63776 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 231 / Tuesday, December 2, 1997 / Notices

showing measurable change. The latter

commenter noted that ‘‘effecting such

change requires complex,

comprehensive, intense and long term

interventions.’’

Discussion: Two of the selection

criteria that will be used by reviewers to

rate applications will address the issue

of program impact. These are (under

Quality of Project Services) the ‘‘likely

impact of the services to be provided by

the proposed project on the intended

recipients of those services,’’ and (under

Quality of Project Evaluation) the

‘‘extent to which the methods of

evaluation provide for examining the

effectiveness of project implementation

strategies.’’ In addition to locally

designed evaluations of program effects,

the Government Performance and

Results Act requires ED to develop

performance indicators for the 21st

Century Community Learning Centers

program at the national level.

Changes: None.

PRIORITIES

Absolute Priority: Under 34 CFR

75.105(c)(3), the Secretary gives an

absolute preference to applications that

meet the absolute priority in the next

paragraph. The Secretary funds under

this competition only applications that

meet this absolute priority.

Activities to Expand Learning

Opportunities

The Secretary funds only those

applications for 21st Century

Community Learning Centers grants that

include, among the array of services

required and authorized by the statute,

activities that offer significant expanded

learning opportunities for children and

youth in the community and that

contribute to reduced drug use and

violence.

Competitive Priorities: Under 34 CFR

75.105(c)(2)(i), the Secretary gives

preference to applications that meet one

or both of the two competitive priorities

in the next two paragraphs. The

Secretary awards up to five (5) points

for each competitive priority addressed

in an application (for a maximum of 10

points if an application addresses both

competitive priorities). These points are

in addition to the 100 points an

application may earn under the

selection criteria which will be

published in the application package.

Competitive Priority 1—Projects that

propose to serve early adolescents and

middle-school students.

Competitive Priority 2—Projects

designed to assist students to meet or

exceed State and local standards in core

academic subjects such as reading,

mathematics or science, as appropriate

to the needs of the participating

children.

Note: This notice of final priorities does

not solicit applications. A notice inviting

applications under this competition is

published in a separate notice in this issue

of the Federal Register.

Executive Order 12866: This notice of

final priorities has been reviewed in

accordance with Executive Order 12866.

Under the terms of the order the

Secretary has assessed the potential

costs and benefits of this regulatory

action.

The potential costs associated with

the notice of final priorities are those

resulting from statutory requirements

and those determined by the Secretary

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

priorities, the Secretary has determined

that the benefits of the priorities justify

the costs.

To assist the Department in

complying with the specific

requirements of Executive Order 12866,

the Secretary invites comment on

whether there may be further

opportunities to reduce any potential

costs or increase potential benefits

resulting from these final priorities

without impeding the effective and

efficient administration of the program.

Summary of potential costs and

benefits: There are no identified costs

associated with this notice of final

priorities. Announcement of these

priorities will not result in costs to State

and local governments or to recipients

of grant funds.

Intergovernmental Review: This

program is subject to the requirements

of Executive Order 12372 and the

regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The

objective of the Executive order is to

foster an intergovernmental partnership

and a strengthened federalism by

relying on processes developed by State

and local governments for coordination

and review of proposed Federal

financial assistance.

In accordance with the order, this

document is intended to provide early

notification of the Department’s specific

plans and actions for this program.

Individuals with disabilities may obtain

this document in an alternate format

(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or

computer diskette) on request to the

contact person listed in the preceding

paragraph.

Electronic Access to This Document

Anyone may view this document, as

well as all other Department of

Education documents published in the

Federal Register, in text or portable

document format (pdf) on the World

Wide Web at either of the following

sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm

http://www.ed.gov/news.html

To use the pdf you must have the Adobe

Acrobat Reader Program with Search,

which is available free at either of the

previous sites. If you have questions

about using the pdf, call the U.S.

Government Printing Office toll free at

1–888–293–6498.

Anyone may also view these

documents in text copy only on an

electronic bulletin board of the

Department. Telephone: (202) 219–1511

or, toll free, 1–800–222–4922. The

documents are located under Option

G—Files/Announcements, Bulletins and

Press Releases.

Note: The official version of a document is

the document published in the Federal

Register.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 8241–8247.

Dated: November 25, 1997.

Ricky T. Takai,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational

Research and Improvement.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Number 84.287, 21st Century Community

Learning Centers Program)

[FR Doc. 97–31567 Filed 12–1–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.287]

21st Century Community Learning

Centers; Notice inviting applications

for new awards for fiscal year 1998

Purpose of Program: The 21st Century

Community Learning Centers Program

was established by Congress to award

grants to rural and inner-city public

schools, or consortia of such schools, to

enable them to plan, implement, or

expand projects that benefit the

educational, health, social services,

cultural and recreational needs of the

community. School-based community

learning centers can provide a safe,

drug-free, supervised and cost-effective

after-school, weekend or summer haven

for children, youth and their families.

