[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 97 (Tuesday, May 20, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27680-27681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13172]
[[Page 27679]]
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Part III
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Rehabilitation Short-Term Training; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 97 / Tuesday, May 20, 1997 /
Notices
[[Page 27680]]
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
RIN 1820-ZA09
Rehabilitation Short-Term Training
AGENCY: Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice of proposed priority for fiscal year 1997.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes a priority for fiscal year 1997 under
the Rehabilitation Short-Term Training program. The Secretary takes
this action in order to improve the leadership among top-level managers
and administrators of the State Vocational Rehabilitation Services
program.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 19, 1997.
ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposed priority should be
addressed to Sylvia Johnson, U.S. Department of Education, 600
Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3318, Switzer Building, Washington,
D.C. 20202-2601. Comments may also be sent through the Internet to:
Sylvia__Johnson@ed.gov
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sylvia Johnson. Telephone: (202) 205-
9312. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the TDD number at (202) 205-8133. Internet:
Sylvia__Johnson@ed.gov
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice contains a proposed priority to
establish a National Rehabilitation Leadership Institute to improve the
leadership skills of top-level managers and administrators of the State
Vocational Rehabilitation Services program.
Goals 2000: Educate America Act
The Goals 2000: Educate America Act (Goals 2000) focuses the
Nation's education reform efforts on the eight National Education Goals
and provides a framework for meeting them. Goals 2000 promotes new
partnerships to strengthen schools and expands the Department's
capacities for helping communities to exchange ideas and obtain
information needed to achieve the goals.
This proposed priority would address the National Education Goal
that every adult American will be literate and will possess the
knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and
exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. The proposed
priority would further the objectives of this Goal by focussing
available funds on projects that improve the leadership skills of top
administrators of State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies, which
will improve the responsiveness of the VR system to adults with
disabilities and their vocational pursuits.
The Secretary will announce the final priority in a notice in the
Federal Register. The final priority will be determined by responses to
this notice, available funds, and other considerations of the
Department. Funding of particular projects depends on the availability
of funds, the nature of the final priority, and the quality of the
applications received. The publication of this proposed priority does
not preclude the Secretary from proposing additional priorities, nor
does it limit the Secretary to funding only this priority, subject to
meeting applicable rulemaking requirements.
Note: This notice of proposed priority does not solicit
applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition
will be published in the Federal Register concurrent with or
following publication of the notice of final priority.
Priority
Background
Authority for the Rehabilitation Short-Term Training program is
contained in section 302 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended
(29 U.S.C. 774). Under this program the Secretary makes awards to
public agencies and private agencies and organizations, including
institutions of higher education, Indian tribes, and tribal
organizations. This program is designed for the support of special
seminars, institutes, workshops, and other short-term courses in
technical matters relating to the vocational, medical, social, and
psychological rehabilitation programs, independent living services
programs, and client assistance programs.
The State Vocational Rehabilitation Services program is undergoing
significant change. In their efforts to improve the employment outcomes
of the individuals they serve, State VR agencies have been changing the
way they operate. For example, most State VR agencies have taken steps
to streamline VR services, analyzing their practices, policies, and
procedures and eliminating or modifying those that inhibit responsive
service delivery. In addition, State VR agencies increasingly recognize
that their success in promoting the employment of their consumers
depends in part on the strength of their linkages with employers and
with generic employment and training programs.
The changed environment of State VR agencies demands a different
set of skills from leaders and managers than has traditionally been
required. Managers and leaders in the VR system need to develop new
skills that will enable them, for example, to change their agencies'
focus from processes and compliance to the achievement of high-quality
outcomes and to build working relationships with organizations outside
their agencies.
Elements of a VR Leadership Training Program
To have maximum utility to administrators in the State VR Services
program, a leadership training program must include training in
leadership skills that includes periodic reinforcement and feedback to
participants, application of leadership skills to VR issues, and
provision of training in a peer setting.
Many skills associated with effective leadership can be taught,
given sufficient instruction, practice, and feedback on performance.
Effective skills training uses a strategy of repeated practice over
time with feedback on performance. In the training arena, this often
translates into providing a series of training programs. The time
between training programs is used for practicing newly learned skills.
Subsequent events allow for feedback by instructors and peers on their
efforts. For example, an institute may propose a series of short
courses (several days each) over the course of a year, each building
upon the other. The time between the courses would be used to try out
new techniques and exercise new skills. At the next course, experiences
may be discussed to allow the instructors to provide feedback. The
instructors could then move along to new topics. It is a progressive
learning technique that has proven effective, especially when training
busy professionals such as rehabilitation administrators. There also
may be a ``pick and choose'' series of courses from which a given
administrator, in concert with a training specialist on the grantee's
staff, could select to develop a ``customized'' program of learning.
