[Federal Register: March 26, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 58)]
[Notices]
[Page 14567-14570]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26mr97_dat-167]
[[Page 14567]]
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Part III
Department of Education
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Educational Research and Development Centers Program; Notice of Final
Priority for FY 1997; Office of Educational Research and Improvement
(OERI); Notice Inviting Applications for a New Award for FY 1997
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Educational Research and Development Centers Program
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of final priority for FY 1997.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces a final priority under the Educational
Research and Development Centers Program. The Secretary takes this
action to support research on early reading. The priority is intended
to produce research findings that will effect changes in early reading
instruction and related practices.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This priority takes effect on April 25, 1997.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Anne P. Sweet, U.S. Department of
Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20208-5573.
Telephone: (202) 219-2043. Internet: (anne--sweet@ed.gov). 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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Educational Research and
Improvement, authorized under Title IX of Public Law 103-227 (20 U.S.C.
6001, et seq.), supports educational research and development
activities. The National Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum,
and Assessment and the National Institute on Early Childhood
Development and Education are two of five research institutes that
carry out coordinated and comprehensive programs of research,
development, evaluation, and dissemination designed to provide
research-based leadership for the improvement of education.
As National Institutes, the National Institute on Student
Achievement, Curriculum, and Assessment and the National Institute on
Early Childhood Development and Education support a range of research,
development, and dissemination activities. They support long-term
activities focused on core issues in education carried out by national
research and development centers, as well as field-initiated studies
carried out by individual investigators. The final priority for
research on improving children's early reading is for a research and
development center to be supported jointly by the Student Achievement
and the Early Childhood Institutes.
The Secretary believes that improving reading achievement in this
country and increasing the capacity of the nation's education system to
provide all members of society with equal opportunities to attain a
high level of literacy depend on knowledge generated by an enduring
program of education research and development. Knowledge gained from
education research and development can help guide the national
investment in education and support local and State reform efforts.
Because they carry out sustained, long-term research and development,
centers are a primary mechanism for pursuing new knowledge about
education. Center awards are made to institutions of higher education,
institutions of higher education in consort with public agencies or
non-profit organizations, and interstate agencies established by
compact that operate subsidiary bodies to conduct postsecondary
education research and development.
Prior to this announcement and in conjunction with planning for
Educational Research and Development Center competitions in fiscal year
1996, OERI engaged in a series of meetings, regional hearings, and
Federal Register notices that solicited advice from parents, teachers,
administrators, policy-makers, business people, researchers, and others
to identify the most needed research and development activities.
Following these activities and subsequent research priorities planning
meetings in which OERI engaged, the Secretary published a notice of
proposed priority in the Federal Register on December 13, 1996 (61 FR
65932) for a national educational research and development center that
would carry out sustained research and development to address problems
and issues related to early reading instruction and related practices.
Written public comments were to be submitted to the Secretary by
January 27, 1997.
The Secretary has reviewed the written public comments and has
modified the proposed priority to include research on: teacher
professional development in early reading instruction; the use of
technology to make reading instruction more effective; and the
development of strategies that foster early reading acquisition. The
reasoning for this modification is explained in the Appendix to this
notice.
Analysis of Comments and Changes
In response to the Secretary's invitation in the notice of proposed
priority, nine parties submitted written comments. An analysis of the
comments and changes in the priority since publication of the notice of
proposed priority is published as an appendix to this notice of final
priority. Major issues are grouped according to subject. Technical and
other minor changes and suggested changes the Secretary is not legally
authorized to make under the applicable statutory authority are not
addressed.
