[Federal Register: December 23, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 247)]
[Notices]
[Page 78761-78762]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23de08-55]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Teaching American History Grant Program
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215X.
AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of final revisions to selection criteria.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement
announces selection criteria under the Teaching American History Grant
(TAH) Program. The Assistant Secretary may use these selection criteria
for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2009 and later years. We take this
action to provide the Secretary with the flexibility to use selection
criteria (i) Established for the TAH Program in the notice of final
selection criteria and other application requirements, published in the
Federal Register on April 15, 2005 (70 FR 19939) (2005 Notice); (ii)
from the menu of general selection criteria in the Education Department
General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR 75.210; (iii)
based on statutory provisions in accordance with 34 CFR 75.209; or (iv)
from any combination of (i) through (iii) for competitions in fiscal
year (FY) 2009 and in subsequent years. We intend that this choice of
selection criteria will provide greater flexibility to evaluate TAH
Program applications.
DATES: Effective Date: These final revisions to selection criteria are
effective January 22, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mia D. Howerton, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W212, Washington, DC 20202-
5960. Telephone: (202) 205-0147 or by e-mail: mia.howerton@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of Program: The TAH Program is authorized under Title II,
Part C, Subpart 4 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The goal of
the TAH Program is to support activities that raise student achievement
by improving teachers' knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of
American history.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6721.
We published a notice of proposed revisions to selection criteria
for this program in the Federal Register on October 29, 2008 (73 FR
64310). That notice contained background information and our reasons
for proposing these revisions to selection criteria.
There is only one difference between the proposed revisions to
selection criteria and these final revisions to selection criteria.
Public Comment: In response to our invitation in the notice of
proposed revisions to selection criteria, two parties submitted
comments.
We group major issues according to subject. Generally, we do not
address technical and other minor changes.
Analysis of Comments and Changes: An analysis of the comments and
of any changes in the revisions to the selection criteria since
publication of the notice of proposed revisions to selection criteria
follows.
Comment: A commenter questioned what it means to expand the range
of selection criteria.
Discussion: Expanding the range of selection criteria means that we
will now have a larger pool of criteria from which to select for
competitions under the TAH Program. In prior competitions, the
Department was limited to using only the selection criteria that was
established for the TAH Program in the 2005 Notice. With these final
revisions to selection criteria, the Department will be able to use the
selection criteria established for the TAH Program in the 2005 Notice
as well as selection criteria chosen from the menu of general selection
criteria in the Education Department General Administrative Regulations
(EDGAR) in 34 CFR 75.210, selection criteria based on statutory
provisions in accordance with 34 CFR 75.209, or selection criteria from
any combination of these for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2009 and
in subsequent years.
Changes: None.
Comment: A commenter questioned whether the selection criteria and
the point value assigned to each criterion would remain constant from
year to year.
Discussion: The selection criteria for the TAH Program and the
point value for each criterion (as well as the maximum number of points
assigned to all selection criteria used for a competition) may change
each year depending on the needs of the program. We will announce the
maximum possible points assigned to each
[[Page 78762]]
criterion as well as the maximum possible points for all criteria in
the notice inviting applications or the application package, or both.
Changes: We have clarified that we will announce the maximum
possible points for all criteria (not just the maximum possible points
for each criterion) in the notice inviting applications or the
application package, or both.
Comment: A commenter questioned if the selection criteria
established for the TAH Program in the 2005 Notice would be rescinded.
Discussion: The selection criteria established for the TAH Program
in the 2005 Notice will not be rescinded. Those criteria may still be
used in a particular competition. These final revisions simply ensure
that the Department has the flexibility to use selection criteria in
addition to or in combination with those established for the TAH
Program in the 2005 Notice in its competitions for FY 2009 and
subsequent years.
Changes: None.
Final Selection Criteria
The Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement
announces final revisions to the selection criteria under the Teaching
American History Grant Program. In addition to the selection criteria
established in the 2005 Notice, the Secretary may use any of the
selection criteria in Sec. 75.210, criteria based on statutory
requirements under Sec. 75.209, or any combination of these when
establishing selection criteria for a particular TAH Program
competition. We may apply one or more of these criteria in any year in
which this program is in effect. In the notice inviting applications or
the application package, or both, we will announce the maximum possible
points assigned to each criterion as well as the maximum possible
points for all criteria.
This notice does not preclude us from proposing additional
priorities, requirements, definitions, or selection criteria, subject
to meeting applicable rulemaking requirements.
Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in
which we choose to use one or more of these selection criterion, we
invite applications through a notice in the Federal Register.
Executive Order 12866: This notice has been reviewed in accordance
with Executive Order 12866. Under the terms of the order, we have
assessed the potential costs and benefits of this final regulatory
action.
The potential costs associated with this final regulatory action
are those resulting from statutory requirements and those we have
determined as necessary for administering this program effectively and
efficiently.
In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative
and qualitative--of this final regulatory action, we have determined
that the benefits of the final selection criteria justify the costs.
We have determined, also, that this final regulatory action does
not unduly interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the
exercise of their governmental functions.
We summarized the costs and benefits of this regulatory action in
the notice of proposed revisions to selection criteria.
Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the
objectives of the Executive order is to foster an intergovernmental
partnership and a strengthened federalism. The Executive order relies
on processes developed by State and local governments for coordination
and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
This document provides early notification of our specific plans and
actions for this program.
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the program contact
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Electronic Access to This Document: You can view this document, as
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/
nara/index.html.
Dated: December 18, 2008.
Amanda L. Farris,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. E8-30553 Filed 12-22-08; 8:45 am]
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