[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 2, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34690-34692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16837]



[[Page 34689]]


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Part VII





Department of Education





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Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Federal Activities Grants 
Program (Drug and Violence Prevention); Final Priorities and New Awards 
Applications for FY 1996; Notices

Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 128 / Tuesday, July 2, 1996 / 
Notices

[[Page 34690]]



DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Federal Activities 
Grants Program (Drug and Violence Prevention)

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of final priorities for fiscal year 1996.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces priorities for fiscal year (FY) 1996 
under the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Federal Activities 
Grants Program. The Secretary takes this action to focus Federal 
financial assistance on national needs. Under these priorities, the 
Department will fund projects that develop and implement, expand, or 
enhance innovative programs designed to accomplish one or more of the 
following: (1) Infusing research-based knowledge about ``what works'' 
into the design, development, and implementation of school-based 
strategies to prevent drug use among youth; (2) removing firearms and 
other weapons from schools; (3) preventing truancy and addressing the 
needs of youth who are out of the education mainstream; or (4) 
preventing violent, aggressive, intimidating, or other disruptive 
behavior arising out of bullying, sexual harassment, or other cause.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These priorities take effect August 1, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charlotte Gillespie, U.S. Department 
of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 604 Portals, 
Washington, DC 20202-6123. Telephone: (202) 260-3954. 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: The seventh National Education Goal provides 
that, by the year 2000, all schools in America will be free of drugs 
and violence and the unauthorized presence of firearms and alcohol and 
will offer a disciplined environment that is conducive to learning. The 
State grant portion of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities 
Act (SDFSCA) provides funding to 97 percent of school districts in the 
Nation to assist them in preventing violence in and around schools, 
promoting safety and discipline for students, and preventing the 
illegal use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. The SDFSCA Federal 
Activities Grants Program supports the development of innovative 
programs that (1) Demonstrate effective new methods of ensuring safe 
and drug-free schools and communities, and (2) ultimately will provide 
models of proven effective practice that will assist schools and 
communities around the nation to improve their programs under the 
SDFSCA.
    This notice contains four absolute priorities and one competitive 
preference priority to be applied to this competition under the Safe 
and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Federal Activities Grants 
Program.
    Under priority 1, the Department will fund innovative projects that 
infuse research-based knowledge about ``what works'' into the design, 
development, and implementation of school-based strategies to prevent 
drug use among youth.
    Under priority 2, the Department will fund innovative strategies to 
remove firearms and other weapons from schools. For this competition, a 
weapon means a knife, club, or other device used to inflict intentional 
injury.
    Under priority 3, the Department will fund innovative, research-
based programs to prevent truancy and address the needs of youth who 
are out of the education mainstream. For this competition, youth who 
are out of the education mainstream means truants, dropouts, children 
who are afraid to go to school, children who have been suspended or 
expelled, and children in the juvenile justice system who need to 
maintain or enhance their educational status and be reintegrated into 
the school system upon their release from residential placement.
    Under priority 4, the Department will fund innovative, research-
based strategies to prevent violent, aggressive, intimidating, or other 
disruptive behavior arising from bullying, sexual harassment, or other 
cause.
    Under the competitive priority, the Secretary will award five (5) 
extra points to applications from Empowerment Zones and Enterprise 
Communities (EZ/EC). The Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community 
program is a critical element of the Administration's community 
revitalization strategy. The program is the first step in rebuilding 
communities in America's poverty- stricken inner cities and rural 
heartlands. It is designed to empower people and communities by 
inspiring Americans to work together to create jobs and opportunity.
    The Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Housing and Urban 
Development (HUD) have designated empowerment zones and enterprise 
communities, which are communities located within the cities and 
counties listed in the appendix.
    The Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities were designated 
based on locally-developed strategic plans that comprehensively address 
how the community will link economic development with education and 
training, as well as how community development, public safety, human 
services, and environmental initiatives together will support 
sustainable communities. Designated areas receive Federal grant funds 
and substantial tax benefits and have access to other Federal programs. 
(For additional information on the Urban EZ/EC program, contact HUD at 
1-800-998-9999 and for the rural EZ/EC program, contact USDA at 1-800-
645-4712.)
    The Secretary will award approximately 25 grants in FY 1996, for a 
period not to exceed two years, to public and private nonprofit 
organizations and individuals to develop and implement, expand, or 
enhance innovative, research-based programs that address these 
priorities.
    In making awards under this grant program, the Secretary may take 
into consideration the geographic distribution and diversity of 
activities addressed by the projects, in addition to the rank order of 
applicants.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds, the Secretary may make 
additional awards in fiscal year 1997 from the rank-ordered list of 
unfunded applicants from this competition.

    Note: This notice of final priorities does not solicit 
applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition 
is published in a separate notice in this issue of the Federal 
Register.

    Applications for this competition must be received at the address 
specified in the notice inviting applications for this competition no 
later than 4:30 p.m. on August 2, 1996. Applications received after 
that time will not be eligible for funding. Postmarked dates will not 
be accepted.

