10/10/97: Combined Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1998 Visiting Scholars Fellowship Program [OERI]

[Federal Register: October 10, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 197)]
[Notices]
[Page 53207-53210]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10oc97-164]

[[Page 53207]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part IV

Department of Education

_______________________________________________________________________

Visiting Scholars Fellowship Program at the U.S. Department of
Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI);
Combined Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year
(FY) 1998; Notice

[[Page 53208]]

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.305V, 84.306V, 84.307V, 84.308V, and 84.309V]

Purpose of Program: The OERI Visiting Scholars Fellowship Program
allows individuals engaged in educational research to work at one of
the following OERI national research institutes in Washington, DC for
up to 18 months:
1. National Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum, and
Assessment (CFDA No. 84.305V).
2. National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students (CFDA
No. 84. 306V).
3. National Institute on Early Childhood Development and Education
(CFDA No. 84. 307V)
4. National Institute on Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-
Making, and Management (CFDA No. 84.308V).
5. National Institute on Postsecondary Education, Libraries and
Lifelong Learning (CFDA No. 84.309V).
Administration of Program: This fellowship competition will be
administered by the National Research Council (the Council). The
Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to
associate the broad community of science and technology with the
Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the Federal
Government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined
by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency
of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of
Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and
the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered
jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine.
Fiscal and Programmatic Information: Except for the individual
descriptions of the National Research Institutes, the fiscal and
programmatic information in this notice applies separately for each of
the competitions under the five institutes.
Eligible Applicants: Scholars, researchers, policymakers, education
practitioners, librarians, or statisticians who are engaged in the use,
collection, and dissemination of information about education and
educational research.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 5, 1998.

Note: Decisions on awards will be made by the Council by April
1998, and fellows will be able to commence their appointments as
early as June 1998 or as late as January 1999.

Applications Available: October 14, 1997.

Fiscal Information
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated
Available Estimated range of average Estimated
CFDA No. and name of institute funds awards size of number of
awards awards
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.305V, National Institute on Student Achievement,
Curriculum, and Assessment........................ $200,000 $50,000-$100,000 $75,000 1-2
84.306V, National Institute on the Education of At-
Risk Students..................................... 200,000 50,000-100,000 75,000 1-2
84.307V, National Institute on Early Childhood
Development and Education......................... 200,000 50,000-100,000 75,000 1-2
84.308V, National Institute on Educational
Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and Management 200,000 50,000-100,000 75,000 1-2
84.309V, National Institute on Postsecondary
Education, Libraries and Lifelong Learning........ 200,000 50,000-100,000 75,000 1-2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Neither the U.S. Department of Education, nor the Council, is bound by the estimates in this notice.

Fellowship Period: From 9 to 18 months.
Applicable Regulations: General procedures governing the
application process and the evaluation and selection of fellows can be
found in the 1998 Program Announcement for the OERI Visiting Scholars
Fellowship Program. This Program Announcement, prepared by the Council,
is available on the web site http://fellowships.nas.edu, and is also
available from the address and telephone number listed at the end of
this notice. More specific procedures governing the panel review
process will be available from the Council after all applications have
been received.
The regulations in 34 CFR Part 700 and in the Education Department
General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) govern the grant
relationship between OERI and the Council and apply to the Council's
administration of Federal funds under the grant.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OERI is authorized to make fellowship awards
to visiting scholars under section 931(c)(1)(E) of the Educational
Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994, 20
U.S.C. 6001 et seq. This statute states, in relevant part, that the
fellowships ``shall be awarded competitively following the publication
of a notice in the Federal Register inviting the submission of
applications.'' OERI made a grant to the National Research Council to
carry out this activity pursuant to the regulations in 34 CFR Part 700
and the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR)
in 34 CFR Part 75. OERI is publishing this application notice on behalf
of the Council.
The Council will fund applications for fellowships under the
following OERI national research institutes:
National Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum, and
Assessment (CFDA No. 84.305V). The purpose of the National Institute on
Student Achievement, Curriculum, and Assessment is to support research,
development, and evaluation activities to provide research-based
leadership for improving student achievement in the core content areas.
The institute supports work to identify, develop, and evaluate
innovative and exemplary methods to improve student knowledge at all
levels in the core academic subjects. The institute also supports basic
and applied research in the areas of cognition, learning, and
performance, including research on the educational contexts that
promote excellence in teaching and learning, and research and
development in the area of assessment.
National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students (CFDA No.
84.306V). The purpose of the National Institute for the Education of
At-Risk Students is to expand research-based knowledge and strategies
that will promote excellence and equity in the education of children

