20882 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 75 / Tuesday, April 18, 2000 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Reading Excellence Program

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and

Secondary Education, Department of

Education.

ACTION: Notice of final priorities,

application requirements, and selection

criteria.

SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for

the Office of Elementary and Secondary

Education announces final priorities,

application requirements, and selection

criteria under the Reading Excellence

Program. The Assistant Secretary is

using these priorities, application

requirements, and selection criteria for

competitions in fiscal year 2000 and

may use them for future competitions.

Grants are made to State educational

agencies (SEA) that will, in turn, award

subgrants to local educational agencies

(LEAs) for two types of activities: Local

Reading Improvement subgrants (LRI)

and Tutorial Assistance (TAG)

subgrants.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These priorities,

application requirements and selection

criteria are effective May 18, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nancy Rhett, Reading Excellence

Program, U. S. Department of Education,

400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room

5C141, Washington, DC 20202–6200.

Telephone: (202) 260–8228. Fax: (202)

260–8969. Internet:

http://

www.readinglexcellence@ed.gov

If you use a telecommunications device

for the deaf (TDD), you may call the

Federal Information Relay Service

(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339.

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 in the

preceding paragraph.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Reading Excellence Program is designed

to improve reading for children in high

poverty schools and in schools needing

improvement by supporting researchbased reading instruction and tutoring.

The Reading Excellence Act was

authorized to carry out the following

purposes:

• Teach every child to read by the

end of third grade.

• Provide children in early childhood

with the readiness skills and support

they need to learn to read once they

enter school.

• Expand the number of high quality

family literacy programs.

• Provide early intervention to

children who are at risk of being

identified for special education

inappropriately.

• Base instruction, including tutoring,

on scientifically-based reading research.

Public Comment

In response to the Assistant

Secretary’s invitation in the notice of

proposed priorities, two parties

submitted comments on the proposed

priorities and selection criteria. An

analysis of the comments and of the

changes in the priorities since

publication of the notice of proposed

priorities follows.

We discuss substantive issues under

the priority or criterion to which they

pertain. Generally, we do not address

technical and other minor changes and

suggested changes the law does not

authorize the Assistant Secretary to

make under the applicable statutory

authority.

Analysis of Comments and Changes

General

Comment: A commenter disagreed

with the emphasis the notice places on

State leadership because there will not

be adequate funds to carry out Statelevel activities including extensive

professional development.

Discussion: Although we understand

the State’s concerns about insufficient

funds for State-level activities, the

amount available to the State for

administrative costs at the State level is

set by statute.

Changes: None.

Comment: A commenter suggested

that the notice should be amended to

focus on children who, in spite of

excellent classroom instruction, will

need individualized instruction to

supplement the classroom reading

program in order to successfully learn to

read and write by the end of third grade.

Discussion: We are in full agreement

that, in spite of research-based

instruction, some students will need

additional instructional support.

However, strategies to address this need

(extended learning such as tutoring,

summer programs and kindergarten

transition) are already required by the

Reading Excellence Act. Schools must

implement them in addition to

strategies for changing regular classroom

instruction.

Changes: None.

Priorities

Comment: A commenter proposed

that the priorities be expanded to

include students who are most likely to

be unsuccessful in their classroom

programs.

Discussion: The Reading Excellence

Act already requires schools to address

the needs of children at risk of failing

in their classroom programs. The

primary focus of the REA program is to

help disadvantaged schools throughout

the nation improve reading

achievement, with early intervention

strategies being a key element of

instructional support.

Changes: None.

Absolute Priority

Comment: A commenter suggested

that tutorial activities be defined to

include tutorial activities that take place

in the school by certified teachers using

research-based instruction, which is

documented as being effective over

many replications of implementations.

Discussion: The Reading Excellence

Act legislation requires that additional

support for children experiencing

reading difficulties be provided by

supervised individuals, including

tutors, who have been appropriately

trained using scientifically-based

reading research. There is no

requirement for using certified teachers

to provide this additional support.

Changes: None.

Application Requirements

Comment: A commenter suggested

that the required list of eligible districts

and schools is burdensome and

unnecessary because the Department

has made it very clear that it is not the

intent of the Reading Excellence

Program to fund every eligible school

and district.

Discussion: Although we do not wish

to impose additional burden, the

submission of this information will

enable the panelists to determine the

likelihood that the requested funding

amount will sufficiently fund the

number of proposed subgrants for two

years and at a level that will make a

substantive improvement in reading

instruction and student outcomes.

Changes: None.

Selection Criterion—Understanding and

Commitment to Effective Reading

Instruction Based on Scientifically

Based Reading Research

Comment: A commenter suggested

that we add an additional item under

this criterion that the literature review

and application of the scientifically

based reading research include attention

to children at risk by requiring

individualized instruction beyond that

given in the normal classroom setting.

Discussion: The Reading Excellence

Act requires schools to serve all

children, including those that need

extra support, and schools may use a

variety of strategies to achieve this. It

would be inappropriate to emphasize a

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 75 / Tuesday, April 18, 2000 / Notices 20883

specific approach to meeting the needs

of a limited group of children.