Priorities

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and 
Communities Act, the Secretary gives an absolute preference to 
applications that meet the following priorities. The Secretary funds 
under this competition only applications that meet one or more of these 
absolute priorities.

[[Page 34691]]

Absolute Priority 1--Infusing Research-Based Knowledge About ``What 
Works'' Into the Design, Development and Implementation of School-Based 
Strategies to Prevent Drug Use Among Youth.

    Applicants proposing a project under this priority must--
    (1) Describe the activities that will be implemented and explain 
how they are based on research and best practices, how they will lead 
to sustained improvements in student results and the school 
environment, and how they will be cost-effective and replicable;
    (2) Identify the age groups to be served and describe how the 
proposed activities are appropriate for the target population;
    (3) Provide evidence of collaboration between a local educational 
agency (LEA) and a research institution in the design and 
implementation of activities, including a description of the roles and 
responsibilities of each; and
    (4) Identify performance goals for the project and provide a 
description of how progress toward achieving goals will be measured.

Absolute Priority 2--Removing Firearms and other Weapons from School

    Applicants proposing a project under this priority must--
    (1) Describe the activities that will be implemented and explain 
how they are based on research and best practices, how they will lead 
to sustained improvements in student results and the school 
environment, and how they will be cost-effective and replicable;
    (2) Describe techniques the applicant will use to identify and 
remove firearms and other weapons that are brought into school;
    (3) Provide information that demonstrates the extent to which the 
applicant has involved local, State, and/or Federal law enforcement 
agencies, as appropriate, in the development and implementation of 
innovative strategies to prevent firearms and other weapons from coming 
into school;
    (4) Describe how the applicant will provide for referrals to the 
juvenile justice system of youths who are found to possess a firearm, 
consistent with the provisions of the Gun-Free Schools Act; and
    (5) Identify performance goals for the project and provide a 
description of how progress toward achieving goals will be measured.

Absolute Priority 3--Preventing Truancy and Addressing the Needs of 
Youth Who are Out of the Education Mainstream

    Applicants proposing a project under this priority must--
    (1) Describe the activities that will be implemented and explain 
how they are based on research and best practices, how they will lead 
to sustained improvements in student results and the school 
environment, and how they will be cost-effective and replicable;
    (2) Describe the problem that will be addressed including an 
assessment of the number of students who will benefit from the project;
    (3) Indicate how the activities are appropriate for returning 
truant and other youth who are out of the education mainstream to the 
classroom and ensuring their educational progress;
    (4) Provide information on the extent to which the following will 
be involved in the development and implementation of activities funded 
by this grant: parents, students, local law enforcement officials, 
including, as appropriate, juvenile justice authorities, and other 
youth-serving organizations in the community; and
    (5) Identify performance goals for the project and provide a 
description of how progress toward achieving goals will be measured.

Absolute Priority 4: Preventing Violent, Aggressive, Intimidating or 
Other Disruptive Behavior Arising From Bullying, Sexual Harassment or 
Other Cause

    Applicants proposing a project under this priority must--
    (1) Describe the activities that will be implemented and explain 
how they are based on research and best practices, how they will lead 
to sustained improvements in student results and the school 
environment, and how they will be cost-effective and replicable;
    (2) Describe the behaviors that the program seeks to correct, 
including an assessment of the types and frequency of violent, 
aggressive, intimidating, or other disruptive behavior among youth to 
be served;
    (3) Identify the child development framework used to identify 
appropriate strategies for intervening in violent, aggressive, 
intimidating, or other disruptive behavior;
    (4) Provide information on the extent to which educators, law 
enforcement officials, parents, and students have been involved in the 
development and implementation of interventions for youths who engage 
in violent, aggressive, intimidating, or other disruptive behaviors and 
for youths who are victims of such behaviors; and
    (5) Identify performance goals for the project and provide a 
description of how progress toward achieving goals will be measured.

Competitive Preference Priority--Empowerment Zone or Enterprise 
Community

    Within the absolute priorities specified in this notice, the 
Secretary, under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) and the Safe and Drug-Free 
Schools and Communities Act, gives preference to applications that meet 
the following competitive priority. The Secretary awards five (5) 
points to an application that meets this competitive priority. These 
points would be in addition to any points the application earns under 
the evaluation criteria for the program.

