[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 17, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7985-7987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3878]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998;
Workforce Investment Act of 1998
AGENCY: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice of request for public comment.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education invites written comments regarding
the implementation of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical
Education Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-332, enacted October 31, 1998)
(Perkins III) and titles I and V of the Workforce Investment Act of
1998 (Pub. L. 105-220, enacted August 7, 1998), as they pertain to
Perkins III.
DATES: Comments received on or before April 5, 1999 will be considered
in the development of guidance and any regulations that may be
necessary, as well as the overall implementation strategy.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Patricia W. McNeil,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department
of Education, Room 4090 Mary E. Switzer Building, 400 Maryland Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20202-2645. Comments may be submitted
electronically to dvte@inet.ed.gov. You must include the term ``FR
Notice'' in the subject line of your electronic message. The receipt of
comments transmitted electronically will be acknowledged
electronically. Commenters wishing acknowledgment of receipt of
comments transmitted by mail must submit them by certified mail, return
receipt requested.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gisela Harkin, (202) 205-9037.
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.
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 listed in the preceding paragraph.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998
Signed into law on October 31, 1998, Perkins III restructures
programs previously authorized by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and
Applied Technology Education Act, setting out a new vision of
vocational and technical education for the 21st century. Improving
student achievement and preparation for postsecondary education,
further learning, and careers are the central goals of this new vision.
Perkins III promotes reform and innovation in vocational and technical
education to help ensure that all students acquire the skills and
knowledge they need to meet challenging State academic standards and
industry-recognized skill standards, and to prepare for postsecondary
education, further learning, and a wide range of career opportunities.
Implementation of Perkins III promises to make vocational and technical
education an integral part of State and local efforts to reform
secondary schools and improve postsecondary education.
The new law focuses the Federal investment in vocational and
technical education on high-quality programs that integrate academic
and vocational education; promote student attainment of challenging
academic and vocational and technical standards; provide students with
strong experience in, and understanding of all aspects of an industry;
address the needs of individuals who are members of special
populations; involve parents and employers; and provide strong linkages
between secondary and postsecondary education.
Programs must also develop, improve, or expand the use of
technology in vocational and technical education, such as by providing
training in the use of technology to educational personnel, preparing
students for careers in the high technology and telecommunications
fields, and by working with businesses in high technology industries to
offer internships and mentoring programs for students. To enhance the
quality of instruction in vocational and technical education, Perkins
III requires local programs to provide comprehensive professional
development opportunities for teachers, counselors, and administrators.
These opportunities may include workplace internships that provide
teachers with business experience, training in effective teaching
skills, programs that help teachers and other personnel stay current
with all aspects of an industry, and other activities.
[[Page 7986]]
Perkins III also eliminates a number of prescriptive administrative
requirements and restrictions on the use of funds in order to give
States, school districts, and postsecondary institutions greater
flexibility to design services and activities that meet the needs of
their students.
To promote continuous program improvement, as well as to ensure
optimal return on the Federal investment, Perkins III creates a State
performance accountability system. Under this system, the Secretary and
each State reach agreement on annual levels of performance for a number
of ``core indicators'' specified in the law:
Student attainment of challenging State-established
academic, and vocational and technical, skill proficiencies.
Student attainment of a secondary school diploma or its
recognized equivalent, a proficiency credential in conjunction with a
secondary school diploma, or a postsecondary degree or credential.
Placement in, retention, and completion of, postsecondary
education or advanced training, placement in military service, or
placement or retention in employment.
Student participation in, and completion of, vocational
and technical education programs that lead to nontraditional training
and employment.
States also use these ``core indicators'' to evaluate the performance
of local grantees.
Title II of the Act reauthorizes the Tech-Prep Education State
grant program, an important catalyst for secondary school reform and
postsecondary education improvement efforts. Tech-prep programs prepare
students for careers in high-skill fields or further education by
integrating academic and vocational and technical learning in a
sequential course of study that includes a minimum of two years of
secondary education and two years of postsecondary education or an
apprenticeship program. Perkins III promotes the use of work-based
learning and new technologies in tech-prep programs and encourages
partnerships with business, labor organizations, and institutions of
higher education that award baccalaureate degrees. States must give
special consideration in awarding funds to tech-prep programs that
provide education and training for employment in industries in which
there are significant workforce shortages, including the information
technology industry.
