[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68088-68109]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33950]



[[Page 68087]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part VIII





Department of Education





_______________________________________________________________________



Bilingual Education: Career Ladder Program; FY 1998 New Awards 
Applications; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 1997 / 
Notices

[[Page 68088]]



DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.195E]


Bilingual Education: Career Ladder Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1998

    Note to Applicants: This notice is a complete application package. 
Together with the statute authorizing the program and the applicable 
regulations governing this program, including the Education Department 
General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), this notice contains all of 
the information, application forms, and instructions needed to apply 
for a grant under this program.
    Purpose of Program: This program provides grants to upgrade the 
qualifications and skills of noncertified educational personnel, 
especially educational paraprofessionals, to meet high professional 
standards, including certification and licensure as bilingual teachers 
and other educational personnel who serve limited English proficient 
students, and to help recruit and train secondary students as bilingual 
education teachers and other educational personnel to serve limited 
English proficient students.
    Eligible Applicants: (1) One or more institutions of higher 
education (IHEs) that have entered into consortia arrangements with 
local educational agencies (LEAs) or State educational agencies (SEAs), 
to achieve the purposes of those sections. Consortia may include 
community-based organizations or professional education organizations.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 23, 1998
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 23, 1998
    Available Funds: $7.2 million.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000-$250,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $200,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 36.

    Note: The Department of Education is not bound by any estimates 
in this notice.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Applicable Regulations:
    (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations 
(EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, and 86.
    (b) The regulations in 34 CFR Part 299, General Provisions, 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
    Description of Program: The statutory authorization for this 
program, and the application requirements that apply to this 
competition, are set out in sections 7144 and 7146-7150 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the 
Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-382, enacted 
October 20, 1994) (the Act) (20 U.S.C. 7474 and 7476-7480). Funds under 
this program may be used to provide for the development of bilingual 
education career ladder program curricula appropriate to the needs of 
consortia participants; assistance for stipends and costs related to 
tuition fees and books for coursework required to complete degree and 
certification requirements for bilingual education teachers; and 
programs to introduce secondary school students to careers in bilingual 
education teaching that are coordinated with other activities assisted 
under this program. Activities conducted under this program must assist 
educational personnel in meeting State and local certification 
requirements for bilingual education and, wherever possible, must lead 
to the awarding of college or university credit.
    Priorities: Competitive Priority 1. The Secretary, under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i) and 34 CFR 299.3(b), gives preference to applications 
that meet the following competitive priority. The Secretary awards up 
to 3 points for an application that meets this competitive priority. 
These points are in addition to any points the application earns under 
the selection criteria for the program:
    Projects that will contribute to a systemic educational reform 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, and are made an integral part of the Zone's or Community's 
comprehensive community revitalization strategies.

    Note: A list of areas that have been designated as Empowerment 
Zones and Enterprise Communities is provided in the appendix to this 
notice.

    Competitive Priority 2. Under 34 CFR 75.105 (c)(2)(ii) and section 
7144(d) of the Act, the Secretary gives a competitive preference to 
applications that meet the following priority:
    Applications that propose to provide for participant completion of 
baccalaureate and master's degree teacher education programs, and 
certification requirements and may include effective employment 
placement activities; the development of teacher proficiency in English 
as a second language, including demonstrating proficiency in the 
instructional use of English and, as appropriate, a second language in 
classroom contexts; coordination with programs for the recruitment and 
retention of bilingual students in secondary and postsecondary programs 
training to become bilingual educators; and the applicant's 
contribution of additional student financial aid to participating 
students.
    The Secretary selects applications that meet this priority over 
applications of comparable merit that do not meet the priority.
    Invitational Priorities. The Secretary is particularly interested 
in applications that meet the following invitational priority. However, 
an application that meets this invitational priority receives no 
competitive or absolute preference over other applications (34 CFR 
75.105(c)(1)).
    Applicants that propose to collaborate with 2-year institutions of 
higher education to develop or improve teacher preparation programs for 
bilingual paraprofessionals.
    Selection Criteria. (a)(1) The Secretary uses the following 
selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 to evaluate applications for new 
grants under this competition.
    (2) The maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points.
    (3) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses.
    (a) Need for project. (10 points) (1) The Secretary considers the 
need for the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (i) The magnitude or severity of the problem to be addressed by the 
proposed project.
    (ii) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and the 
magnitude of those gaps or weaknesses.

