6910 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Proposed Rules 

TABLE 1 TO § 165.939—Continued 

Event Location 1 2 Date 3

(3) Head of the Cuyahoga ... Cleveland, OH. All U.S. waters of the Cuyahoga River, 

between a line drawn perpendicular to the river 

banks from position 41°29′55′′ N, 081°42′23′′ W 

(NAD 83) just past the Detroit-Superior Viaduct 

bridge at MM 1.42 of the Cuyahoga River south to a 

line drawn perpendicular to the river banks at position 41°28′32′′ N, 081°40′16′′ W (NAD 83) just south 

of the Interstate 490 bridge at MM 4.79 of the Cuyahoga River.

The 3rd weekend in September. 

(4) Village of Sodus Point 

Labor Day Fireworks.

Sodus Point, NY. All waters of Lake Ontario, from surface to bottom, encompassed by a 560-foot radius 

around 43°16′33′′ N 076°58′27′′ W in Sodus Point, 

NY.

On or around the 1st weekend of September. 

(j) October Safety Zones 

(1) Light the Night at 

Canalside.

Buffalo, NY. All waters of Lake Erie, from surface to 

bottom, encompassed by 350-foot radius around 

42°52′07.96′′ N 78°53′00.87′′ W.

On or around the 1st weekend of October. 

(k) November Safety Zones 

(1) City of Oswego Tree 

Lighting Display.

Oswego, NY. All waters of the Oswego River, from surface to bottom, encompassed by a 210-foot radius 

around 43°27′15.18′′ N, 76°30′27.89′′ W.

On or around the 4th weekend in November. 

(l) December Safety Zones 

(1) City of North Tonawanda 

NYE Fireworks.

North Tonawanda, NY. All waters of the Erie Canal, 

from surface to bottom, encompassed by a 105-foot 

radius around 43°01′17.96′′ N 78°52′41.04′′ W.

On or around the last night in December. 

1All geographic coordinates in Table 1 to § 165.939 are North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83). 

2 Location and zone size subject to change. Exact location and size will be posted in Notice of Enforcement and Local Notice to Mariners. 3 Date subject to change. Exact date will be posted in Notice of Enforcement and Local Notice to Mariners. 

Dated: January 8, 2025. 

M.I. Kuperman, 

Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the 

Port Sector Eastern Great Lakes. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00693 Filed 1–17–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–04–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

34 CFR Chapter III 

[Docket ID ED–2024–OSERS–0138] 

Rehabilitation Long-Term Training 

Program 

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), 

Department of Education. 

ACTION: Proposed priorities and 

requirements. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Education 

(Department) proposes priorities and 

requirements under the Rehabilitation 

Long-Term Training (RLTT) program 

with a focus on the Comprehensive 

System of Personnel Development 

(CSPD) and six rehabilitation topic 

areas. The Department may use these 

priorities and requirements for 

competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2025 

and later years. This action is intended 

to address the national needs for the 

RLTT program, particularly the 

retention of qualified vocational 

rehabilitation (VR) personnel in the 

field of State VR services and the 

training of RSA scholars who aspire to 

become VR professionals and will fill 

critical VR positions where there are 

shortages. 

DATES: We must receive your comments 

on or before February 20, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: Comments must be 

submitted via the Federal eRulemaking 

Portal at www.regulations.gov. However, 

if you require an accommodation or 

cannot otherwise submit your 

comments via www.regulations.gov, 

please contact the program contact 

person listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. The Department 

will not accept comments submitted by 

fax or by email, or after the comment 

period closes. To ensure the Department 

does not receive duplicate copies, 

please submit your comments only 

once. In addition, please include the 

Docket ID at the top of your comments. 

Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

www.regulations.gov to submit your 

comments electronically. Information 

on using Regulations.gov, including 

instructions for accessing agency 

documents, submitting comments, and 

viewing the docket, is available on the 

site under ‘‘FAQ.’’ 

Note: The Department’s policy is 

generally to make comments received 

from members of the public available for 

public viewing in their entirety on the 

Federal eRulemaking Portal at 

www.regulations.gov. Therefore, 

commenters should be careful to only 

include information in their comments 

that they wish to make publicly 

available. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Diandrea Bailey, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 

room 4A10, Washington, DC 20202. 

Telephone: (202) 987–0126. Email: 

84.129@ed.gov. 

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or 

have a speech disability and wish to 

access telecommunications relay 

services, please dial 7–1–1. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Invitation to Comment: We invite you 

to submit comments regarding the 

proposed priorities and requirements. 

