36826 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 129 /Tuesday, July 7, 1998 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Safe and Drug-Free Schools and

Communities National Programs;

Federal Activities Grants Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of final priorities and

selection criteria for fiscal year 1998.

SUMMARY: The Secretary announces final

priorities and selection criteria for fiscal

year (FY) 1998 under the Safe and DrugFree Schools and Communities (SDFSC)

National Programs Federal Activities

Grants Program. The Secretary takes this

action to focus Federal financial

assistance on identified national needs

to promote the creation of safe and

orderly learning environments for all

students and to encourage the

development of systems to collect data

related to youth drug use and violent

behavior.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These priorities take

effect August 6, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

further information about the two

priorities under the Safe and Drug-Free

Schools and Communities National

Programs Federal Activities Grants

Program, contact the Safe and Drug-Free

Schools Program, U.S. Department of

Education, 600 Independence Avenue,

SW., Room 603 Portals, Washington,

D.C. 20202–6123. Telephone: (202) 260–

3954. FAX (202) 260–3748. Internet:

http://www.PatricialRattler@ed.gov.

Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD) may call the Federal Information

Relay Service at (FIRS) at 1–800–877–

8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.,

Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Note: This notice of final priority does not

solicit applications. A notice inviting

applications under these competitions is

published elsewhere in this issue of the

Federal Register.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice contains two final priorities and

related selection criteria for fiscal year

1998. Under absolute priority one

(CFDA 84.184G, State and Local

Educational Agency Drug and Violence

Prevention Data Collection), the

Secretary may make awards for up to 24

months. Under absolute priority number

two (CFDA 84.184J), Model

Demonstration Programs, the Secretary

may award cooperative agreements for

up to 60 months. Cooperative

agreements funded through this priority

will serve as national demonstration

sites to test strategies, assess

effectiveness, and make a major

contribution to the development and

dissemination of models and

components of models that can be used

by school districts and other youthserving agencies nationwide.

On May 19, 1998, the Secretary

published the proposed priorities for

these competitions in a Notice of

Request for Public Comments in the

Federal Register (63 FR 27646). In

response to comments received, the

Secretary made no modifications, as

noted in the following section—

Analysis of Comments and Changes—of

this notice of final priorities.

Analysis of Comments and Changes

In response to the Secretary’s

invitation to comment on the proposed

priorities, the Department received four

responses. These included responses

from local educational agencies, a State

agency, and an individual. Comments

that did not suggest changes in the

priority language are not addressed. An

analysis of the comments, organized by

priority, follows.

Priority 1—State and Local Educational

Agency Drug and Violence Prevention

Data Collection

Comment: One commenter suggested

strengthening the language in this

priority concerning coordination with

other existing data collection efforts by

requiring applicants to document other

existing data collection activities and

how they will collaborate with them.

The commenter suggested requiring

letters from youth-serving agencies in

other, non-educational domains as part

of applications to help demonstrate

collaboration.

Discussion: The language in the

proposed priority requires applicants to

describe how efforts proposed as part of

the project have been coordinated with

and will not duplicate existing data

collection efforts. The proposed change

in the priority would require a level of

proof that is unnecessary in order to

permit evaluation of a proposal.

Changes: None.

Priority 2—Model Demonstration

Programs to Create Safe and Orderly

Learning Environments in Schools

Comments: Two commenters

proposed modifications to this priority

that would limit the variety of program

models that could be implemented with

a grant under this priority.

Discussion: The existing language in

the priority is specifically designed to

include a wide range of possible

program models that meet general

criteria. The proposed limitations would

significantly reduce the flexibility

provided in the original language.

Changes: None.

Comment: One commenter suggested

that language in the priority be revised

to require that the entire model program

proposed be based on research, not just

specific components or strategies.

Discussion: The language in the

proposed priority is intended to solicit

applications that combine multiple

strategies and programs into a model

program that will comprehensively

address the risk factors that predispose

youth to drug use and violent behavior.

Because research-based information

about the effect of combined strategies

and programs as a comprehensive

model is limited, the proposed priority

language allows applicants the

flexibility to propose model programs

that combine research-based programs

and strategies in innovative or untested

ways.

Changes: None.

Priorities: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)

and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and

Communities Act of 1994, the Secretary

gives an absolute preference to

applications that meet one of the

following priorities. The Secretary funds

under this competition only

applications that meet one of these

absolute priorities.

Absolute Priority 1 and Selection

Criteria—State and Local Educational

Agency Drug and Violence Prevention

Data Collection (CFDA 84.184G)

Priority 1:

Under this priority, applicants must

propose projects that—

(1) Develop, improve, expand, or

enhance the collection of data related to

youth drug use and violence; and

(2) Develop and implement processes

to ensure that high-quality data are used

to form policy, assess needs, select

interventions, and assess the success of

drug and violence prevention activities

funded under the SDFSCA State Grants

Program. Projects may be State-wide in

scope or limited to an individual local

educational agency, or a consortium of

local educational agencies, with a

student enrollment that exceeds 30,000.