(Authority: 34 CFR 75.210 (a)(2)(i) and (v))

    (b) Quality of the project design. (50 points) (1) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (ii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target 
population or other identified needs.
    (iii) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build 
capacity and

[[Page 68089]]

yield results that will extend beyond the period of Federal financial 
assistance.
    (iv) The extent to which the proposed activities constitute a 
coherent, sustained program of training in the field.
    (v) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects 
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.
    (vi) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated 
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community, 
State, and Federal resources.
    (vii) The extent to which the proposed project is part of a 
comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support 
rigorous academic standards for students.
    (viii) The extent to which fellowship recipients or other project 
participants are to be selected on the basis of academic excellence.

(Authority: 34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(i), (ii), (iv), (xii), (xiii), 
(xvi), (xviii), and (xxiii))

    (c) Quality of project services. (15 points) (1) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed 
project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been under-represented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient 
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice 
among the recipients of those services.
    (ii) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are likely to alleviate 
the personnel shortages that have been identified or are the focus of 
the proposed project.
    (iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project are focused on those with greatest need.

(Authority: 34 CFR 75.210(d)(2) and (3)(v), (vi), and (xi))

    (d) Quality of project personnel. (5 points) (1) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed 
project.
    (2) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factor: The 
qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of key 
project personnel.

(Authority: 34 CFR 75.210(e)(2) and (3)(ii))

    (e) Quality of the management plan. (5 points) (1) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factor: The 
adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the 
proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined 
responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project 
tasks.

(Authority: 34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(i)))

    (f) Quality of the project evaluation. (15 points) (1) The 
Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of 
the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for 
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible.
    (iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.

(Authority: 34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(iii), (iv), and (vi)).

    Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. This program is 
subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental 
Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79.
    The objective of the Executive order is to foster an 
intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying 
on State and local processes for State and local government 
coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
    Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of 
Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State's process 
under Executive order 12372. Applicants proposing to perform activities 
in more than one State should immediately contact the Single Point of 
Contact for each of those States and follow the procedure established 
in each State under the Executive Order. If you want to know the name 
and address of any State Single Point of Contact, see the list 
published in the Federal Register on October 7, 1997 (62 FR 52448 
through 52450).
    In States that have not established a process or chosen a program 
for review, State, areawide, regional, and local entities may submit 
comments directly to the Department.
    Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a 
State Single Point of Contact and any comments from State, areawide, 
regional, and local entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the 
date indicated in this notice to the following address: The Secretary, 
E.O. 12372--CFDA #84.195A, U.S. Department of Education, Room 6213, 600 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20202-0124.
    Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as 
applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be 
hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the date 
indicated in this notice.
    PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE ADDRESS IS NOT THE SAME ADDRESS AS THE 
ONE TO WHICH THE APPLICANT SUBMITS ITS COMPLETED APPLICATION. DO NOT 
SEND APPLICATIONS TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS.
    Instructions for Transmittal of Applications: (a) If an applicant 
wants to apply for a grant, the applicant shall--
    (1) Mail the original and three copies of the application on or 
before the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application 
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA #84.195E), Washington, D.C. 20202-
4725.
    (2) Hand-deliver the original and three copies of the application 
by 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on or before the deadline date to: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA #84.195E), Room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D 
Streets, SW., Washington, D.C.
    (b) An applicant must show one of the following as proof of 
mailing:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.

[[Page 68090]]

    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary.
    (c) If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, 
the Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of 
mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

    Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a 
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should 
check with its local post office.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application 
Receipt Acknowledgment to each applicant. If an applicant fails to 
receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from 
the date of mailing the application, the applicant should call the 
U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 
708-9495.
    (3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and--if not 
provided by the Department--in Item 10 of the Application for 
Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number and suffix 
letter, if any, of the competition under which the application is 
being submitted.