To ensure that your comments have 

maximum effect in developing the final 

priorities and requirements, we urge 


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you to clearly identify the specific 

section of the proposed priorities and 

requirements that each comment 

addresses. 

We are particularly interested in 

comments about whether the proposed 

priorities or requirements would be 

challenging for new applicants to meet 

and, if so, how the proposed priorities 

or requirements could be revised to 

address potential challenges. 

We invite you to assist us in 

complying with the specific 

requirements of Executive Orders 

12866, 13563, and 14094 and their 

overall requirement of reducing 

regulatory burden that might result from 

these proposed priorities and 

requirements. Please let us know of any 

further ways we could reduce potential 

costs or increase potential benefits 

while preserving the effective and 

efficient administration of the program. 

During and after the comment period, 

you may inspect public comments about 

the proposed priorities and 

requirements, by accessing 

Regulations.gov. To inspect comments 

in person, please contact the person 

listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. 

Assistance to Individuals with 

Disabilities in Reviewing the 

Rulemaking Record: On request, we will 

provide an appropriate accommodation 

or auxiliary aid to an individual with a 

disability who needs assistance to 

review the comments or other 

documents in the public rulemaking 

record for the proposed priorities and 

requirements. If you want to schedule 

an appointment for this type of aid, 

please contact the person listed under 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 

Purpose of Program: The purpose of 

the RLTT program is to provide 

financial assistance for academic 

training in areas of personnel shortages 

identified by the Secretary and 

published in a notice in the Federal 

Register. RLTT funds are awarded to 

colleges and universities. Grantees must 

award at least 65 percent of project 

funds as scholarships (i.e., awards of 

financial assistance, including 

disbursements or credits for student 

stipends, tuition and fees, books and 

supplies, and student travel in 

conjunction with training assignments) 

to students (herein referred to as RSA 

scholars) enrolled in the RLTT program. 

Assistance Listing Number: 84.129. 

Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 772. 

Applicable Regulations: 34 CFR parts 

385 and 386. 

Proposed Priorities: This document 

contains two proposed priorities. The 

Department may use one or both 

priorities for the FY 2025 RLTT program 

competitions and for any subsequent 

competitions. 

Proposed Priority 1: RLTT Program for 

State VR Agencies’ CSPD: Master’s 

Degree or Certificate, Assistance Listing 

Number (ALN) 84.129W. 

Background: The Department 

published a Notice of Final Priority in 

the Federal Register on July 23, 2014, 

establishing a priority for nine 

rehabilitation specialty areas of national 

need, including CSPD. Subsequently, 

RSA awarded eight CSPD grants to 

institutions of higher education (IHEs) 

in FY 2015 with a focus on providing 

academic training leading to a master’s 

degree or academic certificate that 

supported State agency VR counselors. 

Grants were funded for a five-year cycle 

and expired in FY 2020. RSA has not 

awarded CSPD grants since FY 2015 as 

the national need for CSPDs was not the 

primary priority. Additionally, the RSA 

discretionary Rehabilitation TrainingState Vocational Rehabilitation Unit InService Training program that 

supported special projects to train state 

vocational rehabilitation unit personnel 

was no longer available in 2015 (as a 

result of the amendments to the 

Rehabilitation Act made by the 

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 

Act). As such, there remains a need to 

provide continuing education to 

rehabilitation professionals and 

paraprofessionals within the designated 

State unit, particularly with respect to 

rehabilitation technology so that they 

can establish and maintain education 

and experience requirements, to ensure 

that the personnel have a 21st century 

understanding of the evolving labor 

force and the needs of individuals with 

disabilities as mandated by the 

Rehabilitation Act. This continuing 

education is also important for 

rehabilitation professionals and 

paraprofessionals to meet the current 

challenges facing State VR agencies and 

related agencies in assisting individuals 

with disabilities to achieve high-quality 

competitive integrated employment 

outcomes. 

Under Proposed Priority 1, applicants 

must propose a CSPD project that 

provides training to currently employed 

State VR agency personnel, including 

VR counselors with disabilities and VR 

counselors from racially and ethnically 

diverse backgrounds. 

The academic training for all 

participants must meet (A) the 

designated State unit (DSU) personnel 

standards required under section 

101(a)(7) of the Rehabilitation Act of 

1973, as amended, and 34 CFR 361.18 

and (B) the qualifications for the 

master’s degree or academic certificate 

specified in the State’s CSPD plans or of 

the States with which the State VR 

counselors and other personnel are 

working. 