Absolute Priority: Research to Improve Children's Early Reading
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary will give an absolute
preference to applications that meet the following priority. The
Secretary intends to fund only one application that meets the priority
listed below. Funding this priority will depend on the availability of
funds and the quality of applications received. The Secretary intends
to support a national research and development center on improving
children's early reading. As the topic of study, ``early reading''
refers not only to those reading and related skills learned in
kindergarten and the primary grades, but also to children's earliest
experiences, including preschool, that affect their language and
vocabulary acquisition. This center must:
(a) Conduct a coherent, sustained program of research and
development in early reading, using a well-conceptualized and
theoretically sound framework;
(b) Contribute to the development and advancement of theory and
practice in early reading;
(c) Conduct scientifically rigorous studies capable of generating
findings that contribute substantially to understanding in the field;
(d) Conduct work of sufficient size, scope, and duration to produce
definitive guidance for instructional improvement;
(e) Address issues of both equity and excellence in early reading
education for all children;
(f) Conduct the following research and development activities--
(1) Research on early reading acquisition and strategies that
foster this learning, including strategies to be used by families,
child care and preschool personnel, and kindergarten and elementary
school teachers;
(2) Multidisciplinary research including, as appropriate,
neuroscience, cognitive and developmental psychology, and the relevant
social sciences, on the relationships among the development of oral
language, reading, and writing fluency for all children, including
those who are from linguistically and culturally diverse populations;
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(3) Research that applies a variety of theoretical perspectives and
methodologies to describe and to assess the efficacy of current
practices in early reading instruction and to provide a knowledge base
to make early reading instruction more effective, including instruction
that involves the use of technology;
(4) Research on theory-based diagnostic and assessment tools for
early reading;
(5) Research on social, motivational, and affective factors that
play a part in early reading acquisition;
(6) Research on the relationships among early reading, writing, and
content knowledge acquisition; and
(7) Research on teacher knowledge and professional development in
reading to make teachers and teacher education in reading and literacy
more effective; and
(g) Document, report, and disseminate information about its
research findings and other accomplishments in ways that will
facilitate effective use of that information for teachers and other
early childhood professionals, families, and community members, as
appropriate.
Post-Award Requirements
The Secretary established the following post-award requirements
consistent with the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination
and Improvement Act of 1994. A grantee receiving a center award must:
(a) Provide OERI with information about center projects and
products and other appropriate research information so that OERI can
monitor center progress and maintain its inventory of funded research
projects. This information must be provided through media that include
an electronic network;
(b) Conduct and evaluate research projects in conformity with the
highest professional standards of research practice;
(c) Reserve five percent of each budget period's funds to support
activities that fall within the center's priority area, are designed
and mutually agreed to by the center and OERI, and enhance OERI's
ability to carry out its mission. Those activities may include
developing research agendas, conducting research projects collaborating
with other federally-supported entities, and engaging in research
agenda setting and dissemination activities; and
(d) At the end of the award period, synthesize the findings and
advances in knowledge that resulted from the Center's program of work
and describe the potential impact on the improvement of American
education, including any observable impact to date.
Note: This notice of final priority does not solicit
applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition
is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (84.305R) Educational
Research and Development Centers Program)
Program Authority: P.L. 103-227, Title IX (20 U.S.C. 6031).
Dated: March 20, 1997.
Marshall Smith,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
Appendix: Analysis of Comments and Changes
Absolute Priority
Summarized below are comments that referred specifically to the
Absolute Priority.
Comments Related to Teacher Professional Development
Comments: Six commenters advocated that knowledge about the
learning and development of teachers be integrated into the designated
scope of this center. One commenter noted that we possess little
information on what knowledge teachers need to teach reading
effectively. A different commenter took the position that efforts to
improve student learning without corresponding efforts to improve
teacher education are handicapped from the start. The same commenter
urged OERI to move forward with the plans for an early reading center
and observed that such a center has a valuable role to play in our
nation's future, given President Clinton's initiatives in programs like
``America Reads.''
Discussion: The Secretary agrees that teacher professional
development in reading is a critical issue. The Secretary also agrees
that the work of an early reading center will be important to the
President's ``America Reads Challenge,'' and expects that an early
reading center will produce results that will be useful to those
engaged in this initiative.