    Application Instructions and Forms: The appendix to this notice 
contains the following forms and instructions, plus a statement 
regarding estimated public reporting burden, a notice to applicants 
regarding compliance with section 427 of the General Education 
Provisions Act, a checklist for applicants, various assurances, 
certifications, and required documentation. These parts and additional 
materials are organized in the same manner that the submitted 
application should be organized. The parts and additional materials are 
as follows:
    Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev. 
4-88)) and instructions.
    Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED Form No. 
524) and instructions.
    Part III: Application Narrative.
    Additional Materials:
    a. Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
    b. Group Application Certification.
    c. Participant Data.
    d. Project Documentation.
    e. Program Assurances.
    f. Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B) and 
instructions.
    g. Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and 
Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 
80-0013) and instructions.
    h. Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and 
Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014, 9/90) 
and instructions. (NOTE: This form is intended for the use of grantees 
and should not be transmitted to the Department.)
    i. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if 
applicable) and instructions. The document has been marked to reflect 
statutory changes. See the notice published by the Office of Management 
and Budget in the Federal Register (61 FR 1413) on (January 19, 1996).
    An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the 
application and budget forms, the assurances, and the certifications. 
However, the application form, the assurances, and the certifications 
must each have an original signature. All applicants must submit ONE 
original signed application, including ink signatures on all forms and 
assurances, and THREE copies of the application. Please mark each 
application as ``original'' or ``copy''. No grant may be awarded unless 
a completed application has been received.

For Further Information Contact: Cynthia Ryan (202) 205-8842 or 
Petraine Johnson (202) 205-8766 (for applicants located in Western 
States); Mahal May (202) 205-8727 or Steve Van Pelt (202) 205-8732 (for 
applicants located in Eastern States); and Carol Manitaras (202) 205-
9729 (for applicants located in Midwestern States), U.S. Department of 
Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 5090, Switzer Building, 
Washington, D.C. 20202-6510. 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 notice in an 
alternate format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact persons listed in the preceding 
paragraph. Please note, however, that the Department is not able to 
reproduce in an alternate format the standard forms included in the 
notice.
    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 preceding 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 this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7474.

    Dated: December 23, 1997.
Delia Pompa,
Director, Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs.

Instructions for Estimated Public Reporting Burden

    According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are 
required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this 
information collection is OMB No. 1885-0528, Exp. Date: 4/30/98. The 
time required to complete this information collection is estimated to 
average 80 hours per response, including the time to review 
instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, 
and complete and review the information collection. If you have any 
comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions 
for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, 
Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. If you have any comments or concerns 
regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write 
directly to: Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages 
Affairs, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, D.C. 20202-6510.
    The following forms and other items must be included in the 
application:
    1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424).
    2. Group Application Certification (if applicable).
    3. Budget Information (ED Form No. 524).
    4. Itemized Budget for each year.
    5. Participant Data.
    6. Project Documentation: Section A--Copy of Transmittal Letter to 
SEA requesting SEA to comment on application; Section B--Documentation 
of Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community--if applicable.

[[Page 68091]]

    7. Program Assurances.
    8. Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B).
    9. Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment Suspension and 
Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 
80-0013).
    10. Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility 
and Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014).
    11. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL).
    12. Table of Contents.
    13. Application Narrative (not to exceed 30 pages including 
abstract, see instructions below).
    14. One original and three copies of the application for 
transmittal to the Department's Application Control Center.

Mandatory Page Limits for the Application Narrative

    The application narrative must not exceed the equivalent of 30 
pages, using the following standards: (1) These pages must be double-
spaced and printed on one side only. (2) A legible font size and 
adequate margins should be used. (3) The narrative must be paginated. 
(4) The narrative portion of the application package, including 
abstract, charts, graphs, tables, position descriptions, illustrations, 
and appendices, must not exceed the 30-page limit. The narrative 
section should begin with an abstract that includes a short description 
of the population to be served by the project, project objectives, 
planned project activities, and priorities addressed. The page limit 
applies only to item 13 and not to the other items in the checklist. 
APPLICATIONS WITH A NARRATIVE SECTION THAT EXCEEDS THE PAGE LIMIT WILL 
NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING.