CSPD proposed projects must develop 

and use innovative approaches to train 

VR professionals, including using 

cutting-edge technology or innovative 

applications of advanced technology 

(e.g., hybrid learning and competencybased programs) to maximize 

participation in, and improve the 

effectiveness of, the academic training. 

Proposed Priority 2: RLTT Program for 

Rehabilitation Topic Areas, ALNs 

84.129B, 84.129E, 84.129H, 84.129L, 

84.129P, and 84.129Q. 

Background: The goal of this priority 

is to increase the number of RSA 

scholars, and upgrade the skills of 

qualified VR personnel, especially 

rehabilitation counselors, who are 

trained in providing VR and related 

services to assist individuals with 

disabilities to achieve competitive 

integrated employment through 

academic training in six rehabilitation 

topic areas. Upon successful completion 

of their program of study, RSA scholars 

will be prepared to effectively meet the 

needs and demands of consumers with 

disabilities, especially individuals with 

significant disabilities, and employers. 

Proposed Priority: 

Under the Proposed Priority 2, 

applicants must propose a project that 

provides academic training to RSA 

scholars where the training leads to a 

degree (undergraduate or master’s level) 

or academic certificate in one of six 

rehabilitation topic areas that follow: 

1. Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) 

Counseling: Master’s Degree (ALN 

84.129B). Projects in this topic area 

must be designed to support RSA 

scholars interested in pursuing a 

master’s degree in VR counseling. 

Projects must increase the skills of RSA 

scholars so that they are, upon 

successful completion of their program 

of study, prepared to, effectively and 

with an advanced level of expertise, 

help individuals with disabilities 

(consumers) meet their career and 

personal goals and help employers in 

their hiring efforts. Projects should also 

increase RSA scholars understanding of 

and ability to support consumers access 

to pre-employment transition services. 

2. Rehabilitation Technology (ALN 

84.129E). Projects in this topic area 

must provide scholarships to RSA 

scholars to pursue a degree or certificate 

in the application of advanced 

technology in rehabilitation services, 

and for use in careers in rehabilitation 

technology. Rehabilitation technology 

training includes training on the use, 

applications, and benefits of technology 

(including assistive technology and 


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6912 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Proposed Rules 

artificial intelligence tools) to 

individuals with disabilities to achieve 

and/or maintain competitive integrated 

employment and independence. 

The rehabilitation technology training 

program must be designed to ensure that 

RSA scholars acquire a 21st-century 

understanding of the evolving 

technology labor force, the needs of 

individuals with disabilities that might 

be addressed via technology, and the 

ways technology can unlock 

individuals’ strengths. 

3. Rehabilitation of Individuals With 

Mental Health Disorders or Illnesses 

(ALN 84.129H). Projects in this topic 

area must be designed to support RSA 

scholars interested in pursuing a degree 

or certificate for careers that provide 

specialized services to individuals who 

have mental health disorders or 

illnesses and are participants in the 

State VR programs. Additionally, 

projects must be designed to prepare 

RSA scholars to address a range of 

issues in VR services for individuals 

with mental health disorders or 

illnesses to assist them to achieve and 

maintain competitive integrated 

employment. Such mental health 

disorders and illnesses might include 

mood disorders (e.g., depressive 

disorders and bipolar disorders), 

suicidality, schizophrenia, eating 

disorders, post-traumatic stress 

disorder, and other mild to severe 

mental health disorders. This can 

include mental health issues related to 

long-term effects of post-acute infection 

syndromes (COVID–19 and myalgic 

encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue 

syndrome (ME/CFS) for which mental 

health care may be part of treating a 

potentially more systematic illness. 

4. Undergraduate Education in the 

Rehabilitation Services (ALN 84.129L). 

Projects in this topic area must train 

undergraduate RSA scholars interested 

in pursuing careers as rehabilitation 

generalists, VR paraprofessionals, or 

other entry-level positions in the public 

VR services. Projects must also be 

designed to provide training and 

clinical learning experiences to equip 

RSA scholars with foundational 

knowledge of disability conditions, VR 

processes, interviewing techniques, and 

other skills required for working with 

consumers in the public VR services, 

including the skills to coordinate the 

diagnosis and evaluation of a person’s 

disabling condition, create individual 

plans, arrange various VR services, 

assist VR counselors in working with 

persons with disabilities in selecting a 

vocational goal, provide personal and 

social adjustment services, conduct job 

placement activities, and provide 

follow-up services to individuals after 

other services are completed. Preemployment transition services should 

be included as part of programmatic 

content. 

