[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 29 (Friday, February 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3302]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 11, 1994]
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Part XIII
Department of Education
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Fund for Innovation in Education: Technology Education Program for
Teacher Networking Project; Notice of Final Priorities
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Fund for Innovation in Education (FIE); Technology Education
Program--Teacher Networking Project
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of Final Priorities for Fiscal Year 1994.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces an absolute priority for Fiscal Year
1994 under the Fund for Innovation in Education: Technology Education
Program for teacher networking projects. The Secretary takes this
action to focus Federal financial assistance on model projects that
demonstrate compelling applications of electronic networks in support
of teacher professional development. The priority is intended to (1)
increase teacher participation in learning communities of colleagues to
enhance teachers' access to resources for self improvement, and (2)
provide more information about how teachers can use electronic networks
as an effective means of professional development. The Secretary also
announces a competitive priority for projects that propose particularly
effective ways of providing professional development networks for
teachers in schools with concentrations of students from poor families.
EFFECTIVE DATE: These priorities take effect either 45 days after
publication in the Federal Register or later if the Congress takes
certain adjournments. If you want to know the effective date of these
priorities, call or write the Department of Education contact person.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beverly Coleman or Adria White, U.S.
Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., Room 502,
Washington, D.C. 20208-5644. Telephone: (202) 219-2116. 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 absolute priority in this notice
supports the National Education Goals, and in particular Goal Three,
which calls for American students by the year 2000 to demonstrate
competency in challenging subject matter and for all students to learn
to use their minds well, so they are prepared for responsible
citizenship, further learning and productive employment.
One promising approach to meeting the instructional challenges that
arise from implementing standards-based reform is to provide teachers
with immediate access to information and help. This is possible when
teachers, linked through a computer-based electronic network, form a
learning community that allows participants to draw upon the combined
knowledge and resources of all participants in the network and bring
those resources to bear on questions they face in their own classrooms.
Electronic networks designed to enhance teacher professional growth
are becoming increasingly available to teachers. For example, at least
25 States now have Statewide electronic networks. Yet there is little
understanding of what it takes for a network to be successful in
meeting user needs, to be cost effective, and to maintain continuing
user interest and garner long-term financial support.
Through this absolute priority, the Secretary intends to support
projects that model compelling applications of electronic networking in
support of teacher professional development. By providing support for
the demonstration of model networking projects, the Secretary intends
to stimulate and promote the practice of teacher networking, and to
learn more about what it takes for teacher networks to be effective.
The implementation of standards-based reform presents particularly
severe challenges to schools located in areas plagued by poverty and
economic distress. Teachers in schools that serve large numbers of low-
income students frequently lack access to professional development
resources and opportunities. The Secretary intends to address this
problem by providing support for projects that offer particularly
effective professional development opportunities by means of electronic
networks to teachers in schools with high concentrations of students
from low-income families.
On November 12, 1993, the Secretary published a notice of proposed
priorities for this program in the Federal Register (58 FR 60009).
Note: This notice of final priorities does not solicit
applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition
is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
Analysis of the Comments and Changes
In response to the Secretary's invitation in the notice of proposed
priorities, five parties submitted comments. An analysis of the
comments follows.
Comment: Two commenters suggested that training of network
participants in the use of telecommunications be required as part of
the project activities.
Discussion: The Secretary agrees that effective user training is an
essential element that should not be overlooked in developing
successful models of electronic networking.
Changes: The priority has been modified to require a model
networking project to include teacher training in the use of the
network as one of the required professional development activities.
Comment: One commenter suggested that the Secretary reward
applications that propose to place the connection to the network as
close as possible to the teachers' workspace.
Discussion: The Secretary intends to allow the greatest amount of
flexibility and variety in the projects that are funded. Teacher
professional development occurs in a variety of settings and therefore,
connections to networks will be encouraged in classrooms, in teachers'
homes, at teacher training centers, or other places where professional
development can be fostered.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that the Secretary give special
consideration to networking projects that provide connections with
university and college systems. Another commenter suggested that grant
funds should be specially reserved for institutions of higher education
and that network proposals from institutions should not compete with
State-wide network initiatives. Another commenter suggested that State-
wide networks that allow access by all public schools be encouraged.
The commenter also recommended that priority be given to State-wide
networks that include cooperative efforts among school districts, State
departments of education, and universities.
Discussion: The Secretary did not specify who should be included in
an electronic network in order to allow potential applicants the
greatest flexibility to form projects to meet local and State needs.