Application Narrative

    The narrative should address fully all aspects of the selection 
criteria in the order listed and should give detailed information 
regarding each criterion. Do not simply paraphrase the criteria. 
Provide position descriptions, not resumes.

Budget

    Budget line items must support the goals and objectives of the 
proposed project and be directly applicable to the program design and 
all other project components.

Final Application Preparation

    Use the above checklist to verify that all items are addressed. 
Prepare one original with an original signature, and include three 
additional copies. Do not use elaborate bindings or covers. The 
application package must be mailed to the Application Control Center 
(ACC) and postmarked by the deadline date of February 23, 1998.

Submission of Application to State Educational Agency

    Section 7146(a)(4) of the Act (Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965, as amended by the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994, 
Public Law 103-382) requires all applicants except schools funded by 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs to submit a copy of their application to 
their State educational agency (SEA) for review and comment (20 U.S.C. 
7476(a)(4)). Section 75.156 of the Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) requires these applicants to submit 
their application to the SEA on or before the deadline date for 
submitting their application to the Department of Education. This 
section of EDGAR also requires applicants to attach to their 
application a copy of their letter that requests the SEA to comment on 
the application (34 CFR 75.156). A copy of this letter should be 
attached to the Project Documentation Form contained in this 
application package.
    Applicants that do not submit a copy of their application to their 
SEA will not be considered for funding.

Notice to All Applicants

    Thank you for your interest in this program. The purpose of this 
enclosure is to inform you about a new provision in the Department of 
Education's General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) that applies to 
applicants for new grant awards under Department programs. This 
provision is Section 427 of GEPA, enacted as part of the Improving 
America's Schools Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-382).

To Whom Does This Provision Apply?

    Section 427 of GEPA affects applicants for new discretionary grant 
awards under this program. All applicants for new awards must include 
information in their applications to address this new provision in 
order to receive funding under this program.

What Does This Provision Require?

    Section 427 requires each applicant for funds (other than an 
individual person) to include in its application a description of the 
steps the applicant proposes to take to ensure equitable access to, and 
participation in, its Federally-assisted program for students, 
teachers, and other program beneficiaries with special needs.
    This section allows applicants discretion in developing the 
required description. The statute highlights six types of barriers that 
can impede equitable access or participation that you may address: 
gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age. Based on 
local circumstances, you can determine whether these or other barriers 
may prevent your students, teachers, etc. from equitable access or 
participation. Your description need not be lengthy; you may provide a 
clear and succinct description of how you plan to address those 
barriers that are applicable to your circumstances. In addition, the 
information may be provided in a single narrative, or, if appropriate, 
may be discussed in connection with related topics in the application.
    Section 427 is not intended to duplicate the requirements of civil 
rights statutes, but rather to ensure that, in designing their 
projects, applicants for Federal funds address equity concerns that may 
affect the ability of certain potential beneficiaries to fully 
participate in the project and to achieve to high standards. Consistent 
with program requirements and its approved application, an applicant 
may use the Federal funds awarded to it to eliminate barriers it 
identifies.

What are Examples of How an Applicant Might Satisfy the Requirements of 
This Provision?

    The following examples may help illustrate how an applicant may 
comply with Section 427.
    (1) An applicant that proposes to carry out an adult literacy 
project serving, among others, adults with limited English proficiency, 
might describe in its application how it intends to distribute a 
brochure about the proposed project to such potential participants in 
their native language.
    (2) An applicant that proposes to develop instructional materials 
for classroom use might describe how it will make the materials 
available on audio tape or in braille for students who are blind.
    (3) An applicant that proposes to carry out a model science program 
for secondary students and is concerned that girls may be less likely 
than boys to enroll in the course, might indicate how its intends to 
conduct ``outreach'' efforts to girls, to encourage their enrollment.
    We recognize that many applicants may already be implementing 
effective steps to ensure equity of access and participation in their 
grant programs, and we appreciate your cooperation in

[[Page 68092]]

responding to the requirements of this provision.

