14570 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 58 / Wednesday, March 26, 1997 / Notices

Changes: None.

Comments Related to the Role of Word

Recognition Instruction in Early Reading

Programs

Comments: One commenter argued

that the role of word recognition

instruction in early reading programs

should be included. This commenter

felt that this issue is schools’’ largest

area of concern, noting that there is very

little solid research documenting how to

structure a quality school reading

program that contains quality literature

and instruction in word recognition,

including phonics.

Discussion: The Secretary agrees that

the role of word recognition instruction

in early reading programs is important

and believes that it is included under

paragraphs (f)(2) and (3) of the priority.

Changes: None.

Comments Related to Programs for

Struggling Readers

Comments: One commenter

advocated the inclusion of programs for

struggling readers. This commenter

argued that most pull-out programs have

not been effective in bridging the gap in

achievement, hence programs that might

work better need to be studied, along

with methods of organizing classrooms

to accommodate diversity.

Discussion: The Secretary agrees that

programs for struggling readers (e.g.,

Reading Recovery, among others)

require study and believes that they are

included under multiple paragraphs in

the priority ‘‘ most specifically (f)(2),

where the social sciences will bear on

organizing for instruction, and (f)(3).

Changes: None.

Comments Related to Challenges Facing

High-Poverty, Low-Achieving Schools

Comments: One commenter, citing

preliminary evidence, which suggests

that reading instruction has a larger

effect on low-achieving populations in

high poverty schools than it does on

other students, recommends that

research on low-achieving, high-poverty

students be included in addition to

research on bilingualism and

multiculturalism.

Discussion: The Secretary agrees that

the challenges facing high-poverty, lowachieving schools are important and

believes that they are included under

multiple paragraphs in the priority’’

most particularly (f)(2–3) and (5–6).

Changes: None.

Comments Related to Second Language

Learners

Comments: One commenter

recommended that the topic of second

language learners be included. This

commenter pointed out that improving

early reading in California necessitates

the inclusion of the Second Language

Learner’s primary language, given the

state’s demographic landscape.

Discussion: The Secretary agrees that

the topic of second language learners is

important and believes that it is

included under paragraph (f)(2) in the

priority.

Changes: None.

Comments Related to Enhanced

Learning in Different Subjects/Skills

Comments: One commenter asserted

that early math, for example, is much

more wanting than early reading and

recommended that enhanced learning in

many different subjects/skills be

included.

Discussion: The Secretary agrees that

enhanced learning in different subjects/

skills is important and believes that it is

appropriately included in this center

under paragraph (f)(6) in the priority.

Changes: None.

Comments Related to Brain

Development

Comments: One commenter asserted

that the central study area for early

learning should be brain development.

This commenter stated that reading is

but one function of brain development

and should be studied accordingly.

Discussion: The Secretary agrees that

brain development is important and

believes that it is included under

paragraph (f)(2) in the priority. The

Secretary has also added language to

clarify that, as the topic of study, ‘‘early

reading’’ may include this work.

Changes: None.

Comments Related to Motivational and

Affective Factors

Comments: One commenter observed

that (f)(5) (to conduct research in the

areas of motivation and affective factors)

seemed more narrow and limiting when

compared to the other items under (f).

This commenter argued that the relative

importance of this factor is diminished

next to issues that address knowledge

about the reading process, about how

reading instruction might best occur,

about reading teachers’ knowledge,

practice, and change, and about the

global nature and influences (classroom

and community) on reading.

Discussion: The Secretary agrees that

the topics subsumed under (f)(1–3) may

appear to be quite comprehensive and

that (f)(4–6) may be viewed as less so.

The Secretary has not assigned weights

to the elements under (f)(1–7), and thus

expects that applicants will submit

applications that reflect their own views

on the relative importance of these

elements.

Changes: None.

[FR Doc. 97–7677 Filed 3–21–97; 3:28 pm]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA Number: 84.305R]

Office of Educational Research and

Improvement (OERI)—Education

Research and Development Centers

Program; Notice Inviting Applications

for a New Award for Fiscal Year (FY)

1997

Purpose of Program: To support a

national research and development

center to carry out sustained research

that will lead to improvements in early

reading instruction and related

practices.

Eligible Applicants: Institutions of

higher education, institutions of higher

education in consort with public

agencies or private nonprofit

organizations, and interstate agencies

established by compact that operate

subsidiary bodies established to conduct

postsecondary educational research and

development.

Deadline for Transmittal of

Applications: May 28, 1997.

Applications Available: March 28,

1997.

Estimated Available Funds: The

estimated funding level over the fiveyear project period for the national

research center on early reading is

$2,500,000 each year. Actual funding

will depend upon the availability of

funds and needs as reflected in the

approved application.

Estimated Number of Awards: 1.

Note: The Department 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, 80, 81, 82, 85,

and 86; and (b) The regulations in 34

CFR Part 700.

Priority: The absolute priority in the

notice of final priority and post-award

requirements for this program, as

published elsewhere in this issue of the

Federal Register apply to this

competition.

Selection Criteria

(a)(1)(A) The Secretary uses the

selection criteria in 20 U.S.C.