Efforts such as these have proven to be effective in programs designed
for busy professionals.
The second element of effective VR leadership training is the
application of training to actual issues. This approach both helps
trainees solve real problems and relates to a long-held principle of
adult learning: adults learn most effectively when the content of the
training is directly related to issues they face. Within VR, new
policies, initiatives, and legislation will require top administrators
and directors to make
[[Page 27681]]
major changes in procedures and practices within their agencies. Tying
the content of leadership training to these types of issues makes the
training in leadership skills more effective and helps solve real world
problems.
The third element of effective leadership training is the provision
of training in a peer setting. A well-tested management principle
relates to the benefits of working in teams with others who face
similar situations. Group, as opposed to individual, examination of
issues often reveals a wider range of options for addressing those
issues and results in better solutions.
Leadership skills, like all skills, can improve over time.
Therefore, the Secretary considers progressive levels of leadership
training programs, such as courses for new directors, programs for
administrators and directors with various levels of experience, and
seminars for seasoned administrators and directors, essential to
meeting the diverse needs of VR administrators and directors.
The Secretary has determined that it is in the best interest of the
State VR Services program to provide leadership skills training through
one national institute. Having one institute lends consistency in the
quality and content of training and better enables the Secretary to
monitor the quality and relevance of the training. The Secretary
intends to be involved with the grantee to provide direction and
technical assistance on the content of the training.
To expand the funding base for the project and to encourage State
agencies to contribute to the costs of training, the Secretary is
proposing that participants be required to provide some level of
contribution for training. The Secretary recognizes that State agencies
have limited budgets and that some State policies limit the use of
funds for tuition and related costs. However, the Secretary expects
that a reasonable fee structure will not preclude the participation of
State agencies.
In summary, the Secretary has determined that it is in the best
interest of the State VR Services program to develop a leadership
training program that focuses on leadership skills as applied to the
unique issues facing State VR agencies in a peer setting. Progressive
levels of training are needed to meet the varying needs of
administrators and directors. One institute would ensure consistency in
training and provide for better quality control. State agencies would
be required to provide some degree of support to the program.
Proposed Priority
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and section 302(a)(1) of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Secretary proposes to give
an absolute preference to applications that meet the following
priority. The Secretary proposes to fund under this competition only
applications that meet this absolute priority:
The Secretary proposes to fund one project to establish a National
Rehabilitation Leadership Institute that will focus on developing the
leadership skills of top-level managers and administrators in State VR
agencies. The project must have plans for addressing the leadership
needs in all VR agencies funded under the Act.
The project must employ a curriculum that focuses on the
development of leadership skills and on the application of those skills
to current challenges and issues in the VR program. The project must be
capable of structuring leadership curricula around current VR issues of
national significance, such as using VR standards and indicators to
assess and improve agency performance, coordinating effectively with
generic employment and training programs, and increasing client choice.
Actual issues will be determined by the advisory committee (described
later in this notice) and the Secretary.
The project must employ a curriculum that includes several levels
of training to meet the needs of audiences ranging from new State
administrators and directors to seasoned administrators and directors.
The project's curriculum must include sequential courses that allow for
repeated practice of newly learned skills over time, with performance
feedback. The project must provide training in a peer setting.
The project must coordinate its training activities with activities
conducted under the State VR In-Service Training program and the
Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program. These programs are also
charged with improving the leadership skills of State agency personnel.
Therefore, collaboration and coordination are necessary.
The project must establish an advisory committee that includes RSA
central and regional office representatives, representatives of State
VR agency administrators, rehabilitation counselors, VR clients, other
educators and trainers of VR personnel, and others as determined to be
appropriate by the grantee and RSA. This committee must provide
substantial input on and direction to the training curriculum,
including the specific VR issues to be incorporated.
The project must include an evaluation component based upon clear,
specific performance and outcome measures. The results must be reported
in its annual progress report.
The project must provide for some degree of participant
contribution to training costs.
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.
Invitation to Comment
Interested persons are invited to submit comments and
recommendations regarding this proposed priority.
All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available
for public inspection, during and after the comment period, in Room
3423, Mary Switzer Building, 330 C Street S.W., Washington, D.C.,
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday of
each week except Federal holidays.
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR Parts 385 and 390.
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 774.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 84.246D,
Rehabilitation Short-Term Training)
Dated: May 15, 1997.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 97-13172 Filed 5-19-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
