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Thursday,May 9, 2002

Part IV

Department of Education

Capacity Building for Traditionally Underserved Populations; Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2002; Notices

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Federal Register

/Vol. 67, No. 90/Thursday, May 9, 2002/Notices

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONCapacity Building for TraditionallyUnderserved Populations

AGENCY

Office of Special Education andRehabilitative Services, Department of Education.

ACTION

Notice of final priorities.

SUMMARY

The Assistant Secretary forthe Office of Special Education andRehabilitative Services announcespriorities under the Capacity Buildingfor Traditionally UnderservedPopulations program. The AssistantSecretary may use one or more of thesepriorities for competitions in fiscal year(FY) 2002 and in later years. We takethis action to focus on meeting theneeds of traditionally underservedpopulations. We intend these prioritiesto enhance the capacity and improve theparticipation of minority entities tocompete for Rehabilitation ServicesAdministration (RSA) discretionarygrants and to improve services providedto minority people with disabilitiesunder programs that are authorizedunder the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, asamended (Act).

EFFECTIVE DATE

These priorities areeffective June 10, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

Ellen Chesley, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,room 3318, Switzer Building,Washington, DC 20202–2649Telephone: (202) 205–9481 or viaInternet:

Ellen.Chesley@ed.gov

If you use a telecommunicationsdevice for the deaf (TDD), you may callthe TDD number at (202) 205–8133.Individuals with disabilities mayobtain this document in an alternativeformat (e.g., Braille, large print,audiotape, or computer diskette) onrequest to the contact person listedunder

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONCONTACT

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Undersection 21 of the Act, the CapacityBuilding for Traditionally UnderservedPopulations program is designed tosupport awards to minority entities andIndian tribes to provide training,technical assistance, or related activitiesto carry out certain programs authorizedunder the Act or to improve servicesunder the Act. Section 21 of the Act alsoauthorizes awards to eligible entities toenhance the capacity and increase theparticipation of minority entities andIndian tribes in activities funded underthe Act. ‘‘Minority entity’’ is definedunder section 21(b)(5) of the Act as ahistorically Black college or university,Hispanic-serving institution of highereducation, American Indian tribalcollege or university, or anotherinstitution of higher education whoseminority student enrollment is at least50 percent.Under section 21 of the Act, onlythree types of awards can be made asfollows: (1) Section 21(b)(2)(A)—Makingawards to minority entities and Indiantribes to carry out activities underprograms authorized under titles II, III,VI, and VII of the Act. (2) Section21(b)(2)(B)—Making awards to minorityentities and Indian tribes to conductresearch, training, technical assistance,or a related activity to improve servicesprovided under the Act, especiallyservices provided to individuals fromminority backgrounds.(3) Section 21(b)(2)(C)—Makingawards to a State or a public or privatenonprofit agency or organization, suchas an institution of higher education oran Indian tribe, to provide outreach andtechnical assistance to minority entitiesand Indian tribes to promote theirparticipation in activities funded underthe Act, including assistance to enhancetheir capacity to carry out thoseactivities.We published a notice of proposedpriorities for this program in the

FederalRegister

on November 28, 2001 (66 FR59526).Except for editorial and technicalrevisions, there are no significantdifferences between the notice of proposed priorities and this notice of final priorities.

Analysis Of Comments and Changes

In response to our invitation in thenotice of proposed priorities, 20 partiessubmitted comments on the proposedpriorities. An analysis of the commentsand of any changes in the prioritiessince publication of the notice of proposed priorities follows.Generally, we do not addresstechnical and other minor changes.Also, we may choose not to addresssuggested statutory changes that we arenot authorized to make under theapplicable statutory authority.

Comments:

Four commentersrecommended that we include a prioritysimilar to Proposed Priority 1 forTraumatic Brain Injury (TBI), becausethere is a need for services in this area.Further, they indicated that TBI is anunderserved population that should beincluded as a minority entity. Inaddition, nine commentersrecommended that Priority 4—CapacityBuilding for Minority Entities—shouldsupport not only minority institutions, but also agencies and organizations thatare owned or controlled by minorityindividuals.

Discussion:

We cannot consider thesepopulations and entities as ‘‘minorityentities’’ under the Act. Section 21 of the Act specifically defines ‘‘minorityentity’’ as a historically Black college oruniversity, Hispanic-serving institutionof higher education, American Indiantribal college or university, or anotherinstitution of higher education whoseminority student enrollment is at least50 percent.

Changes:

None.

Comments:

Six commentersrecommended that for Proposed Priority3—Establishing New RehabilitationTraining Programs—we use the HigherEducation Act of 1965, as amended(HEA) definition for a Hispanic-servinginstitution of higher education.

Discussion:

The Department of Education uses the HEA definition of ‘‘Hispanic-serving institution of highereducation.’’ The HEA definition appliesto all priorities of the Act, not justPriority 3.

Changes:

We’ve added a provision inthe priorities section to clarify that allpriorities should use the HEA definitionof Hispanic-serving institution of highereducation.

Comments:

One commenterrecommended that capacity building forminority entities be expanded toinclude other programs like specialeducation and the 21st CenturyLearning Centers.

Discussion:

Section 21(b)(2)(A) of theAct specifies that capacity buildingmust be directed to promoting theparticipation of minority entities inactivities funded under the Act. Thus,there is no authority to includeprograms, such as special education andthe 21st Century Learning Centers,which are not activities funded underthe Act.

Changes:

None.

Note:

This notice does

not

solicitapplications. In any year in which we chooseto use one or more of these priorities, weinvite applications through a notice in the

Federal Register

. When inviting applicationswe designate the priority as absolute,competitive preference, or invitational. Theeffect of each type of priority follows:

Absolute priority:

Under an absolutepriority we consider only applicationsthat meet the priority (34 CFR75.105(c)(3)).