Eligible Applicants: Only rural or

inner-city public elementary or

secondary schools, consortia of those

schools, or LEAs applying on their

behalf, are eligible to receive a grant

under the 21st Century Community

Learning Centers Program. An LEA with

many interested schools is encouraged

to submit a consortium application on

their behalf. Applicants must
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 231 / Tuesday, December 2, 1997 / Notices 63777

demonstrate that they meet the statutory

program purpose as being either a

‘‘rural’’ or ‘‘inner-city’’ school or a

consortium of those schools.

Deadline for Transmittal of

Applications: March 9, 1998

Deadline for Intergovernmental

Review: May 8, 1998

Applications Available: December 16,

1997

Available Funds: $40 million

Estimated Range of Awards:

$35,000—$200,000 per Center. Awards

to consortia or LEAs involving multiple

Centers will be adjusted to reflect the

number of Centers included.

Estimated Average Size of Awards:

$100,000 (per Center)

Estimated Number of Awards: 200–

300, depending on how many awards

will assist multiple Centers.

Note: The Department is not bound by any

estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Please note that all applicants for multiyear awards are required to provide

detailed budget information for the total

grant period requested. The Department

will negotiate at the time of the initial

award the funding levels for each year

of the grant award.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The

Education Department General

Administration Regulations (EDGAR) in

34 CFR Parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85,

and 86, and (b) 34 CFR part 299, General

Provisions, Elementary and Secondary

Education Act, published on May 22,

1997, in the Federal Register (62 FR

28247).

Priorities: The priorities in the notice

of final priorities for this program, as

published elsewhere in this issue of the

Federal Register, apply to this

competition. In addition, the Secretary

gives preference to applications that

meet the following competitive priority.

(34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii) and 34 CFR

299.3(a)). The Secretary selects an

application that meets this competitive

priority over an application of

comparable merit that does not meet

this competitive priority.

Competitive Priority—Projects that

will use a significant portion of the

program funds to address substantial

problems in an Empowerment Zone,

including a Supplemental

Empowerment Zone, or an Enterprise

Community designated by the United

States Department of Housing and

Urban Development or the United States

Department of Agriculture.

Note: A list of areas that have been

designated as Empowerment Zones and

Enterprise Communities is published as an

appendix to this notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 21st

Century Community Learning Centers

Program is authorized under Title X,

Part I (20 USC 8241) of the Elementary

and Secondary Education Act. Grantees

under this program are required to carry

out at least four of the activities listed

in section 10905 of the Elementary and

Secondary Education Act (20 USC

8245), as listed below:

(1) Literacy education programs;

(2) Senior citizen programs;

(3) Children’s day care services;

(4) Integrated education, health, social

service, recreational, or cultural

programs;

(5) Summer and weekend school

programs in conjunction with recreation

programs;

(6) Nutrition and health programs;

(7) Expanded library service hours to

serve community needs;

(8) Telecommunications and

technology education programs for

individuals of all ages;

(9) Parenting skills education

programs;

(10) Support and training for child

day care providers;

(11) Employment counseling, training,

and placement;

(12) Services for individuals who

leave school before graduating from

secondary school, regardless of the age

of such individual; and

(13) Services for individuals with

disabilities.

Applicants should propose an array of

inclusive and supervised services that

include extended learning opportunities

(such as instructional enrichment

programs, tutoring, or homework

assistance) but may also include

recreational, musical and artistic

activities; opportunities to use advanced

technology, particularly for those

children who do not have access to

computers or telecommunications at

home, or safety and substance-abuse

prevention programs. Grants awarded

under this program may be used to plan,

implement, or expand community

learning centers.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION: In awarding

grants, the Secretary assures an

equitable distribution of assistance

among the States, among urban and

rural areas of a State, and among urban

and rural areas of the United States.

FOR APPLICATIONS OR INFORMATION

CONTACT:

To Obtain an Application Package:

Written requests should be mailed to:

Amanda Clyburn, U.S. Department of

Education, Office of Educational

Research and Improvement, 555 New

Jersey Ave., NW, Washington, DC

20208–5644, Attn: 21st Century Center

Learning Centers. Requests may also be

e-mailed to Amanda Clyburn

(amandalclyburn@ed.gov) or faxed to

(202) 219–2198.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Carol J. Mitchell or Amanda Clyburn,

U. S. Department of Education, Office of

Educational Research and Improvement,

555 New Jersey Avenue, NW,

Washington DC 20208–5644. E-mail

addresses are:

carollj.lmitchell@ed.gov or

amandalclyburn@ed.gov respectively.

Fax number is (202) 219–2198.

Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD) may call the Federal Information

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time,

Monday through Friday.