Estimated Burden Statement

    According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are 
required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this 
information collection is 1801-0004 (Exp. 8/31/98). The time required 
to complete this information collection is estimated to vary from 1 to 
3 hours per response, with an average of 1.5 hours, including the time 
to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather and 
maintain the data needed, and complete and review the information 
collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the 
time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write 
to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC 20202-4651.

Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities

Empowerment Zone (EZ)

California: Los Angeles
California: Oakland
Georgia: Atlanta
Illinois: Chicago
Kentucky: Kentucky Highlands*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    *Denotes rural designee
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maryland: Baltimore
Massachusetts: Boston
Michigan: Detroit
Mississippi: Mid Delta*
Missouri/Kansas: Kansas City, Kansas City
New York: Harlem, Bronx
Ohio: Cleveland
Pennsylvania/New Jersey: Philadelphia, Camden
Texas: Houston
Texas: Rio Grande Valley

Enterprise Community (EC)

Alabama: Birmingham
Alabama: Chambers County*
Alabama: Greene, Sumter Counties*
Arizona: Phoenix
Arizona: Arizona Border*
Arkansas: East Central*
Arkansas: Mississippi County*
California: L.A., Huntington Park
California: San Diego
California: San Francisco, Bayview, Hunter's Point
California: Watsonville*
Colorado: Denver
Connecticut: Bridgeport
Connecticut: New Haven
Delaware: Wilmington
District of Columbia: Washington
Florida: Jackson County*
Florida: Tampa
Florida: Miami, Dade County
Georgia: Albany
Georgia: Central Savannah*
Georgia: Crisp, Dooley Counties*
Illinois: East St. Louis
Illinois: Springfield
Indiana: Indianapolis
Iowa: Des Moines
Kentucky: Louisville
Louisiana: Northeast Delta*
Louisiana: Macon Ridge*
Louisiana: New Orleans
Louisiana: Ouachita Parish
Massachusetts: Lowell
Massachusetts: Springfield
Michigan: Five Cap*
Michigan: Flint

Enterprise Community (EC)

Michigan: Muskegon
Minnesota: Minneapolis
Minnesota: St. Paul
Mississippi: Jackson
Mississippi:North Delta*
Missouri: East Prairie*
Missouri: St. Louis
Nebraska: Omaha
Nevada: Clarke County, Las Vegas
New Hampshire: Manchester
New Jersey: Newark
New Mexico: Albuquerque
New Mexico: Moro, Rio Arriba, Taos Counties*
New York: Albany, Schenectady, Troy
New York: Buffalo
New York: Newburgh, Kingston
New York: Rochester
North Carolina: Charlotte
North Carolina: Halifax, Edgecombe, Wilson Counties*
North Carolina: Robeson County*
Ohio: Akron
Ohio: Columbus
Ohio: Grater Portsmouth *
Oklahoma: Choctaw, McCurtain Counties*
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City
Oregon: Josephine*
Oregon: Portland
Pennsylvania: Harrisburg
Pennsylvania: Lock Haven*
Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh
Rhode Island: Providence
South Dakota: Deadle, Spink Counties*
South Carolina: Charleston
South Carolina: Williamsburg County*
Tennessee: Fayette, Haywood Counties*
Tennessee: Memphis
Tennessee: Nashville
Tennessee/Kentucky: Scott, McCreary Counties*
Texas: Dallas
Texas: El Paso
Texas: San Antonio
Texas: Waco
Utah: Ogden
Vermont: Burlington
Virginia: Accomack*
Virginia: Norfolk
Virginia: Lower Yakima*
Washington: Seattle
Washington: Tacoma
West Virginia: West Central*
West Virginia: Huntington
West Virginia: McDowell*
Wisconsin: Milwaukee