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and youth placed at risk of educational failure because of limited-
English proficiency, poverty, race or ethnicity, or geographic
location. The institute will carry out a program of research and
development to identify and assist others to replicate and adapt
programs and models which promote greater achievement and educational
success by at-risk students, including innovative methods of
instruction, student assessment, professional development, and
curricula.
National Institute on Early Childhood Development and Education
(CFDA No. 84.307V). The purpose of the National Institute on Early
Childhood Development and Education is to carry out a comprehensive
program of research and development to provide research-based
leadership to the United States as it seeks to improve early childhood
development and education. The priority is to improve learning and
development in early childhood so that all children can enter
kindergarten prepared to learn and succeed in elementary and secondary
schools. The institute is interested in developmentally appropriate
assessment of preschool children and programs, early literacy, early
math and science learning, how the arts relate to early learning,
development of the early childhood workforce, translating brain
development research into policy and practice, how communities and
schools support early learning, supporting diverse populations, and
supporting adolescent parents and their children.
National Institute on Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-
Making, and Management (CFDA No. 84.308V). The purpose of the National
Institute on Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and
Management is to develop and disseminate research-based information
that helps guide the design and implementation of governance
arrangements, finance systems, policy approaches, and management
strategies that will support high levels of learning by all students.
By law, the institute supports work which promises to improve education
equity and excellence at the State, local, tribal, school building and
classroom levels of elementary and secondary education in the United
States.
National Institute on Postsecondary Education, Libraries and
Lifelong Learning (CFDA No. 84.309V). The purpose of the National
Institute on Postsecondary Education, Libraries and Lifelong Learning
is to support research and development activities designed to meet the
following goals: improve successful participation and degree completion
by students in postsecondary education; affordability, quality, and
positive learning outcomes of postsecondary education; adult learning
and literacy; and connections/transitions between education and work.
Of central concern is the investigation of how adults learn--in formal
educational institutions and work settings as well as in informal
settings such as libraries, museums, and communities. Our vision is
that all adults will be provided with opportunities for affordable,
high quality education tailored to their individual, citizenship, and
workplace needs.

Invitational Priorities

The Council is particularly interested in applications that meet
one or both of the following two invitational priorities. However, an
application that addresses one or both of these invitational priorities
does not receive competitive or absolute preference over other
applications.

Invitational Priority 1--Research Priorities Plan--Making Connections

The subjects under this invitational priority are taken from the
OERI's Research Priorities Plan published on June 6, 1996 in the
Federal Register (61 FR 28858), which defines national priorities for
education research and development under section 912(f) of OERI's
authorizing statute. An applicant that responds to this invitational
priority is encouraged to address one or more of the following
subjects:
Improving curriculum, instruction, assessment, and student learning
at all levels of education to promote high academic achievement,
problem-solving abilities, creativity, and the motivation for further
learning.
Ensuring effective teaching by expanding the supply of potential
teachers, improving teacher preparation, and promoting career-long
professional development at all levels of education.
Strengthening schools, particularly middle and high schools, as
institutions capable of engaging young people as active and responsible
learners.
Supporting schools to effectively prepare diverse populations to
meet high standards for knowledge, skills, and productivity, and to
participate fully in American economic, cultural, social, and civic
life.
Promoting learning in informal and formal settings, and building
the connections that cause out-of-school experiences to contribute to
in-school achievement.
Improving learning and development in early childhood so that all
children can enter kindergarten prepared to learn and succeed in
elementary and secondary schools.
Understanding the changing requirements for adult competence in
civic, work, and social contexts, and how these requirements affect
learning and the futures of individuals and the nation.

Note: The Department's Research Priorities Plan is available on-
line at www.ed.gov. Copies may also be requested by calling OERI at
(202) 219-2000.

Invitational Priority 2--Traditionally Underrepresented Groups and
Institutions

Based on section 931(c)(5) of OERI's authorizing statute, the
Council also invites applications from groups of researchers or
institutions that have been historically underutilized in Federal
educational research activities. Such groups and institutions include:
Women, African-Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, and Alaskan
Natives or other ethnic minorities; promising young or new researchers
in the field, such as postdoctoral students and recently appointed
assistant or associate professors, Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges, and other institutions of
higher education with large numbers of minority students; institutions
of higher education located in rural areas; and institutions and
researchers located in States and regions of the United States which
have historically received the least Federal support for educational
research and development. Applicants are invited to propose projects
that are designed to increase the participation in the activities of
the institutes of the above groups and institutions.
Selection Criteria: According to the Council's 1998 Program
Announcement for the OERI Visiting Scholars Fellowship Program,
qualifications of applicants will be evaluated by panels of
distinguished scholars selected by the Council. The evaluation of
applications will be based on achievement, experience, and training as
evidenced by the application materials submitted, and by the importance
of the proposed work to the field of education and the goals of the
OERI. Panelists will carefully consider the application, proposed
project plan, letters of recommendation, and other supporting
documentation. The quality of the proposed project and the
appropriateness of the proposed study at the OERI will also be
carefully reviewed. The final selection of fellows, based on the
panelists' recommendations, will be made by the National Research
Council. The Council will set forth the specific procedures

[[Page 53210]]

governing the panel review process in a l988 ``Guide for Panelists''
after the number and composition of the applications have been
determined.
For Applications and Information Contact: Delores Banks, The
Fellowship Program, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution
Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20418, (202) 334-2872. 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 and the
applications in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person
listed in the preceding paragraph.

Note: The official application notice for a discretionary grant
competition is the notice published in the Federal Register.

Electronic Access to This Document

Anyone may view this document, as well as all 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 either of 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 may also 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.

Note: The official version of a document is the document
published in the Federal Register.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6001 et seq. (OERI) and 36 U.S.C.
253 (National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council).

Dated: October 6, 1997.
Ricky Takai,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Educational Research and
Improvement.
[FR Doc. 97-26936 Filed 10-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U