Individuals with disabilities may

obtain this document in an alternate

format (e.g., Braille, large print,

audiotape, or computer diskette) on

request to the contact persons identified

in this notice.

Individuals with disabilities may

obtain a copy of the application package

in an alternate format, also, by

contacting that person. However, the

Department is not able to reproduce in

an alternate format the standard forms

included in the application package.

Electronic Access to This Document

Anyone may view this document, as

well as all other Department of

Education documents published in the

Federal Register, in text or portable

document format (pdf) on the World

Wide Web at either of the following

sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm

http://www.ed.gov/news.html

To use the pdf you must have the Adobe

Acrobat Reader Program with Search,

which is available free at either of the

previous sites. If you have questions

about using the pdf, call the U.S.

Government Printing Office toll free at

1–888–293–6498.

Anyone may also view these

documents in text copy only on an

electronic bulletin board of the

Department. Telephone: (202) 219–1511

or, toll free, 1–800–222–4922. The

documents are located under Option

G—Files/Announcements, Bulletins and

Press Releases.

Note: The official version of a document is

the document published in the Federal

Register.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 8241–8246.
63778 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 231 / Tuesday, December 2, 1997 / Notices

Dated: November 25, 1997.

Ricky T. Takai,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational

Research and Improvement.

Appendix—Empowerment Zones and

Enterprise Communities

Empowerment Zones (Listed

Alphabetically by State)

California: Oakland

Georgia: Atlanta

Illinois: Chicago

Kansas: Kansas City

Kentucky: Kentucky Highlands Area

(Clinton, Jackson, and Wayne

Counties)

Maryland: Baltimore

Massachusetts: Boston

Michigan: Detroit

Mississippi: Mid-Delta Area (Bolivar,

Holmes, Humphreys, and LeFlore

Counties)

Missouri: Kansas City

New Jersey: Camden

New York: Harlem, Bronx

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia

Texas: Houston, Rio Grande Valley Area

(Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy

Counties)

Supplemental Empowerment Zones

(Listed Alphabetically by State)

California: Los Angeles

Ohio: Cleveland

Enterprise Communities (Listed

Alphabetically by State)

Alabama: Birmingham, Chambers

County, Greene County, Sumter

County

Arizona: Arizona Border Area, (Cochise,

Santa Cruz and Yuma Counties),

Phoenix

Arkansas: East Central Area (Cross, Lee,

Monroe, and St. Francis Counties),

Mississippi County, Pulaski County

California: Imperial County, Los

Angeles (Huntington Park), San Diego,

San Francisco (Hayview, Hunter’s

Pointer), Watsonville

Colorado: Denver

Connecticut: Bridgeport, New Haven

Delaware: Wilmington

District of Columbia: Washington

Florida: Jackson County

Georgia: Central Savannah River Area

(Burke, Hancock, Jefferson, McDuffie,

Tallaferro, and Warrent Counties),

Crisp County, Dooley County

Illinois: East St. Louis, Springfield

Indiana: Indianapolis

Iowa: Des Moines

Kentucky: Louisville, McCreary County

Louisiana: Macon Ridge Area

(Catahouis, Concordia, Franklin,

Morehouse, and Tensas Parishes),

New Orleans, Northeast Delta Area

(Madison Parish), Quachita Parish

Massachusetts: Lowell, Springfield

Michigan: Five Cap, Flint, Muskegon

Minnesota: Minneapolis, St. Paul

Mississippi: Jackson, North Delta Area

(Panola, Quitman, and Tallahatchie

Counties)

Missouri: East Prairie, St. Louis

Nebraska: Omaha

Nevada: Clarke County, Las Vegas

New Hampshire: Manchester

New Jersey: Newark

New Mexico: Albuquerque, Moro

County, Rio Arriba County, Taos

County

New York: Albany, Buffalo, Kingston,

Newburgh, Rochester, Schenectady,

Troy

North Carolina: Charlotte, Edgecombe

County, Halifax County, Robeson

County, Wilson County

Ohio: Akron, Columbus, Greater

Portsmouth Area (Scioto County)

Oklahoma: Choctaw County, McCurtain

County, Oklahoma City

Pennsylvania: Harrisburg, Lock Haven,

Pittsburgh

Rhode Island: Providence

South Carolina: Charleston,

Williamsburg County

South Dakota: Beadle County, Spink

County

Tennessee: Fayette County, Haywood

County, Memphis Nashville, Scott

County

Texas: Dallas, El Paso, San Antonio,

Waco

Utah: Ogden

Vermont: Accomack County, Norfolk

Washington: Lower Yakima County,

Seattle, Tacoma

West Virginia: Huntington, McDowell

County, West Central Areas (Braxton,

Clay, Fayette, Nichols, and Roane

Counties)

Wisconsin: Milwaukee

[FR Doc. 97–31568 Filed 12–1–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P