Projects must address drug and

violence prevention data for students in

general, not just for a sub-set of the

population (e.g., non-English speaking

students or hearing-impaired students).

To be considered for funding under

this competition, a project must

include—

(1) Concrete plans, with time lines,

that detail how the results of new or

improved data collection efforts will be

incorporated into State and local

educational agency efforts to assess

needs, select interventions, and assess

success of drug and violence prevention

efforts;
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 129 /Tuesday, July 7, 1998 / Notices 36827

(2) Outcome-based performance

indicators that will be used to judge the

success of the project;

(3) A description of how efforts

proposed as part of the project have

been coordinated with and will not

duplicate data collection efforts being

implemented by other State or local

agencies; and

(4) If the applicant is other than a

State or local educational agency,

evidence of commitment from the State

educational agency (for State-wide

projects) or from the superintendent of

schools (for local projects).

Selection Criteria

(a)(1) The Secretary uses the following

selection criteria to evaluate proposals

submitted under this priority.

The maximum score for all of the

criteria in this section is 100 points.

The maximum score for each criterion

is indicated in parentheses with the

criterion.

(b) The criteria. —

1. Need for project. (15 points)

In determining need for the proposed

project, the following factors are

considered:

(a) The magnitude of the need for the

services to be provided or the activities

to be carried out by the proposed

project.

(b) 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 magnitude of those gaps or

weaknesses.

2. Significance. (25 points)

In determining the significance of the

proposed project, the following factors

are considered:

(a) The significance of the problem or

issues to be addressed by the proposed

project.

(b) The likelihood that the proposed

project will result in system change or

improvement.

(c ) The extent to which the proposed

project is likely to build local capacity

to provide, improve, or expand services

that address the needs of the target

population.

3. Quality of the project design. (25

points)

In determining the quality of the

design of the proposed project, the

following factors are considered:

(a) The extent to which the goals,

objectives, and outcomes to be achieved

by the proposed project are clearly

specified and measurable.

(b) The extent to which the proposed

project is designed to build capacity and

yield results that will extend beyond the

period of Federal financial assistance.

(c ) The extent to which the proposed

project will be coordinated with similar

or related efforts, and with other

appropriate community, State, and

Federal resources.

4. Adequacy of resources. (15 points)

In determining the adequacy of

resources for the proposed project, the

following factors are considered:

(a) The extent to which the costs are

reasonable in relation to the objectives,

design, and potential significance of the

proposed project.

(b) The potential for the incorporation

of project purposes, activities or benefits

into the ongoing program of the agency

or organization at the end of Federal

funding.

5. Quality of the management plan

(10 points).

In determining the quality of the

management plan for the proposed

project, the following factor is

considered: The adequacy of the

management plan to achieve the

objectives of the proposed project on

time and within budget, including

clearly defined responsibilities, time

lines, and milestones for accomplishing

project tasks.

6. Quality of the project evaluation.

(10 points)

In determining the quality of the

evaluation to be conducted for the

proposed project, the following factor is

considered: The extent to which the

methods of evaluation will provide

performance feedback and permit

periodic assessment of progress toward

achieving intended outcomes.

Absolute Priority 2 and Selection

Criteria—Model Demonstration

Programs to Create Safe and Orderly

Learning Environments in Schools

(CFDA 84.184J)

Priority 2:

Projects proposed under this priority

are expected to comprehensively

address multiple factors that predispose

youth to drug use and violent behavior.

Therefore, projects will not be funded

for: (a) basic support of existing

programs; (b) replication of a single

program of demonstrated effectiveness,

or (c) less than $500,000 or more than

$1 million.

Projects supported under this priority

will be funded for implementation in

one site for three years and for

replication in additional sites for two

years. Projects will be reviewed during

the third year to examine, among other

factors, the degree to which the

evaluation findings at the original site

are promising, and the quality of the

evaluation design proposed to test the

model at other sites during years four

and five. Projects that fail to

demonstrate effectiveness at the original

site will not be funded to test the

model’s replication in other sites.

Under this priority, applicants must

propose projects that:

(1) Develop and implement a model

with specific components or strategies

that are based on theory, research, or

evaluation data;

(2) Identify outcomes intended to

result in behavioral change in youth

served and other indicators of the

effectiveness of the model (e.g.,

improved bonding to school and to the

community, reductions in disciplinary

referrals, absence of firearms and other

weapons in schools, acquisition of prosocial skills, and reductions in alcohol,

tobacco, and other drug use by the target

population);

(3 ) Evaluate the model by using

multiple measures to determine the

effectiveness of the model and its

components or strategies; and

(4) Produce detailed documentation of

procedures and materials that would

enable others to replicate the model as

implemented at the original site.

