 
fraternities and sororities.
    Discussion: We have designed this program for institutions of 
higher education (IHEs) because the emphasis of this grant program is 
not only to recognize an IHE for having implemented an exemplary, 
effective, or promising program on its campus, but also to assist the 
IHE in strengthening the program through enhancement and further 
evaluation. This emphasis encourages and fosters key aspects of 
effective campus-based prevention, including conducting a problem 
analysis or needs assessment, setting goals and objectives that are 
relevant to the campus's identified alcohol or other drug abuse 
problems, implementing and evaluating appropriate prevention and early 
intervention strategies, and identifying and securing the involvement 
of a cross-representation of campus- and community-based partners.
    If we extended eligibility for this grant program to non-IHEs, we 
would run the risk of recognizing entities that are developing programs 
for a specific student population, such as first-year students, members 
of fraternities and/or sororities, and student-athletes, in an insular 
manner without any collaboration or input with the at-large campus 
community. Such an approach would run counter to current prevention 
research that demonstrates coalition-building and collaboration with a 
broad representation of constituents as a vital and effective component 
of a campus's alcohol or other drug abuse prevention efforts. Research 
strongly supports the use of comprehensive, integrated programs with 
multiple complementary components that target individuals, including 
at-risk or alcohol-dependent drinkers; the student population as a 
whole; and the college and surrounding community.
    Although we do not propose that non-IHEs be eligible for funding 
under this grant program, we recognize that non-IHEs can play an 
important role in collaborating with an IHE as part of the campus's 
comprehensive alcohol or other drug abuse prevention efforts and we 
strongly encourage such a relationship. For instance, an IHE may submit 
an application for recognition as an exemplary, effective, or promising 
program that has evidence of effectiveness in preventing alcohol or 
other drug abuse among members of the campus's fraternity and/or 
sorority members, and is supported by the national headquarters or 
educational foundations of campus-based fraternities and sororities.
    Changes: None.

    Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in 
which we choose to use the priority, definitions, requirements, and 
selection criteria, 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 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)).

Priority: Exemplary, Effective, and Promising Alcohol or Other Drug 
Abuse Prevention Programs on College Campuses

    Under this priority the Department provides funding to IHEs that 
have implemented an exemplary, effective, or promising alcohol or other 
drug abuse prevention program on their campus. To meet the priority, in 
its application, an applicant must:
    1. Describe the program that has for at least two full years been 
implemented on its campus, including the structure and content of the 
program, the student population that is targeted by the program, and 
any unique features of the program;
    2. Provide a detailed theoretical basis for the program's 
effectiveness;
    3. Provide data to demonstrate the program's impact on the target 
student population, including evidence of cognitive or behavioral 
changes, or both, among the target population; and

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    4. Consent to a site visit to clarify information in the 
application and verify evaluation data.
    Under this program, the Department selects an IHE for recognition 
as having an exemplary, effective, or promising program based on the 
recommendation from the two peer reviewers who conduct the site visit. 
Therefore, note that selection for a site visit does not ensure 
recognition as an exemplary, effective, or promising program by the 
Department.

Recognition Types

    Contingent upon the quality of data provided by the applicant and 
the recommendation of site visitors, an applicant may earn one of three 
levels of recognition.
    Level 1 is recognition as an exemplary program. An IHE whose 
program is designated as exemplary must:
    1. Within 30 days of receiving an award, provide to the Department 
a plan to disseminate information about its program to other IHEs;
    2. Upon approval by the Department, implement its dissemination 
plan; and
    3. Enhance and further evaluate the exemplary program during the 
project period of the grant award.
    Level 2 is recognition as an effective program. An IHE whose 
program is designated as effective must:
    1. Within 30 days of receiving an award, provide to the Department 
a plan to disseminate information about its program to other IHEs;
    2. Upon approval by the Department, implement its dissemination 
plan; and
    3. Enhance and further evaluate the effective program during the 
project period of the grant award.
    Level 3 is designation as a promising program. An IHE whose program 
is recognized as promising must:
    1. Within 30 days of receiving an award, submit to the Department a 
plan to enhance and further evaluate its program;
    2. Upon approval by the Department, implement its enhancement and 
evaluation plan; and
    3. Within 12 months of award, provide to the Department a report 
detailing the results of its evaluation.