Title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA)
Title I of the WIA authorizes employment training and other
workforce investment activities that are administered at the State and
local level by workforce investment boards. These services must be
provided through a one-stop delivery system that is established by each
local board. The one-stop system also provides a means of accessing
education and employment-related services available under eleven other
Federal programs, including postsecondary vocational and technical
education programs authorized by Perkins III. Entities that carry out
postsecondary vocational and technical education programs funded by
Perkins III will participate in one-stop systems through memoranda of
understanding negotiated with local workforce investment boards. The
services provided under Perkins III through the one-stop systems must
be consistent with the Perkins III requirements.
Title V of the WIA
Title V of the WIA authorizes States to submit a single ``unified''
plan for two or more of fifteen Federal education and employment-
related programs identified in the statute. Postsecondary vocational
and technical education programs authorized under Perkins III are among
the programs that may be included in the unified plan. Secondary
vocational and technical education programs authorized under Perkins
III also may be included in the unified plan with the prior approval of
the State legislature. Other programs that may be incorporated in the
unified plan include programs covered under the Adult Education and
Family Literacy Act, workforce investment activities authorized by
Title I of WIA, and activities authorized by title I of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The portion of the unified plan that covers
each activity or program is subject to the requirements specified in
the original authorizing statute for that particular activity or
program. Title V also authorizes the award of incentive grants to
States that exceed agreed-upon performance levels for title I of WIA,
the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, and Perkins III.
Copies of Perkins III and WIA are available on the website of the
Office of Vocational and Adult Education at http://www.ed.gov/offices/
OVAE/VocEd/InfoBoard/legis.html. The text of the Conference Report on
H.R. 1853, the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act
of 1998 (Conference Report 105-800), can also be found in the
Congressional Record, October 8, 1998, pp. H10032-H10048. The text of
the Conference Report on H.R. 1385, Workforce Investment Act of 1998,
can be found in the Congressional Record, July 29, 1998, pp. H6604-
H6694.
Issues for Public Comment
The Secretary invites the public to submit written comments and
recommendations regarding the implementation of Perkins III and the
provisions of titles I and V of WIA that relate to Perkins III.
The Secretary is particularly interested in receiving comments and
recommendations concerning the following topics:
1. How best to implement the performance accountability system
described in section 113 of Perkins III for Fiscal Year 1999 and
subsequent fiscal years, including--
(A) Definitions for the core indicators of performance;
(B) Criteria for identifying the students within a State for whom
outcomes must be reported; and
(C) Procedures for establishing, revising, and reporting eligible
agency adjusted levels of performance.
2. The award of incentive grants to States that exceed the State
adjusted levels of performance for WIA Title I workforce investment
activities, the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, and Perkins
III (section 503 of WIA).
3. Procedures for the development and submission of State unified
plans (section 501 of WIA).
4. The participation of postsecondary vocational and technical
education programs authorized by Perkins III in the planning,
governance, operation, and funding of the one-stop delivery system
described in Title I of WIA.
Comments and recommendations are also welcome on other issues and
concerns that should be addressed or clarified through guidance or
regulations.
Under its Principles for Regulating, the Department of Education
will regulate only when it improves the quality and equality of
services to its customers--learners of all ages. The Department will
regulate only when absolutely necessary, and then in the most flexible,
most equitable, and least burdensome way possible. The Department will
regulate if a demonstrated problem exists and cannot be resolved
without regulation or if necessary to provide legally binding
interpretation to resolve an ambiguity. The Department will not
regulate if
[[Page 7987]]
entities or situations to be regulated are so diverse that a uniform
approach does more harm than good.
Electronic Access to This Document
Anyone may view this document, as well as other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or
portable document format (pdf) on the World Wide Web 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 with
Search, which is available free at the previous sites. If you have
questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government Printing Office
toll free at 1-888-293-6498.
Anyone also may view these documents in text copy only on an
electronic bulletin board of the Department. Telephone: (202) 219-1511
or, toll free, 1-800-222-4922. The documents are located under Option
G-Files/Announcements, Bulletins and Press Releases.
Additionally, in the future, this document, as well as other
documents concerning the implementation of Perkins III will be
available on the World Wide Web at the following site: http://
www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/VocEd/InfoBoard/legis.html.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register.
All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available
for public inspection during and after the comment period in Room 4090,
Mary E. Switzer Building, 300 C Street, SW., Washington, DC, between
the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday of each
week except Federal holidays.
Dated: February 11, 1999.
Richard W. Riley,
Secretary of Education.
[FR Doc. 99-3878 Filed 2-16-99; 8:45 am]
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