[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 3, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 85-86]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-32048]



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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

34 CFR Parts 200, 201, 203, and 212


Title I--Helping Disadvantaged Children Meet High Standards

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of meetings to conduct a negotiated rulemaking process.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education 
(Assistant Secretary) of the U.S. Department of Education (Department) 
will convene a negotiating group--including Federal, State, and local 
education administrators, parents, teachers, and members of local 
boards of education--to participate in a negotiated rulemaking process 
prior to publishing proposed regulations to implement the programs 
under Title I (formerly Chapter 1 of Title I), of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as recently amended. Programs under 
Title I are designed to help disadvantaged children meet high academic 
standards and include programs operated by local educational agencies 
in high-poverty schools (Part A), Even Start family literacy programs 
(Part B), programs for migratory children (Part C), and prevention and 
intervention programs for children and youth who are neglected, 
delinquent, or at risk of dropping out (Part D). The group will review 
draft proposed regulations developed on selected issues involving a 
minimum of two key provisions of the statute--``schoolwide programs'' 
and ``standards and assessment.''

DATES: The meetings of the negotiating group are scheduled for January 
11-13 and January 18-19, 1995.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Sheraton City Centre, 1143 
New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20047. Other meetings may 
be recommended and called by the Department, if necessary. The meetings 
are open to the public for individuals who wish to observe the process.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Jean LeTendre, Director, 
Compensatory Education Programs, Office of Elementary and Secondary 
Education, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue S.W., 
Portals Building, room 4400, Washington, D.C. 20202-6132. 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On October 20, 1994, the President signed into law Pub. L. 103-382, 
the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (IASA), amending the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The IASA 
reauthorizes--for a five-year period--programs currently under Chapter 
1 of Title I of the ESEA.
    Section 1601 of Title I of the ESEA requires that, before 
publishing any proposed regulations to implement programs under Title 
I, the Assistant Secretary establish a negotiated rulemaking process on 
issues involving a minimum of two key provisions in the statute--
``schoolwide programs'' and ``standards and assessment.'' The 
regulatory negotiation process is to be conducted in a timely manner to 
ensure that final regulations are issued by the Secretary of Education 
not later than July 1, 1995. In accordance with section 1601(b)(4)(B) 
of the ESEA, the process is not subject to the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act, but will otherwise follow the provisions of the 
Negotiated Rulemaking Act of 1990 (5 U.S.C. 561 et seq.).
    On October 28, 1994, the Assistant Secretary published a notice in 
the Federal Register (59 FR 54372) requesting advice and 
recommendations on regulatory issues under Title I of the ESEA. The 
Assistant Secretary has selected individuals to participate in the 
negotiated rulemaking sessions from among the individuals and groups 
[[Page 86]] providing advice and recommendations in response to the 
notice, including representation from all geographic regions of the 
United States. The Assistant Secretary has also considered suggestions 
for more and different negotiators who would contribute to the 
diversity and expertise of the group. The following organizations were 
requested to submit nominations of participants:

National Education Association
American Federation of Teachers
National Association of Elementary School Principals
National Association of Secondary School Principals
National School Boards Association
National Parent Teachers Association
National Coalition of Chapter 1/Title I Parents
Council of Chief State School Officers
National Association of State Coordinators of Compensatory Education
American Association of School Administrators
National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators
Council of the Great City Schools
Council of American Private Education

    Representing the Federal Government will be:

Thomas W. Payzant, Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary 
Education, U.S. Department of Education
Mary Jean LeTendre, Director, Compensatory Education Programs, U.S. 
Department of Education

    If, in response to this notice, an additional individual or 
representative of an interest group requests representation in the 
negotiated rulemaking process, the negotiating group will determine 
whether that individual should be added to the group. The negotiating 
group will make that decision based on factors such as whether the 
individual or representative--(1) Would be substantially affected by 
the rule; (2) Is not already adequately represented by the group; and 
(3) Meets the requirements of section 1601 of the ESEA.
    The Department intends to encourage broad State and local 
flexibility in implementing programs under Title I. In particular, the 
Department intends to issue regulations only where absolutely 
necessary--for example, where the statute requires a regulation or 
where a regulation would provide flexibility for States, school 
districts, and schools. The Department will also provide nonbinding 
guidance respecting legal and policy issues under the Title I programs. 
This nonregulatory guidance can serve to inform parents, schools, 
school districts, States, and other affected parties of the flexibility 
that exists under the statute, including multiple approaches that may 
be available in carrying out the statute's requirements.

Topics Selected for Negotiation

    The following topics related to the Title I program in local 
educational agencies have been selected for the negotiated rulemaking 
process.
    (1) Schoolwide programs.
    (2) Standards and assessment.
    Discussions at the negotiated rulemaking meetings may cover other 
subjects as necessary or as raised by participants.

Facilitator

    The Department has retained the services of a professional mediator 
who will serve as a neutral convenor and facilitator for the 
negotiations. The facilitator will not be involved with the substantive 
development of the regulations. The facilitator's role is to--(1) Chair 
negotiating sessions; (2) Help the negotiating process run smoothly; 
and (3) Help participants define issues and reach consensus.
    The facilitator will keep a record of the negotiated rulemaking 
meetings. The record will be placed in the Department's rulemaking 
docket for this regulatory action.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers: 84.010, 
Educationally Deprived Children in Local Educational Agencies; 
84.011, Migrant Education Basic State Formula Grant Program; 84.013, 
Chapter 1 Program for Neglected or Delinquent Children; 84.213, Even 
Start Program)

    Dated: December 22, 1994.
Thomas W. Payzant,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 94-32048 Filed 12-30-94; 8:45 am]
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