6031(c)(3)(E)(i)-(vi) and 34 CFR

700.30(e) to evaluate applications for

new grants under this program.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 58 / Wednesday, March 26, 1997 / Notices 14571

(b) The Secretary has incorporated the

statutory selection criteria into the

criteria established under 34 CFR

700.30. The statutory criteria are:

(3)(ii)(C); (4)(ii)(D); (4)(ii)(E); (5)(ii)(C);

(5)(ii)(D); and, (5)(ii)(H).

(2) The maximum score for all of

these criteria is 100 points.

(3) The maximum score for each

criterion is indicated in parentheses (34

CFR 700.30(c)).

(c) The criteria.

(1) National Significance. (30 points)

(i) The Secretary considers the

national significance of the proposed

project.

(ii) In determining the national

significance of the proposed project, the

Secretary considers the following

factors:

(A) The importance of the problem or

issue to be addressed.

(B) The potential contribution of the

project to increased knowledge or

understanding of educational problems,

issues, or effective strategies.

(C) The potential contribution of the

project to the development and

advancement of theory and knowledge

in the field of study.

(D) The nature of the products (such

as information, materials, processes, or

techniques) likely to result from the

project and the potential for their

effective use in a variety of other

settings.

(2) Quality of the Project Design. (30

points)

(i) The Secretary considers the quality

of the design of the proposed project.

(ii) In determining the quality of the

design of the proposed project, the

Secretary considers the following

factors:

(A) Whether there is a conceptual

framework underlying the proposed

activities and the quality of that

framework.

(B) Whether the proposed activities

constitute a coherent, sustained program

of research and development in the

field, including a substantial addition to

an ongoing line of inquiry.

(C) The extent to which the research

design includes a thorough, high-quality

review of the relevant literature, a highquality plan for research activities, and

use of appropriate theoretical and

methodological tools, including those of

a variety of disciplines, where

appropriate.

(D) The quality of the plan for

evaluating the functioning and impact

of the project, including the objectivity

of the evaluation and the extent to

which the methods of evaluation are

appropriate to the goals, objectives, and

outcomes of the project.

(3) Quality and Potential

Contributions of Personnel. (20 points)

(i) The Secretary considers the quality

and potential contributions of personnel

for the proposed project.

(ii) In determining the quality and

potential contributions of personnel for

the proposed project, the Secretary

considers the following factors:

(A) The qualifications, including

training and experience, of the project

director or principal investigator.

(B) The qualifications, including

training and experience, of key project

personnel.

(C) Whether the applicant has

assembled a group of high quality

researchers sufficient to achieve the

mission of the center.

(4) Adequacy of Resources. (10 points)

(i) The Secretary considers the

adequacy of resources for the proposed

project.

(ii) In determining the adequacy of

resources for the proposed project, the

Secretary considers the following

factors:

(A) The adequacy of support from the

lead applicant organization.

(B) The relevance and commitment of

each partner in the project to the

implementation and success of the

project.

(C) Whether the costs are reasonable

in relation to the objectives, design, and

potential significance of the project.

(D) Whether the proposed

organizational structure and

arrangements will facilitate achievement

of the mission of the center.

(E) Whether the directors and support

staff will devote a majority of their time

to the activities of the center.

(5) Quality of the Management Plan.

(10 points)

(i) The Secretary considers the quality

of the management plan of the proposed

project.

(ii) In determining the quality of the

management plan of a proposed project,

the Secretary considers the following

factors:

(A) The adequacy of the management

plan to achieve the objectives of the

project, including the specification of

staff responsibility, timelines, and

benchmarks for accomplishing project

tasks.

(B) The adequacy of plans for

ensuring high-quality products and

services.

(C) The contributions of primary

researchers (other than researchers at

the proposed center) and the

appropriateness of such researchers’

experiences and expertise in the context

of the proposed center activities, and

the adequacy of such primary

researchers’ time and commitment to

achievement of the mission of the

center.

(D) Whether there is a substantial staff

commitment to the work of the center.

(E) How the applicant will ensure that

a diversity of perspectives are brought to

bear in the operation of the project,

including those of parents and teachers,

where appropriate.

(F) The manner in which the results

of education research will be

disseminated for further use, including

how the center will work with the

Office of Reform Assistance and

Dissemination (an organizational unit

within the Office of Educational

Research and Improvement).

For Applications or Information

Contact: Dr. Anne P. Sweet, U.S.

Department of Education, 555 New

Jersey Avenue, NW., Washington, DC

20208–5521. Telephone: (202) 219–

2079. Internet address: (anne—

sweet@ed.gov). 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.

Information about the Department’s

funding opportunities, including copies

of application notices or discretionary

grant competitions, can be viewed on

the Department’s electronic bulletin

board (ED Board), telephone (202) 260–

9950; on the Internet Gopher Server (at

gopher://gcs.ed.gov); or on the World

Wide Web (at http://gcs.ed.gov).

However, the official application notice

for a discretionary grant competition is

the notice published in the Federal

Register.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C.

6031(c)(1)(B)(i).

Dated: March 20, 1997.

Marshall Smith,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational

Research and Improvement.

[FR Doc. 97–7678 Filed 3–21–97; 3:28 pm]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P