Therefore, colleges and universities could be included in networking
projects. The Secretary hopes to fund projects that vary in terms of
size, organizational arrangements, technology applications, and
networking approaches. The Secretary encourages a broad range of
participants to ensure that successful models of electronic networks
are developed and documented. The design of the project will be left to
the discretion of the applicant.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that the priority require projects
to include support to help learning-challenged students gain access to
resources available through networks.
Discussion: The Secretary hopes to fund a broad range of projects
that demonstrate successful models of teacher professional development.
A project that trains teachers to help learning-challenged students to
participate in electronic networking activities is allowable; however,
projects would not be required to have such a focus.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that schools serving poor families
be linked with schools that already have access to a variety of
resources through networks.
Discussion: The Secretary recognizes the need to provide special
attention to schools serving poor families and has already addressed
this concern in the competitive priority. The Secretary will award a
10-point preference through the competitive priority to model projects
that use electronic networks for teachers in schools and classrooms
with high concentrations of students from low-income families. However,
the project design and strategy will be left to the discretion of the
applicant.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that the priority require that
projects utilize the Internet. Another commenter suggested that the
Secretary emphasize the support of electronic networks in rural areas.
Discussion: The Secretary believes that both of these comments are
already addressed in the priority. First, the priority requires that
each teacher networking project provide teachers access to education
data bases and other sources of information, including access to the
Internet. Second, the Secretary suggests one example of professional
development activities might be a project that prepares teachers to
expand learning opportunities for students in inner-city urban or
isolated rural schools. The competitive priority also gives a 10-point
preference to projects that use electronic networks to serve teachers
in schools and classrooms with high concentrations of students from
low-income families, many of which may be located in rural areas.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that line charges and costs for
release time for school personnel to participate in networking
activities be allowed as part of the project funding.
Discussion: Both telecommunications charges and costs for release
time for school personnel to participate in training that utilizes
electronic networking are allowable costs. However, those costs must be
justified within the guidelines set forth by the Education Department
General Administrative Regulations (34 CFR 74.170-74.176) and the FIE
Program.
Changes: None.
Priorities
Absolute Priority
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary gives an absolute
preference to applications that meet the following priority. The
Secretary funds under this competition only applications that meet this
absolute priority:
Model Projects That Demonstrate Applications of Electronic Networks for
Teacher Professional Development
The Secretary is seeking teacher networking projects that are
designed to achieve the following purposes (a) increase teacher access
to and participation with their colleagues in electronic networks that
provide resources for professional development; and (b) improve student
instruction in the core subjects of English, science, mathematics,
history, geography, civics, foreign languages and the arts.
Each proposed teacher networking project must include the
following:
(1) A unifying focus for the professional development activities of
the network on some aspect of standards-based reform. For example, a
network might focus its activities on helping teachers make the
adjustments needed within their classrooms to meet challenging State
content standards in one of the core subjects; expanding learning
opportunities for students in inner-city urban or isolated rural
schools; or changing classroom instructional practices to incorporate
hands-on learning, motivate students to meet more demanding
expectations, or improve the quality and use of student assessments.
(2) Computer-based electronic communication among individuals and
groups of individuals; exchange of textual information, including
transfer of documents; and provision of access to education data bases
and other sources of information, including access to Internet.
(3) Professional development activities that include creating a
learning community of professional colleagues with a clearly defined
common interest; linking participating teachers with one another and
with researchers and other sources of research and practical knowledge
about the defined area of interest; facilitating and providing
structure for focused electronic discussions by network participants;
training teachers to make effective use of networking resources; and
providing direct and timely responses to teachers' questions.
(4) Documentation activities that describe critical events in
planning, implementing, and operating the network; that archive and
analyze the results of network use; and that summarize data about user
needs, cost effectiveness, and long-term network maintenance that have
been compiled from the project experiences.
Competitive Priority
Within the absolute priority specified in this notice, the
Secretary, under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), gives preference to
applications that meet the following competitive priority. The
Secretary awards up to 10 points to an application that meets this
competitive priority in a particularly effective way. These points are
in addition to any points the application earns under the selection
criteria for the program: Projects that use electronic networks to
provide professional development opportunities for teachers in schools
and classrooms with high concentrations of students from low-income
families.
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 Department's specific plans and actions for
this program.
APPLICABLE PROGRAM REGULATIONS: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, and 86.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 3151, 3153.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 84:215C Secretary's
Fund for Innovation in Education: Technology Education Program)
Dated: February 3, 1994.
Sharon P. Robinson,
Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 94-3302 Filed 2-10-94; 8:45 am]
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