Competitive preference priority:

Under a competitive preference prioritywe give competitive preference to anapplication by either (1) awardingadditional points, depending on howwell or the extent to which theapplication meets the competitivepriority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2)selecting an application that meets thecompetitive priority over an application

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Federal Register

/Vol. 67, No. 90/Thursday, May 9, 2002/Notices

of comparable merit that does not meetthe priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii)).

Invitational priority:

Under aninvitational priority we are particularlyinterested in applications that meet theinvitational priority. However, we donot give an application that meets theinvitational priority a competitive orabsolute preference over otherapplications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).

Priorities:

For purposes of thesepriorities, a

‘‘

minority entity

’’

includesa Hispanic-serving institution whoseHispanic student enrollment is 25percent of the institution

’

s studentpopulation.

Priority 1—Train Staff of theIndependent Living Services for OlderIndividuals Who Are Blind Program

We will fund a project that meets thispriority. The project funded must meetthe requirements in section 21(b)(2)(B)of the Act. A project must providetraining that would

—

(1) Increase the capacity and skills of staff of federally funded independentliving programs serving older blindminority consumers in networkingtowards building trust within racial andethnic minority communities;(2) Increase the ability of staff of federally funded independent livingprograms serving older blind racial andethnic minority consumers to identifyand build partnerships with key orspecific organizations and resources thatprovide infrastructure supports andspecialized services to racial and ethnicminority consumers and their families;(3) Increase the skills and capacity of staff of federally funded independentliving programs serving older blindracial and ethnic minority consumers tounderstand family and communityvalues and traditions of aging racial andethnic minority consumers that willlead to improved methods of effectivecommunication and dissemination of information about independent livingservices and other related resources foraging individuals with visualdisabilities.A project must

—

(1) Partner or collaborate with otherkey institutions and agencies that haveexpertise in this training, technicalassistance, and networking area;(2) Develop a regional training andtechnical assistance activity that willenhance and improve the knowledgeand skills of staff of federally fundedindependent living programs (i.e., fieldprofessionals and direct serviceproviders) serving older blindconsumers and improve outreach toracial and ethnic minority consumersand communities to increase theirinvolvement in the independent livingprogram funded under the Act;(3) Provide training and technicalassistance based upon a needsassessment of the region or geographicalarea being assisted;(4) Include an evaluation component based upon clear, specific performanceand outcome measures; and(5) Report the results of the evaluationin its annual performance report.Training must focus on the following:(1) Specific methods on how tointegrate and build alliances with keyorganizations, institutions, andindividuals within a community toreach older individuals who are blindfrom racial and ethnic minority backgrounds.(2) Specific training on how toidentify, develop, and evaluateappropriate mediums of communicationin disseminating critical informationabout this program.(3) Specific training on the definitionsof blindness and disability in thecontext of racial and ethnic minoritycultures and the attitudes associatedwith these terms.(4) Specific training on theimplication of health-related conditionsassociated with certain racial and ethnicminority groups (i.e., diabeticretinopathy, glaucoma, hypertension,etc.).(5) Specific training on what are someof the

‘‘

promising practices

’’

that arecurrently being used to educateconsumers from racial and ethnicminority groups about these medicalconditions and their relationship to blindness.

Priority 2—Community RehabilitationPrograms

We will fund projects that meet thepriority. Projects funded must meet therequirements in section 21(b)(2)(B) of the Act.Projects must

—

(1) Focus on referring more minoritiescurrently served by communityrehabilitation programs having serviceagreements, as well as those not havingservice agreements, to the vocationalrehabilitation system;(2) Target community rehabilitationprograms serving large numbers of minorities with disabilities;(3) Involve partnerships withcommunity rehabilitation programs thatserve significant numbers of minoritieswith disabilities;(4) Provide training on diversity;(5) Develop and conduct a survey thatlooks at why clients and consumersfrom minority backgrounds are reluctantto enter, remain in, or successfully exitthe vocational rehabilitation program;(6) Design and implement strategiesthat address the findings of the surveyto increase the numbers of clients andconsumers from minority backgroundswho successfully navigate through thevocational rehabilitation system;(7) Identify effective practice modelsfor service provision to unserved andunderserved populations;(8) Disseminate those models acrossthe United States to communityrehabilitation program sites used byminority persons with disabilities;(9) Disseminate information about thevocational rehabilitation program andits potential benefits to minorities andother appropriate community agenciesand organizations involved incommunity outreach activities;(10) Enhance the capacity of clinicsand outreach personnel to detect andrespond to potential clients andconsumers who are reluctant to enterthe vocational rehabilitation system;(11) Employ public relations andmarketing strategies to highlight thevocational rehabilitation program inminority communities;(12) Include an evaluation component based upon clear, specific performanceand outcome measures; and(13) Report the results of theevaluation in its annual performancereport.

Priority 3—Establishing NewRehabilitation Training Programs

We will fund projects that meet thefollowing priority. Projects funded mustmeet the requirements in section21(b)(2)(B) of the Act.Projects must

—

(1) Enhance and increase the capacityof minority institutions of highereducation to prepare more individualsfor careers in the public vocationalrehabilitation program, includingindividuals from minority backgrounds;(2) Be located at minority institutionsof higher education, includingcommunity colleges whose minoritystudent enrollment is at least 50percent, that are interested inestablishing new first-timerehabilitation training programs at theassociate degree, undergraduate degree,and graduate degree levels;(3) Include an evaluation component based upon clear, specific performanceand outcome measures; and(4) Report the results of the evaluationin its annual performance report.

Priority 4—Capacity Building forMinority Entities

We will fund projects that meet thepriority. Projects funded must meet therequirements in section 21(b)(2)(C) of the Act.