Title 34—Education--Volume 1
PART 669—LANGUAGE RESOURCE CENTERS PROGRAM
§ 669.1   What is the Language Resource Centers Program?
The Language Resource Centers Program makes awards, through grants or contracts, for the purpose of establishing, strengthening, and operating centers that serve as resources for improving the nation's capacity for teaching and learning foreign languages effectively.
§ 669.2   Who is eligible to receive assistance under this program?
An institution of higher education or a combination of institutions of higher education is eligible to receive an award under this part.
§ 669.3   What activities may the Secretary fund?
Centers funded under this part must carry out activities to improve the teaching and learning of foreign languages. These activities must include effective dissemination efforts, whenever appropriate, and may include—
(a) The conduct and dissemination of research on new and improved methods for teaching foreign languages, including the use of advanced educational technology;
(b) The development and dissemination of new materials for teaching foreign languages, to reflect the results of research on effective teaching strategies;
(c) The development, application, and dissemination of performance testing that is appropriate for use in an educational setting to be used as a standard and comparable measurement of skill levels in foreign languages;
(d) The training of teachers in the administration and interpretation of foreign language performance tests, the use of effective teaching strategies, and the use of new technologies;
(e) A significant focus on the teaching and learning needs of the less commonly taught languages, including an assessment of the strategic needs of the United States, the determination of ways to meet those needs nationally, and the publication and dissemination of instructional materials in the less commonly taught languages;
(f) The development and dissemination of materials designed to serve as a resource for foreign language teachers at the elementary and secondary school levels; and
(g) The operation of intensive summer language institutes to train advanced foreign language students, to provide professional development, and to improve language instruction through preservice and inservice language training for teachers.
§ 669.4   What regulations apply?
The following regulations apply to this program:
(a) The regulations in 34 CFR part 655.
(b) The regulations in this part 669.
§ 669.5   What definitions apply?
The following definitions apply to this part:
(a) The definitions in 34 CFR 655.4.
(b) “Language Resource Center” means a coordinated concentration of educational research and training resources for improving the nation's capacity to teach and learn foreign languages.
§ 669.20   How does the Secretary evaluate an application?
The Secretary evaluates an application for an award on the basis of the criteria contained in §§ 669.21 and 669.22. The Secretary informs applicants of the maximum possible score for each criterion in the application package or in a notice published in the Federal Register.
§ 669.21   What selection criteria does the Secretary use?
The Secretary evaluates an application on the basis of the criteria in this section.
(a) Plan of operation. (See 34 CFR 655.31(a))
(b) Quality of key personnel. (See 34 CFR 655.31(b))
(c) Budget and cost-effectiveness. (See 34 CFR 655.31(c))
(d) Evaluation plan. (See 34 CFR 655.31 (d))
(e) Adequacy of resources. (See 34 CFR 655.31(e))
(f) Need and potential impact. The Secretary reviews each application to determine—
(1) The extent to which the proposed materials or activities are needed in the foreign languages on which the project focuses;
(2) The extent to which the proposed materials may be used throughout the United States; and
(3) The extent to which the proposed work or activity may contribute significantly to strengthening, expanding, or improving programs of foreign language study in the United States.
(g) Likelihood of achieving results. The Secretary reviews each application to determine—
(1) The quality of the outlined methods and procedures for preparing the materials; and
(2) The extent to which plans for carrying out activities are practicable and can be expected to produce the anticipated results.
(h) Description of final form of results. The Secretary reviews each application to determine the degree of specificity and the appropriateness of the description of the expected results from the project.
(i) Priorities. If, under the provisions of § 669.22, the application notice specifies priorities for this program, the Secretary determines the degrees to which the priorities are served.
§ 669.22   What priorities may the Secretary establish?
(a) The Secretary may each year select funding priorities from among the following:
(1) Categories of allowable activities described in § 669.3.
(2) Specific foreign languages for study or materials development.
(3) Levels of education, for example, elementary, secondary, postsecondary, or teacher education.
(b) The Secretary announces any priorities in the application notice published in the Federal Register.
§ 669.30   What are allowable equipment costs?
Equipment costs may not exceed fifteen percent of the grant amount.