    Note: The total number of points an application may earn is 105:

Projects in an Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community

    In order to meet the competitive preference priority, applicants 
must--
    (1) Propose projects that meet one or more of the four absolute 
priorities for this competition;
    (2) Demonstrate that the project will be carried out in an 
Empowerment Zone (EZ) or Enterprise Community (EC) designated in 
accordance with Section 1391 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), as 
amended by Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) 
of 1993 or that it will primarily serve students who reside in an EZ or 
EC; and
    (3) Describe how the proposed project is linked to the EZ/EC 
strategic plan and will be an integral part of the Empowerment Zone or 
Enterprise Community Program.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking

    In accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), 
it is the practice of the Department to offer interested parties the 
opportunity to comment on proposed rules. Ordinarily, this practice 
would have applied to the rules in this notice. However, the Secretary 
waives rulemaking under section 553(b)(B) of the Administrative 
Procedures Act. This section provides that rulemaking is not required 
when the agency for good cause finds that notice and public procedure 
are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest. The 
Secretary believes that, in order to make timely grant awards using 
Fiscal Year (FY) 1996 funds, public comment on those rules is 
impracticable. Congress did not

[[Page 34692]]

appropriate FY 1996 funds for this program until April 26, 1996. The 
Secretary must make new awards no later than September 30, 1996. 
Moreover, the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities National 
Programs statute is designed to address emergency needs in drug and 
violence prevention. Programs need to be implemented as early as 
possible in the 1996-97 school year. Due to the delay in the 
appropriation of FY 1996 funds, it is now impracticable to receive 
public comments and still allow FY 1996 awards to be made by September 
30, 1996.

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the 
regulations in 34 CFR Part 79.
    The objective of the Executive order is to foster an 
intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen 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 Department's specific plans and actions for 
this program.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7131.

    Dated: June 26, 1996.
Gerald N. Tirozzi,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 84.184D Safe 
and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Federal Activities Grants 
Program)

Appendix--Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities

Empowerment Zones (EZ)

Georgia: Atlanta
Illinois: Chicago
Kentucky: Kentucky Highlands*
Maryland: Baltimore
Michigan: Detroit
Mississippi: Mid Delta*
New York: Harlem, Bronx
Pennsylvania/New Jersey: Philadelphia, Camden
Texas: Rio Grande Valley*

Supplemental Empowerment Zones (SEZ)

California: Los Angeles
Ohio: Cleveland

Enterprise Communities (EC)

Alabama: Birmingham
Alabama: Chambers County*
Alabama: Greene, Sumter Counties*
Arizona: Phoenix
Arizona: Arizona Border*
Arkansas: East Central*
Arkansas: Mississippi County*
Arkansas: Pulaski County
California: Imperial County*
California: Los Angeles, Huntington Park
California: San Diego
California: San Francisco, Bayview, Hunter's Point
California: Watsonville*
Colorado: Denver
Connecticut: Bridgeport
Connecticut: New Haven
Delaware: Wilmington
District of Columbia: Washington
Florida: Jackson County*
Florida: Tampa
Florida: Miami, Dade County
Georgia: Albany
Georgia: Central Savannah*
Georgia: Crisp, Dooley Counties*
Illinois: East St. Louis
Illinois: Springfield
Indiana: Indianapolis
Iowa: Des Moines
Kentucky: Louisville
Louisiana: Northeast Delta*
Louisiana: Macon Ridge*
Louisiana: New Orleans
Louisiana: Ouachita Parish
Massachusetts: Lowell
Massachusetts: Springfield
Michigan: Five Cap*
Michigan: Flint
Michigan: Muskegon
Minnesota: Minneapolis
Minnesota: St. Paul
Mississippi: Jackson
Mississippi: North Delta*
Missouri: East Prairie*
Missouri: St. Louis
Nebraska: Omaha
Nevada: Clarke County, Las Vegas
New Hampshire: Manchester
New Jersey: Newark
New Mexico: Albuquerque
New Mexico: Moro, Rico Arriba, Taos Counties*
New York: Albany, Schenectady, Troy
New York: Buffalo
New York: Newburgh, Kingston
New York: Rochester
North Carolina: Charlotte
North Carolina: Halifax, Edgecombe, Wilson Counties*
North Carolina: Robeson County*
Ohio: Akron
Ohio: Columbus
Ohio: Greater Portsmouth*
Oklahoma: Choctaw, McCurtain Counties*
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City
Oregon: Josephine*
Oregon: Portland
Pennsylvania: Harrisburg
Pennsylvania: Lock Haven*
Pennsylvania: Pittsburg
Rhode Island: Providence
South Carolina: Charleston
South Carolina: Williamsburg County*
South Dakota: Beadle, Spink Counties*
Tennessee: Fayette, Haywood Counties*
Tennessee: Memphis
Tennessee: Nashville
Tennessee/Kentucky: Scott, McCreary Counties*
Texas: Dallas
Texas: El Paso
Texas: San Antonio
Texas: Watch
Utah: Ogden
Vermont: Burlington
Virginia: Accomack*
Virginia: Norfolk
Washington: Lower Yakima*
Washington: Seattle
Washington: Tacoma
West Virginia: West Central*
West Virginia: Huntington
West Virginia: McDowell*
Wisconsin: Milwaukee

    *Denotes rural designee.

Enhanced Enterprise Communities (EEC)

California: Oakland
Massachusetts: Boston
Missouri/Kansas: Kansas City, Kansas City
Texas: Houston

[FR Doc. 96-16837 Filed 6-28-96; 9:01 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P