5. Rehabilitation of Individuals Who 

Are Blind or Have Low Vision (ALN 

84.129P). Projects in this topic area 

must train RSA scholars interested in 

pursuing a degree or certificate for 

careers in providing specialized services 

to persons who are blind or have low 

vision. Projects must be designed to 

provide training and hands-on 

experiences in VR services for persons 

who are blind or have low vision to 

assist them to achieve and/or maintain 

competitive integrated employment, 

including training in orientation and 

mobility, methods of independent and 

safe travel, and application of advanced 

technology. 

6. Rehabilitation of Individuals Who 

Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (ALN 

84.129Q). Projects in this topic area 

must train RSA scholars interested in 

pursuing a degree or certificate for 

careers in providing specialized 

rehabilitation to persons who are deaf or 

hard of hearing. The training must 

include opportunities for RSA scholars 

to acquire the necessary skills to 

communicate effectively with 

individuals who are deaf or hard of 

hearing, and to assess and address the 

communication needs of individuals 

who are deaf or hard of hearing. 

Additionally, projects must have plans 

to support RSA scholars in developing 

competency in sign language/ASL and 

other communication methods as well 

as familiarity with the use of various 

assistive listening devices and 

application of other advanced assistive 

technology. 

Projects must provide assistance to 

scholars to secure or maintain 

employment with State VR agencies, 

where the job duties include provision 

of rehabilitation of individuals who are 

deaf or hard of hearing (e.g., assessment 

services, vocational and adjustment 

counseling services, provision of 

independent living skills training, 

interpreting services, interpreter referral 

services, advocacy services, and job 

placement services). 

The academic training for all 

participants must meet (A) the DSU) 

personnel standards required under 

section 101(a)(7) of the Rehabilitation 

Act of 1973, as amended, and 34 CFR 

361.18. 

Rehabilitation topic area projects 

under this proposed priority must 

develop and use innovative approaches 

to train RSA scholars, including using 

cutting-edge technology or innovative 

application of advanced technology 

(e.g., hybrid learning or competencybased programs) to maximize 

participation in, and improve the 

effectiveness of, the academic training. 

In addition to academic training, RSA 

funded projects may provide a one-time 

stipend, to an amount as specified in the 

Notice Inviting Applications published 

in the Federal Register to RSA scholars 

based on identified needs for— 

(a) completing an internship (e.g., 

room and board, travel); 

(b) obtaining qualifying employment 

in the specific field of study within a 

period of time after graduating and 

maintaining qualifying employment a 

minimum period of time beyond the 

required service obligation period as 

specified in the NIA; and 

(c) utilizing a vetted employment 

expert or consultant to assist the RSA 

scholar in securing employment within 

a period of time after graduating with a 

State VR or related agency in the field 

of study as specified in the NIA. 

Proposed Requirements 

The Department proposes the 

following requirements for the RLTT 

program. We may apply one or more of 

these requirements in any year in which 

this program is in effect. We propose 

these requirements because we believe 

they would help applicants to develop 

well-designed, comprehensive projects. 

The proposed requirements would also 

provide the Department information 

critical to grants monitoring, such as an 

up-to-date picture of the employment 

needs in the applicant’s geographic area. 

Application Requirements: All 

applicants must— 

(a) Provide data on the current and 

projected employment needs and 

personnel shortages in State VR 

agencies and other related agencies (as 

defined in 34 CFR 386.4) in their local 

area, region, and State; and describe 

how the proposed project will address 

those employment needs and personnel 

shortages; 

(b) Describe how the project will train 

RSA scholars, as applicable, including 

how the project will provide them with 

an understanding of the evolving labor 

force and the needs of individuals with 

disabilities to ensure that the RSA 

scholars have a 21st century 

understanding of the evolving labor 

force and the needs of individuals with 

disabilities. Applicants must describe 

how, upon completion of the training 

program, State VR personnel including 

VR counselors or RSA scholars will be 

prepared to assist individuals with 

disabilities to meet current demands 

and emerging trends in the labor market, 

including how— 

(1) The program provides a breadth of 

knowledge, experience, and rigor that 


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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Proposed Rules 6913 

will adequately prepare scholars to meet 

the employment needs and goals of VR 

consumers and aligns with evidencebased (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) 

practices and with competency-based 

skills (e.g., advanced counseling skills, 

critical thinking skills, and skills in 

building collaborative relationships); 