Definitions

    1. Exemplary program means a program that has a strong theoretical 
base and demonstrated effectiveness in reducing alcohol or other drug 
abuse among college students or reducing problems resulting from 
alcohol or other drug use among college students, using a research 
design of the highest quality. For the purpose of this grant 
competition, a research design of the highest quality means an 
experimental design in which students are randomly assigned to 
participate in a project being evaluated (treatment group) or not 
participate in the project (control group). The effect of the project 
is the difference in outcomes between the treatment and control groups.
    If strong, experimentally determined evidence of the effectiveness 
of a program already exists, and the program was implemented on the 
applicant's campus with fidelity to the research, then a quasi-
experimental evaluation of the program's implementation on the 
applicant's campus may be an acceptable research design. For the 
purpose of this grant competition, quasi-experimental designs include 
several designs that attempt to approximate a random assignment design.
    2. Effective program means a program that has a strong theoretical 
base and has been evaluated using either an experimental or quasi-
experimental research design, with the evaluation results suggesting 
effectiveness in reducing alcohol or other drug abuse among college 
students, reducing problems resulting from alcohol or other drug use 
among college students, reducing risk factors, enhancing protective 
factors, or resulting in some combination of those impacts.
    3. Promising program means a program that has a strong theoretical 
base and for which evidence has been obtained, using limited research 
methods, that the program may reduce alcohol or other drug abuse among 
college students, reduce problems resulting from alcohol or other drug 
use among college students, reduce risk factors, enhance protective 
factors, or result in some combination of those impacts. For the 
purpose of this grant competition, limited research methods are methods 
that include a pre- and post-treatment measurement of the effects of a 
treatment on a single subject or group of single subjects.

Requirements

Eligible Applicants

    Only IHEs that offer an associate or baccalaureate degree are 
eligible under this program.

Limitations on Eligibility

    (a) Exemplary or effective programs. The length of time an IHE is 
ineligible for a subsequent award after receiving recognition for an 
exemplary or effective program is three years.
    (b) Promising programs. Programs recognized as promising may be 
eligible for a new award when their current grant is no longer active. 
A grant is considered active until the end of the grant's project or 
funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend 
the grantee's authority to obligate funds. A project that fails to 
achieve exemplary or effective status after a second designation as a 
promising program may not reapply for three years after its second 
project period is no longer active.

Funding Limits for Applicants

    The maximum amount an applicant may receive for a project 
recognized as an exemplary or effective program may be no more than 
$150,000 plus indirect costs, and a project recognized as a promising 
program may receive no more than $100,000 plus indirect costs.

Selection Criteria

    1. Significance
    (a) The potential contribution of the program to the development 
and advancement of theory, knowledge, and practices in the field of 
study.
    (b) The quality of the applicant's plan to disseminate the program 
in ways that will enable others to use the information or strategies, 
including evidence of the program's readiness for replication.
    2. Project Design
    (a) The extent to which the design of the program reflects up-to-
date knowledge from research and effective practices.
    (b) The extent to which the plan to enhance the program reflects 
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practices.
    (c) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the enhancement to the program are clearly specified and 
measurable.
    3. Project Evaluation
    (a) The extent to which the evaluation data provide evidence of the 
effectiveness of the program in reducing alcohol or other drug use, or 
both, reducing problems resulting from alcohol or other drug use, or 
both, reducing risk factors, enhancing protective factors, or some 
combination of those impacts.
    (b) The extent to which the methods of evaluation used during the 
implementation of the program will provide guidance about effective 
strategies suitable for replication or testing in other settings.
    (c) The extent to which the methods of evaluation used during the 
enhancement of the program will provide performance feedback and permit 
periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes.

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Executive Order 12866

    This notice of final priority, definitions, requirements, and 
selection criteria has been reviewed in accordance with Executive Order 
12866. Under the terms of the order, we have assessed the potential 
costs and benefits of this regulatory action.
    The potential costs associated with the notice of final priority, 
definitions, requirements, and selection criteria are those resulting 
from statutory requirements and those we have determined as necessary 
for administering this program effectively and efficiently.
    In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative 
and qualitative--of this notice of final priority, definitions, 
requirements, and selection criteria, we have determined that the 
benefits of the final priority, definitions, requirements, and 
selection criteria justify the costs.
    We have also determined that this regulatory action does not unduly 
interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the exercise of 
their governmental functions.
    We summarized the costs and benefits in the notice of proposed 
priority, definitions, requirements, and selection criteria.

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: 
http://www.ed.gov/news/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.
    You may also view this document in text at the following site: 
http://www.ed.gov/programs/dvpcollege/applicant.html.

    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.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 84.184N Office of 
Safe and Drug-Free Schools--Models of Exemplary, Effective, and 
Promising Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Programs on 
College Campuses)

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7131.

    Dated: March 26, 2008.
Deborah A. Price,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
[FR Doc. E8-6678 Filed 3-31-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P