Questions and Answers

Does the Career Ladder Program have specific evaluation requirements?
    Yes, the evaluation requirements are described in Section 7149 of 
Title VII of ESEA, 20 U.S.C. 7479.
What requirements must grantees meet related to teacher certification?
    The Title VII statute requires grantees to assist educational 
personnel in meeting State and local certification requirements. 20 
U.S.C. 7477. However, because certification requirements vary among 
States, applicants are given flexibility in designing activities that 
lead to meeting State and local certification requirements.
May program budgets include costs for items other than student tuition 
and fees?
    Project budgets should reflect the proposed program activities. In 
addition to student support costs, budget items may include costs for 
personnel, supplies or equipment, and other reasonable and necessary 
costs to support developmental activities.
What information may be helpful in preparing the application narrative 
for a Career Ladder Program?
    In responding to the selection criteria applicants may wish to 
consider the following questions as a guide for preparing application 
narrative.
    <bullet> What are the specific responsibilities of districts, 
schools, institutions of higher education and other partnership 
organizations in planning, implementing and evaluating the proposed 
program? How is the program linked to the school district's overall 
professional development plan? What resources and support will each of 
the consortia members provide? How will resources be integrated to 
ensure maximum effectiveness of the program and to promote capacity 
building and long-range collaboration?
    <bullet> How does the training curricula reflect high standards for 
pedagogy, content, and proficiency in English and a second language to 
ensure that participants are effectively prepared to provide 
instruction and support to LEP students?
    <bullet> How will the program assist in systemically reforming 
policies and practices in the target schools and in the

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IHE related to the preparation of new teachers, the induction of new 
bilingual teachers, clinical experiences for new bilingual teachers and 
other educational personnel, or professional development opportunities 
for all teachers?
    <bullet> What special selection criteria will the applicant adopt 
to ensure that individuals selected to participate in the program hold 
promise for successfully completing program requirements?
    <bullet> What special support will be provided to participants by 
experienced bilingual teachers, higher education faculty, and school 
administrators to guide them during their period of induction?
    <bullet> How will the instructional responsibilities of 
participants be balanced with appropriate professional development, 
support and planning time?
    <bullet> How will clinical experiences for preservice participants 
be structured to ensure that they are well-supervised, of sufficient 
duration and in a setting which provides opportunities for participants 
to experience a variety of effective bilingual education instructional 
methods and approaches?
    <bullet> How is the training curriculum based on current research 
related to effective teaching and learning? What evidence of 
effectiveness supports the training model?
    <bullet> What performance indicators will the proposed program use 
to support the effectiveness of the program related to, for example: 
improved teaching practices; participants' effectiveness in the 
instructional setting; improved performance on National or State 
benchmark tests; reduction in the number of new bilingual teachers 
leaving the profession; improvement of graduation rates?
    <bullet> How will the program evaluation incorporate strategies for 
assessing the progress and performance of participants; communicating 
meaningful, regular and timely feedback to participants; improving the 
quality of the training program; documenting and identifying exemplary 
program features and successful strategies; and reporting on specific 
data related to the number of participants completing the program and 
the number of graduates placed in the instructional setting?
In addition, applicants may wish to consider the Department of 
Education Professional Development Principles in planning a Career 
Ladder Program
    The following are the professional development principles: Focuses 
on teachers as central to student learning, yet includes all other 
members of the school community; focuses on individual, collegial and 
organizational improvement; respects and nurtures the intellectual and 
leadership capacity of teachers, principals, and others in the school 
community; reflects best available research and practice in teaching, 
learning, and leadership; enables teachers to develop further expertise 
in subject content, teaching strategies, uses of technologies, and 
other essential elements in teaching to high standards; promotes 
continuous inquiry and improvement embedded in the daily life of 
schools; is planned collaboratively by those who will participate in 
and facilitate that development; requires substantial time and other 
resources; is driven by a coherent long-term plan; is evaluated 
ultimately on the basis of its impact on teacher effectiveness and 
student learning; and uses this assessment to guide subsequent 
professional development efforts.
What other information may be helpful in applying for a Career Ladder 
Program?
    Applicants are reminded that they must submit a copy of their 
application to the SEA for review and comment. In addition, applicants 
must submit a copy of their application to the State Single Point of 
Contact to satisfy the requirements of Executive Order 12372.

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[FR Doc. 97-33950 Filed 12-29-97; 8:45 am]
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