(2) The program prepares RSA 

scholars to meet all applicable 

certification standards; 

(3) The program addresses new or 

emerging consumer employment needs 

or trends at the national, State, and 

regional levels; 

(4) The program trains RSA scholars 

to possess the skills needed to address 

the specialized needs of individuals 

with specific types of disability 

conditions and backgrounds, which may 

include, but are not limited to, physical 

disabilities, mental health disorders or 

illnesses, intellectual and 

developmental disabilities, blindness, 

and deaf or hard of hearing, and 

individuals with disabilities who are 

from diverse cultural backgrounds or 

historically underserved populations; 

(5) The program trains RSA scholars 

to understand the applications and 

strategies related to the integration of 

advanced assistive technology and 

artificial intelligence tools to fuel 

competitive integrated employment in 

the 21st century for individuals with 

disabilities, recognize the assistive 

technology needs of consumers and 

employers who hire individuals with 

disabilities, throughout the 

rehabilitation process so that they will 

be better able to coordinate the 

provision of appropriate advanced 

assistive technology services and 

devices including artificial intelligence 

in order to assist the consumers to 

obtain and retain competitive integrated 

employment; 

(6) The program teaches RSA scholars 

to work effectively with employers, 

including by teaching strategies for 

developing relationships with 

employers in their State and local areas, 

identifying employer needs and skill 

demands, making initial employer 

contacts, presenting job-ready clients to 

potential employers, and conducting 

follow-up with employers; 

(7) The program teaches RSA scholars 

to work effectively with state education 

agencies (SEAs), and local educational 

agencies (LEAs), particularly special 

education systems and educators. This 

includes instruction on collaborating 

effectively with SEAs, LEAs, school 

administrators, and special education 

teachers to ensure their awareness of 

pre-employment transition services and 

vocational rehabilitation transition 

services, and ensuring the successful 

planning and provision of these 

services; and 

(8) The latest technology is 

incorporated into the methods of 

instruction (e.g., technology that 

supports the use of hybrid education to 

reach scholars who live far from the 

university and the use of technology to 

acquire labor market information); 

(c) Describe their methods to— 

(1) Recruit highly capable prospective 

State VR counselors or RSA scholars 

who have the potential to successfully 

complete the academic program, all 

required practicum and internship 

experiences, and the required service 

obligation; 

(2) Educate potential RSA scholars 

about the terms and conditions of the 

service obligation under 34 CFR 386.4, 

386.34, and 386.40 through 386.43 so 

that they will be fully informed before 

accepting a scholarship and aware of the 

consequences should they fail to 

complete the program; 

(3) Maintain a system that ensures 

that RSA scholars sign a payback 

agreement when they start and an exit 

certification form when they exit the 

program, regardless of whether they 

drop out, are removed, or successfully 

complete the program; 

(4) Provide academic support and 

counseling to RSA scholars throughout 

the course of the academic program to 

ensure successful completion; 

(5) Ensure that all RSA scholars 

complete an internship in a State VR 

agency (as defined in 34 CFR 386.4) as 

a requirement for program completion, 

unless the Secretary determines upon 

grantee request that there is sufficient 

justification for not completing an 

internship; 

(6) Provide career counseling, 

including informing RSA scholars of 

professional contacts and networks, job 

leads including those available through 

the RSA Payback Information 

Management System (PIMS), and other 

necessary resources and information to 

support RSA scholars in successfully 

obtaining and retaining qualifying 

employment; 

(7) Maintain bi-monthly contact with 

RSA scholars upon successful academic 

training program completion and 

provide post-graduation support to 

assist RSA scholars to achieve 

qualifying employment as well as 

employment support, at a minimum, for 

the RSA scholars’ initial three to six 

months of employment; 

(8) Maintain quarterly communication 

with RSA scholars after program exit 

until the beginning of their service 

obligation date to ensure that scholar 

contact information in PIMS is up to 

date; 

(9) Maintain and safeguard credentials 

to access PIMS for the timely review 

and approval of scholar employment; 

and 

(10) Maintain accurate financial 

information on, while safeguarding the 

privacy of, current and former scholars 

from the time they are enrolled in the 

program until they successfully meet 

their service obligation; 