Changes: None.

Selection Criterion—Quality of Local

District and School Activities

Comment: A commenter suggested

that item (3)(c) be revised to say that the

proposed activities to improve reading

instruction will also attend to children

whose level of achievement indicates

that they will need individualized

tutorial support to be proficient readers

and writers by the end of third grade

along with English language learners

and children with special needs.

Discussion: We agree with the

clarification added to this criterion by

the commenter, but we do not wish to

emphasize a specific approach for

intervention.

Changes: The comment is addressed

by changing item (3)(c) to evaluate the

extent to which the proposed activities

will improve reading instruction for all

children, including English language

learners, children with special needs,

and children whose level of

achievement indicates that they will

need additional instructional support.

Selection Criterion—Quality of the Plan

for State Leadership, Oversight, and

Evaluation

Comment: A commenter suggested

revising item (4)(e) to include the

development of comprehensive early

literacy programs in every school in the

coordination between REA and current

State and local efforts.

Discussion: We agree with

highlighting coordination with

comprehensive early literacy programs.

However, we do not want to limit the

coordination to such efforts because of

the need for states to coordinate with

non-school programs such as family

literacy.

Changes: The comment is addressed

by changing item (4)(e) under selection

criterion, Quality of the plan for State

leadership, oversight and evaluation, to

evaluate the extent to which the

proposed activities coordinate REA with

other State initiatives and programs,

including how the REA grant will add

to current State and local efforts such as

comprehensive early literacy programs.

Collection of Information

Comment: A commenter

recommended emphasizing ‘‘every

child’’ so that applicants will be

required to address the children who

will, in spite of excellent classroom

instruction, still need additional

instructional support to be successful

readers by the end of third grade.

Discussion: Applicants are expected

to show throughout their proposals their

ability and intention to serve every

child and to describe specific

interventions that will be used.

Changes: None

Supplementary Information-Discussion

Of Priorities

Note: This notice does not solicit

applications. In any year in which the

Assistant Secretary chooses to use these

priorities, we invite applications through a

notice in the Federal Register.

Priorities

Absolute Priority

Under this priority the Assistant

Secretary gives an absolute preference to

SEAs that exclusively fund, at the

subgrant level, activities to improve

kindergarten through grade three

reading instruction and related early

childhood, professional development,

family literacy, extended learning and

tutorial activities.

Competitive Priority

Section 2253(c)(2)(C) of the Reading

Excellence Act requires that priority be

given to SEAs whose States have

modified, are modifying, or provide an

assurance that they will modify their

elementary school teacher certification

requirements within 18 months after

receiving an REA grant. The

modification must increase the training

and the methods of teaching reading

required for certification as an

elementary school teacher to reflect

scientifically-based reading research.

However, nothing in the REA may be

construed to establish a national system

of teacher certification.

The Assistant Secretary will award up

to 5 additional points to applicants that

meet this priority. Two points will be

awarded to applicants that provide an

assurance only. To receive the

additional three points, the SEA must

include detailed plans or have

implemented changes that describe high

quality teacher preparation that reflects

scientifically-based reading research.

Application Requirements

The Assistant Secretary announces

the following application requirements:

A. Eligible LEAS and Schools (Sec. 2255

and Sec. 2256)

To be considered for funding, an

application must include a list of all

eligible LEAs and the number of eligible

schools, and the number of children and

teachers in the eligible schools at the

time the application is submitted.

Successful applicants must provide a

list of eligible LEAs and schools at the

time that subgrants are awarded.

B. Funding Recommendations (Sec.

2253(c)(2)(C))

To be considered for funding, an

application must receive a majority

recommendation from the panel of

reviewers. Any applications not

receiving recommendations to be

funded from a majority of the review

panel, regardless of the numerical score,

will not be considered.

Selection Criteria

The Assistant Secretary announces

that the following selection criteria will

be used to evaluate applications for new

grants under this competition. The

maximum score for all of these criteria

is 100 points. The maximum score for

each criterion is indicated in the

parentheses. There are no specific point

totals for the subcategories within each

criterion.

(1) Understanding and commitment to

effective reading instruction based on

scientifically-based reading research.

(15 points)

In determining the State’s

understanding and commitment to

effective reading instruction based on

scientifically-based reading research,

the Secretary considers the following

factors:

(a) The extent to which the proposed

project incorporates a deep

understanding of the scientificallybased reading research literature and

how it applies in their State and local

education systems.

(b) The extent to which the scientific

literature on reading is implemented in

proposed grant activities.

(2) Demonstration of need. (10 points)

In determining the need for the

proposed project, the following factors

are included:

Demographic and social data on the

target population for this program

(children and families) and State efforts

and initiatives in reading, including

current professional development

activities related to the teaching of

reading and family literacy, standards

and assessments, and other related

activities; and their relation, if any, to

findings from scientifically-based

reading research.

