[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 185 (Friday, September 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59050-59051]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24002]
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Part VII
Department of Education
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Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program; Notices
Federal Register / Vol. 75 , No. 185 / Friday, September 24, 2010 /
Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
International Education Programs Service; Fulbright-Hays Group
Projects Abroad Program
AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of final priorities.
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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.021.
SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education announces
two priorities for the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA)
Program administered by the International Education Programs Service.
The Assistant Secretary may use these priorities for competitions in
fiscal year (FY) 2011 and later years.
We intend these two priorities to help increase the number of
teachers at the Kindergarten-grade 12 (K-12) level with skills in a
second language and knowledge of other cultures around the world by
supporting short-term projects abroad (1) that provide pre-service
teachers with training or courses in foreign languages and
international area studies as part of a teacher education curriculum
developed through collaboration between colleges or departments of
education and colleges or departments of arts and sciences within
institutions of higher education, and (2) in which at least 50 percent
of participants are K-12 teachers, K-12 administrators, or both. The
first priority supports projects that will help give pre-service
teachers a deeper knowledge of languages and cultures from around the
world. The second priority supports projects that will help increase
the study abroad opportunities for in-service teachers, giving these
individuals exposure to another country and its culture.
DATES: These priorities are effective October 25, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Guilfoil. Telephone: (202)
502-7625 or by e-mail: [email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Fulbright-Hays Group
Projects Abroad Program is to provide grants for overseas projects in
training, research, and curriculum development in modern foreign
languages and area studies that will engage teachers, students, and
faculty in a common endeavor. Projects may include short-term seminars,
curriculum development, or group research or study.
Program Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6).
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 664. We published a
notice of proposed priorities for this program in the Federal Register
on May 13, 2010, 75 FR 26945. That notice contained background
information and our reasons for proposing the particular priorities.
There are no differences between the proposed priorities and these
final priorities.
Public Comment: In response to our invitation in the notice of
proposed priorities, one party submitted comments on the proposed
priorities.
Generally, we do not address technical and other minor changes, or
suggested changes the law does not authorize us to make under the
applicable statutory authority. In addition, we do not address general
comments that raised concerns not directly related to the proposed
priorities.
Analysis of Comments: An analysis of the comment and any changes in
the priorities since publication of the notice of proposed priorities
follows.
Priority 2--Greater Participation of K-12 Educators
Comment: The commenter suggested that rather than offering a
priority to those applicants that provide for 50 percent or greater
participation of K-12 educators in a short-term project, the program
should provide a certain percentage of awards to those projects that
focus exclusively on K-12 educators. The rationale provided was that
the projects that are most effective are those that are offered
exclusively to either K-12 or postsecondary educators as it is
difficult to effectively design one project that fully addresses the
needs of both of these groups.
Discussion: While we agree with the commenter that addressing the
needs of varying groups of educators within one project may present
challenges, we do not believe that it is necessary to revise the
priority to address this specific need. First, we note that nothing in
the priority precludes applicants from proposing projects exclusively
for either K-12 or postsecondary educators.
Second, in our experience, the GPA program has supported numerous
successful projects that have provided exceptional opportunities for
varying groups of educators. These GPA program participants have
experienced substantive learning, not only about host countries,
cultures and languages, but from each other as well. This collaboration
amongst educators at different levels of the education system often
proves to be extremely productive and beneficial to GPA projects in
providing for substantive follow-up opportunities, collaboration, and
additional professional growth experiences. Accordingly, we believe it
is important for applicants to have the option of structuring their
projects to focus on varying groups of educators.
Changes: None.
Final Priorities
Priority 1
Applications that, through collaborative efforts between one or
more colleges or departments of education and one or more colleges or
departments of arts and sciences within a single institution of higher
education or within a consortium of higher education institutions,
propose short-term projects abroad that provide pre-service teachers
with training or courses in foreign languages and international area
studies as part of the teacher education curriculum.
Priority 2
Applications that propose short-term projects abroad that develop
and improve foreign language studies, area studies, or both at
elementary and secondary schools by including K-12 teachers or K-12
administrators as at least 50 percent of the project participants.
Types of Priorities
When inviting applications for a competition using one or more
priorities, we designate the type of each priority as absolute,
competitive preference, or invitation. The effect of each type of
priority follows:
Absolute priority: Under an absolute priority, we consider only
applications that meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)).
Competitive preference priority: Under a competitive preference
priority, we give competitive preference to an application by (1)
awarding additional points, depending on the extent to which the
application meets the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2)
selecting an application that meets the priority over an application of
comparable merit that does not meet the priority (34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
Invitational priority: Under an invitational priority, we are
particularly interested in applications that meet the priority.
However, we do not give an application that meets the priority a
preference over other applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
This notice does not preclude us from proposing additional
priorities,
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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 priorities, we invite
applications through a notice in the Federal Register.
Executive Order 12866: This notice of final priorities 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
regulatory action.
The potential costs associated with this regulatory action are
those resulting from statutory requirements and those we have
determined as necessary for administering these programs effectively
and efficiently.
In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative
and qualitative--of this regulatory action, we have determined that the
benefits of the final priorities justify the costs.
We have also determined that this regulatory action does not unduly
interfere with State, local, and Tribal governments in the exercise of
their governmental functions.
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:[sol][sol]www.ed.gov/news/
fedregister. To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at this site.
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:[sol][sol]www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
Delegation of Authority: The Assistant Secretary of Postsecondary
Education has delegated authority to Daniel T. Madzelan, Director,
Forecasting and Policy Analysis for the Office of Postsecondary
Education to perform the functions of the Assistant Secretary for
Postsecondary Education.
Dated: September 21, 2010.
Daniel T. Madzelan,
Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2010-24002 Filed 9-23-10; 8:45 am]
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