(d) Describe a plan for developing and 

maintaining partnerships with State VR 

agencies, community-based 

rehabilitation service providers, and 

LEAs that includes— 

(1) Coordination between the grantee 

and the State VR agencies and 

community-based rehabilitation service 

providers that will promote qualifying 

employment opportunities for RSA 

scholars and formalized on-boarding 

and induction experiences for new 

hires; 

(2) Formal opportunities for RSA 

scholars to obtain work experiences 

through internships, practicum 

agreements, job shadowing, and 

mentoring opportunities; 

(3) Formal opportunities for RSA 

scholars to obtain work experiences in 

LEAs to develop practical knowledge on 

effective special education teacher-VR 

counselor collaborations that foster 

increased awareness in LEAs of preemployment transition services and 

vocational rehabilitation transition 

services, and the successful planning 

and provision of these services; and 

(4) A scholar internship assessment 

tool that is developed to ensure a 

consistent approach to the evaluation of 

scholars in a particular program. 

Applicants must describe how— 

(i) The tool will reflect the specific 

responsibilities of the scholar during the 

internship; 

(ii) Grantees and worksite supervisors 

will work together to develop the 

assessment tool. Supervisors at the 

internship site will complete the 

assessment detailing the scholar’s 

strengths and areas for improvement 

that must be addressed and provide the 

results of the assessment to the grantee; 

and 

(iii) The grantee will ensure that (A) 

RSA scholars are provided with a copy 

of the assessment and all relevant 

rubrics prior to beginning their 

internship, (B) supervisors have 

sufficient technical support to 

accurately complete the assessment, and 

(C) scholars receive a copy of the results 

of the assessment within 90 days of the 

end of their internship; 

(e) Describe how RSA scholars will be 

evaluated throughout the program to 

ensure that they are proficient in 

meeting the needs and demands of 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
6914 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Proposed Rules 

consumers and employers, including 

the steps that will be taken to provide 

assistance to an RSA scholar who is not 

meeting academic standards or who is 

performing poorly in a practicum or 

internship setting; 

(f) Describe how the program will be 

evaluated, including how— 

(1) The program will determine its 

effectiveness over time in filling 

vacancies in the State VR agency with 

qualified counselors or rehabilitation 

professionals capable of providing 

quality services to consumers; 

(2) Input from State VR agencies and 

community-based rehabilitation service 

providers will be included in the 

evaluation; 

(3) Feedback from consumers of VR 

services and employers (including the 

assessments described in paragraph 

(d)(4)) will be included in the 

evaluation; 

(4) Data on the State VR program from 

other sources, such as the Department, 

will be included in the evaluation; and 

(5) The data and results from the 

evaluation will be used to make 

necessary adjustments and 

improvements to the program. 

Types of Priorities: 

When inviting applications for a 

competition using one or more 

priorities, we designate the type of each 

priority as absolute, competitive 

preference, or invitational through a 

notice in the Federal Register. The 

effect of each type of priority follows: 

Absolute priority: Under an absolute 

priority, we consider only applications 

that meet the priority (34 CFR 

75.105(c)(3)). 

Competitive preference priority: 

Under a competitive preference priority, 

we give competitive preference to an 

application by (1) awarding additional 

points, depending on the extent to 

which the application meets the priority 

(34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting 

an application that meets the priority 

over an application of comparable merit 

that does not meet the priority (34 CFR 

75.105(c)(2)(ii)). 

Invitational priority: Under an 

invitational priority we are particularly 

interested in applications that meet the 

priority. However, we do not give an 

application that meets the priority a 

preference over other applications (34 

CFR 75.105(c)(1)). 

Final Priority and Requirements: 

We will announce the final priorities 

and requirements in a document in the 

Federal Register. We will determine the 

final priorities and requirements after 

considering public comments on the 

proposed priorities and requirements 

and other information available to the 

Department. This document does not 

preclude us from proposing additional 

priorities, requirements, definitions, and 

selection criteria subject to meeting 

applicable rulemaking requirements. 

Note: This document does not solicit 

applications. In any year in which we 

choose to use these proposed priorities 

and requirements, we invite 

applications through a notice in the 

Federal Register. 

Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and 

14094 

Regulatory Impact Analysis 

Under Executive Order 12866, the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) determines whether this 

regulatory action is ‘‘significant’’ and, 

therefore, subject to the requirements of 

the Executive order and subject to 

review by OMB. Section 3(f) of 

Executive Order 12866, as amended by 

Executive Order 14094, defines a 

‘‘significant regulatory action’’ as an 

action likely to result in a rule that 

may— 

(1) Have an annual effect on the 

economy of $200 million or more 

(adjusted every three years by the 

Administrator of Office of Information 

and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for 

changes in gross domestic product); or 

adversely affect in a material way the 

economy, a sector of the economy, 

productivity, competition, jobs, the 

environment, public health or safety, or 

State, local, territorial, or Tribal 

governments or communities; 

(2) Create a serious inconsistency or 

otherwise interfere with an action taken 

or planned by another agency; 

(3) Materially alter the budgetary 

impacts of entitlements, grants, user 

fees, or loan programs or the rights and 

obligations of recipients thereof; or 

(4) Raise legal or policy issues for 

which centralized review would 

meaningfully further the President’s 

priorities, or the principles set forth in 

this Executive order, as specifically 

authorized in a timely manner by the 

Administrator of OIRA in each case. 

This proposed regulatory action is not 

a significant regulatory action subject to 

review by OMB under section 3(f) of 

Executive Order 12866, as amended by 

Executive Order 14094. 

We have also reviewed this proposed 

regulatory action under Executive Order 

13563, which supplements and 

explicitly reaffirms the principles, 

structures, and definitions governing 

regulatory review established in 

Executive Order 12866, as amended by 

Executive Order 14094. To the extent 

permitted by law, Executive Order 

13563 requires that an agency— 

(1) Propose or adopt regulations only 

upon a reasoned determination that 

their benefits justify their costs 

(recognizing that some benefits and 

costs are difficult to quantify); 

(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the 

least burden on society, consistent with 

obtaining regulatory objectives and 

taking into account—among other things 

and to the extent practicable—the costs 

of cumulative regulations; 

(3) In choosing among alternative 

regulatory approaches, select those 

approaches that maximize net benefits 

(including potential economic, 

environmental, public health and safety, 

and other advantages; distributive 

impacts; and equity); 

(4) To the extent feasible, specify 

performance objectives, rather than the 

behavior or manner of compliance a 

regulated entity must adopt; and 

(5) Identify and assess available 

alternatives to direct regulation, 

including economic incentives—such as 

user fees or marketable permits—to 

encourage the desired behavior, or 

provide information that enables the 

public to make choices. 

Executive Order 13563 also requires 

an agency ‘‘to use the best available 

techniques to quantify anticipated 

present and future benefits and costs as 

accurately as possible.’’ OIRA has 

emphasized that these techniques may 

include ‘‘identifying changing future 

compliance costs that might result from 

technological innovation or anticipated 

behavioral changes.’’ 

We are issuing these proposed 

priorities and requirements only on a 

reasoned determination that their 

benefits would justify their costs. In 

choosing among alternative regulatory 

approaches, we selected those 

approaches that would maximize net 

benefits. Based on the analysis that 

follows, the Department believes that 

this regulatory action is consistent with 

the principles in Executive Order 13563. 

We also have determined that this 

regulatory action would not unduly 

interfere with State, local, and Tribal 

governments in the exercise of their 

governmental functions. 

In accordance with these Executive 

orders, the Department has assessed the 

potential costs and benefits, both 

quantitative and qualitative, of this 

regulatory action. The potential costs 

are those resulting from statutory 

requirements and those we have 

determined as necessary for 

administering the Department’s 

programs and activities. 

Clarity of the Regulations 

Executive Order 12866 and the 

Presidential memorandum ‘‘Plain 

Language in Government Writing’’ 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Proposed Rules 6915 

require each agency to write regulations 

that are easy to understand. 

The Secretary invites comments on 

how to make the proposed priorities and 

requirements easier to understand, 

including answers to questions such as 

the following: 

• Are the requirements in the 

proposed priorities and requirements 

clearly stated? 

• Do the proposed priorities and 

requirements contain technical terms or 

other wording that interferes with their 

clarity? 

• Does the format of the proposed 

priorities and requirements (grouping 

and order of sections, use of headings, 

paragraphing, etc.) aid or reduce their 

clarity? 

• Would the proposed priorities and 

requirements be easier to understand if 

we divided them into more (but shorter) 

sections? 

• Could the description of the 

proposed priorities and requirements in 

the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 

of this preamble be more helpful in 

making the proposed priority and 

requirements easier to understand? If so, 

how? 

• What else could we do to make the 

proposed priorities and requirements 

easier to understand? 

To send any comments about how the 

Department could make the proposed 

priorities and requirements easier to 

understand, see the instructions in the 

ADDRESSES section. 