(3) Quality of local district and school

activities. (35 points)

In determining the quality of the

services to be provided by local

activities, the Secretary considers the

following factors:

(a) How the proposed project would

change classroom instruction in schools

under Local Reading Improvement

subgrants. In particular, what

20884 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 75 / Tuesday, April 18, 2000 / Notices

professional development activities

would be implemented.

(b) The extent to which the proposed

activities support research-based

classroom reading instruction

(including extended learning such as

tutoring and summer programs,

kindergarten transition, and family

literacy/involvement).

(c) The extent to which the proposed

activities will improve reading

instruction for all children, including

English language learners, children with

special needs, and children whose level

of achievement indicates that they will

need additional instructional support.

(d) The extent to which the Tutorial

Assistance subgrant activities of the

proposed project reflect up-to-date

knowledge of reading research and

effective practice.

(4) Quality of the plan for State

leadership, oversight and evaluation.

(25 points)

In determining the quality of the plan

for State leadership, oversight and

evaluation, the Secretary considers the

following factors:

(a) The adequacy of procedures for

ensuring success under this grant,

including how the State will ensure that

school activities will use practices based

on scientifically-based reading research,

especially professional development

activities for K–3 teachers.

(b) The adequacy of the management

plan to achieve the objectives of the

proposed project on time and within

budget, including:

• Development of the reading and

literacy partnership for overseeing

proposed grant activities;

• Guidance provided to eligible

districts and schools for developing

applications;

• Subgrant processes and criteria; and

• Leadership, technical assistance,

and monitoring activities for

subgrantees that ensure continuous

improvement in reading.

(c) The qualifications, including

relevant training and experience, of the

key SEA staff responsible for managing

the grant activities described above.

(d) The quality of the State’s

evaluation design, including student

outcome measures or indicators for

grades K–3, subgrant (Local Reading

Improvement and Tutorial Assistance)

and school implementation measures

and indicators, a timeline for data

collection and reporting, provisions for

feedback to districts, and identification

of a qualified evaluator or inclusion of

appropriate criteria.

(e) The extent to which the proposed

activities coordinate REA with other

State initiatives and programs,

including how the REA grant will add

to current State and local efforts such as

comprehensive early literacy programs.

(5) Adequacy of resources. (15 points)

In determining the adequacy of

resources, the Secretary considers the

following factors:

(a) The extent to which the average

and range of amounts proposed,

including the amounts per school, that

will provide sufficient resources to

accomplish the tasks of Local Reading

Improvement and Tutorial Assistance

subgrants.

(b) The budget provides sufficient

detail and an appropriate level of

funding to accomplish the purposes of

this grant.

Intergovernmental Review

This program is 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.

Electronic Access to This Document

You may view this document, as well

as all other Department of Education

documents published in the Federal

Register, in text or Adobe Portable

Document Format (PDF) on the Internet

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, 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 (GPO), toll

free at 1–888–293–6498; or in the

Washington, DC, area at (202) 512–1530.

Note: The official version of this document

is the document published in the Federal

Register. Free Internet access to the official

edition of the Federal Register and the Code

of Federal Regulations is available on GPO

Access at:

http://access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html

(Catalog of Federal Assistance Number:

84.338 Reading Excellence Program

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6661 et seq.

Dated: April 12, 2000.

Michael Cohen,

Assistant Secretary for Office of Elementary

and Secondary Education.

[FR Doc. 00–9641 Filed 4–13–00; 1:32 pm]

BILLING CODE 4001–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.338]

Reading Excellence Program

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for

new awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2000.

Purpose of Program: The Reading

Excellence Program provides

competitive grants to eligible State

educational agencies to award

competitive subgrants to local

educational agencies to fund local

reading improvement programs and

tutorial assistance programs.

Eligible Applicants: State educational

agencies (SEAs) that were not funded in

FY 1999; the District of Columbia;

Puerto Rico; the Virgin Islands; Guam;

American Samoa; and the

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands.

Applications Available: April 14,

2000.

Deadline for Transmittal of

Applications: May 22, 2000.

Note: An application for an award may be

submitted by electronic mail (email), regular

mail, or hand delivery.

Special Instructions for Applications

Submitted by Email

Applications submitted by email

should include an electronic return

receipt and should be emailed to:

grantspolicy@ed.gov

Applications submitted by email may be

submitted in one of the following

formats: (1) Microsoft Word (Version

Word 95 or Word 97) or (2) portable

document format (PDF). The preferred

version is Word 97; however, all

versions must have text search

capability. The electronic version will

be the official file copy. To ensure the

integrity of the program, the Department

will return a printed version to the

applicant. The returned receipt and

copy will be considered proof of receipt.

All forms requiring original signatures

(ED–424, Application for Federal

Education Assistance; SF 424B,

Assurances: Non-Construction

Programs; ED 80–0013, Certifications

Regarding Lobbying, Debarment,

Suspension and other Responsibility

Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace

Requirements; ED 80–0014, Certification

Regarding Debarment, Suspension,

Ineligibility and Voluntary ExclusionLower Tier Covered Transactions; and

Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying

Activities) must be mailed to the

Department by the deadline date, as set

out above under the Deadline for

Transmittal section. Please send a hard

copy of your application in addition to