Applicants must provide the

following : (a) recent and historical data

on drug use by youth; (b) data that

describe patterns of violence and

disruptive acts in schools; (c) rates of

referral to juvenile justice authorities for

bringing weapons to school, drug use or

possession, and violent criminal acts;

(d) evidence of gang and violence

problems in the target community, and

(e) demographic information for the

geographic area in which the school is

located.

Selection Criteria

(a)(1) The Secretary uses the following

selection criteria to evaluate proposals

submitted under this priority.

The maximum score for all of the

criteria in this section is 100 points.

(2) The maximum score for each

criterion is indicated in parentheses.

(b) The criteria. —

1. Significance. (30 points)

In determining the significance of the

proposed project, the following factors

are considered:

(a) The potential contribution of the

proposed project to the development

and advancement of theory, knowledge,

and practices in the field of study.

(b) The extent to which the proposed

project is likely to yield findings that

may be utilized by other appropriate

agencies and organizations.

(c ) The potential replicability of the

proposed project or strategies,

including, as appropriate, the potential

for implementation in a variety of

settings.

2. Quality of the project design. (25

points)
36828 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 129 /Tuesday, July 7, 1998 / Notices

In determining the quality of the

design of the proposed project, the

following factors are considered: (a) The extent to which the goals,

objectives, and outcomes to be achieved

by the proposed project are clearly

specified and measurable. (b) The extent to which there is a

conceptual framework underlying the

proposed research or demonstration

activities and the quality of that

framework.

(c ) The extent to which the design of

the proposed project reflects up-to-date

knowledge from research and effective

practice. (d) The quality of the proposed

demonstration design and procedures

for documenting project activities and

results;

(e) The extent to which the proposed

project represents an exceptional

approach to the priority or priorities

established for the competition. 3. Adequacy of resources. (10 points) In determining the adequacy of

resources for the proposed project, the

following factors are considered: (a) The relevance and demonstrated

commitment of each partner in the

proposed project to the implementation

and success of the project. (b) The extent to which the costs are

reasonable in relation to the objectives,

design and potential significance of the

proposed project. 4. Quality of the management plan.

(10 points) In determining the quality of the

management plan, the following factors

will be considered:

(a) The adequacy of the management

plan to achieve the objectives of the

proposed project on time and within

budget, including clearly defined

responsibilities, time lines, and

milestones for accomplishing project

tasks.

(b) The extent to which the time

commitments of the project director and

principal investigator and other key

project personnel are appropriate and

adequate to meet the objectives of the

proposed project. 5. Quality of the project evaluation.

(25 points) In determining the quality of the

evaluation, the following factors will be

considered:

(a) The extent to which the methods

of the evaluation are thorough, feasible,

and appropriate to the goals, objectives

and outcomes of the proposed project.

(b) 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.

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 Departments’s

specific plans and actions for this

program.

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.

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

above. 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.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Numbers 84.184G and 84.184J, Safe and

Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act

National Programs—Federal Activities Grants

Program.)

Dated: July 2, 1998.

Gerald N. Tirozzi,

Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and

Secondary Education.

[FR Doc. 98–18033 Filed 7–6–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA Nos.: 84.184G and 84.184J]

Office of Elementary and Secondary

Education—Safe and Drug-Free

Schools and Communities National

Programs; Combined Notice Inviting

Applications for New Awards for Fiscal

Year 1998

Purpose of Program: The National

Programs portion of the SDFSCA

supports the development of innovative

programs that (1) provide models or

proven effective practices that will

assist schools and communities around

the Nation to improve their programs

funded under the State Grants portion of

the SDFSCA; and (2) develop,

implement, evaluate, and disseminate

new or improved approaches to creating

safe and orderly learning environments

in schools.

Eligible Applicants: State and local

educational agencies, institutions of

higher education, other nonprofit

agencies, organizations, and

individuals, and any combination of

these types of entities.

Applications Available: July 2, 1998.

Deadline for Receipt of Applications:

August 6, 1998.

Note: All applications must be received on

or before the deadline date. This requirement

takes exception to the Education Department

General Administrative Regulations

(EDGAR), 34 CFR 75.102. In accordance with

the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C.

553), it is the practice of the Secretary to offer

interested parties the opportunity to

comment on proposed regulations. However,

this amendment to EDGAR makes procedural

changes only and does not establish new

substantive policy. Therefore, under 5 U.S.C.

553(b)(A), proposed rulemaking is not

required.

Deadline for Intergovernmental

Review: September 8, 1998.

CFDA No. and name Range of awards

Estimated

average

size of

awards

Estimated

number

of awards

Estimated

available

funds

Project period

84.184G State and Local Educational Agency

Drug and Violence Prevention Data Collection.

$400,000 to $600,000

(estimated).

$500,000 6 $3,000,000 Up to 24 months.