Intergovernmental Review 

These programs are subject to 

Executive Order 12372 and the 

regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of 

the objectives of the Executive order is 

to foster an intergovernmental 

partnership and a strengthened 

federalism. The Executive order relies 

on processes developed by State and 

local governments for coordination and 

review of proposed Federal financial 

assistance. 

This document provides early 

notification of our specific plans and 

actions for this program. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification 

The Secretary certifies that the 

proposed priorities and requirements 

would not have a significant economic 

impact on a substantial number of small 

entities. The small entities that this 

proposed regulatory action would affect 

are IHEs, Indian tribes, and public or 

private nonprofit organizations. The 

Secretary believes that the costs 

imposed on applicants by the proposed 

priorities and requirements would be 

limited to paperwork burden related to 

preparing an application and that the 

benefits would outweigh any costs 

incurred by applicants. 

Participation in this program is 

voluntary. For this reason, the proposed 

priorities and requirements would 

impose no burden on small entities 

unless they applied for funding under 

the program. We expect that in 

determining whether to apply for RLTT 

funds, an eligible applicant would 

evaluate the requirements of preparing 

an application and any associated costs 

and weigh them against the benefits 

likely to be achieved by receiving a 

RLTT grant. Eligible applicants most 

likely would apply only if they 

determine that the likely benefits exceed 

the costs of preparing an application. 

The likely benefits include the potential 

receipt of a grant as well as other 

benefits that may accrue to an entity 

through its development of an 

application, such as the use of that 

application to seek funding from other 

sources to train State VR counselors or 

RSA scholars in their pursuit to 

successfully graduate with an 

undergraduate or master’s level degree, 

or certificate of completion and then 

secure or maintain employment at the 

State VR agency, filling critical VR 

positions where there are shortages or a 

need. 

This proposed regulatory action 

would not have a significant economic 

impact on a small entity once it receives 

a grant because it would be able to meet 

the costs of compliance using the funds 

provided under this program. We invite 

comments from eligible small entities as 

to whether they believe this proposed 

regulatory action would have a 

significant economic impact on them 

and, if so, request evidence to support 

that belief. 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

The proposed priorities and 

requirements do not contain any 

information collection requirements. 

Accessible Format: On request to the 

program contact person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, 

individuals with disabilities can obtain 

this document in an accessible format. 

The Department will provide the 

requestor with an accessible format that 

may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or 

text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 

file, braille, large print, audiotape, 

compact disc, or other accessible format. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

The official version of this document is 

the document published in the Federal 

Register. You may access the official 

edition of the Federal Register and the 

Code of Federal Regulations at 

www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can 

view this document, as well as all other 

Department documents published in the 

Federal Register, in text or Portable 

Document Format (PDF). To use PDF 

you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, 

which is available free at the site. 

You may also access Department 

documents published in the Federal 

Register by using the article search 

feature at www.federalregister.gov. 

Specifically, through the advanced 

search feature at this site, you can limit 

your search to documents published by 

the Department. 

Glenna Wright-Gallo, 

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00268 Filed 1–17–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

34 CFR Chapter III 

[Docket ID ED–2024–OSERS–0144] 

Technical Assistance on State Data 

Collection—National Technical 

Assistance Center To Improve State 

Capacity To Collect, Report, Analyze, 

and Use Accurate IDEA Part B and Part 

C Fiscal Data 

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services, Department of 

Education. 

ACTION: Proposed priority. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Education 

(Department) proposes a priority for a 

National Technical Assistance Center to 

Improve State Capacity to Collect, 

Report, Analyze, and Use Accurate 

IDEA Part B and Part C Fiscal Data 

Center (Fiscal Data Center) under the 

Technical Assistance on State Data 

Collection program. The Department 

may use this priority for competitions in 

fiscal year (FY) 2025 and later years. We 

take this action to focus attention on an 

identified national need to provide 

technical assistance (TA) to improve the 

capacity of States to meet the fiscal data 

collection requirements under Part B 

and Part C of the Individuals with 

Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This 

Fiscal Data Center will support States in 

collecting, reporting, and determining 

how to best analyze and use their IDEA 

Part B and Part C fiscal data to establish 

and meet high expectations for each 

child with a disability and will 

customize its TA to meet each State’s 

specific needs. 

DATES: We must receive your comments 

on or before April 7, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: Comments must be 

submitted via the Federal eRulemaking 

Portal at www.regulations.gov. However, 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1