Changes: The Secretary has revised the priority and has added
paragraph (f)(7) to the early reading priority. The priority now
includes a focus on teachers' knowledge and professional development in
reading to make teachers and teacher education in reading and literacy
more effective.
Comments Related to Technology
Comments: Four commenters argued for the inclusion of technology
into the scope of this center. One commenter noted that technology that
can support literacy development and instruction and technology that
can be used as a dissemination tool should be studied. A second
commenter stated that we need to study not only principles that
underlie learning in interaction with computer programs, but also how
computers change the fabric of the classroom.
Discussion: The Secretary agrees that the study of technology in
literacy development and its use as a dissemination tool are important.
Technology as a dissemination tool is already included under paragraph
(g) of the priority.
Changes: The Secretary has revised the priority, under paragraph
(f)(3), to include research on the use of technology to make early
reading instruction more effective.
Comments Related to Classroom Practices and Instructional Strategies
Comments: Two commenters asserted that research on classroom
practices and instructional strategies should be included in the scope
of work of this center. One commenter observed that classroom practices
and instructional strategies are the most critical aspect of school
literacy.
Discussion: The Secretary agrees that classroom practices and
instructional strategies are crucial aspects of early reading
acquisition and believes that classroom practices are already included
under paragraphs (f)(2) through (6) in the priority.
Changes: The Secretary has modified the priority under paragraph
(f)(1) to include research on strategies that foster early reading
acquisition, which would include research on instructional strategies.
Comments Related to Connection of School, Family, and Community to
Support Reading Acquisition
Comments: Two commenters recommended that the connection of school,
family, and community to support reading acquisition be included. One
commenter noted that a convergence of research suggests that our future
success in teaching young children lies in developing strong continuous
connections between schools, families, and communities and that these
partnerships are crucial to what children learn and how they come to
see the eventual place of reading in their lives.
Discussion: The Secretary agrees that home-school-community
connections are pivotal ones in children's education and believes that
they are included for study under paragraphs (f)(2), (5), and (6) of
the priority.
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Changes: None.
Comments Related to the Role of Word Recognition Instruction in Early
Reading Programs
Comments: One commenter argued that the role of word recognition
instruction in early reading programs should be included. This
commenter felt that this issue is schools'' largest area of concern,
noting that there is very little solid research documenting how to
structure a quality school reading program that contains quality
literature and instruction in word recognition, including phonics.
Discussion: The Secretary agrees that the role of word recognition
instruction in early reading programs is important and believes that it
is included under paragraphs (f)(2) and (3) of the priority.
Changes: None.
Comments Related to Programs for Struggling Readers
Comments: One commenter advocated the inclusion of programs for
struggling readers. This commenter argued that most pull-out programs
have not been effective in bridging the gap in achievement, hence
programs that might work better need to be studied, along with methods
of organizing classrooms to accommodate diversity.
Discussion: The Secretary agrees that programs for struggling
readers (e.g., Reading Recovery, among others) require study and
believes that they are included under multiple paragraphs in the
priority `` most specifically (f)(2), where the social sciences will
bear on organizing for instruction, and (f)(3).
Changes: None.
Comments Related to Challenges Facing High-Poverty, Low-Achieving
Schools
Comments: One commenter, citing preliminary evidence, which
suggests that reading instruction has a larger effect on low-achieving
populations in high poverty schools than it does on other students,
recommends that research on low-achieving, high-poverty students be
included in addition to research on bilingualism and multiculturalism.
Discussion: The Secretary agrees that the challenges facing high-
poverty, low-achieving schools are important and believes that they are
included under multiple paragraphs in the priority'' most particularly
(f)(2-3) and (5-6).
Changes: None.
Comments Related to Second Language Learners
Comments: One commenter recommended that the topic of second
language learners be included. This commenter pointed out that
improving early reading in California necessitates the inclusion of the
Second Language Learner's primary language, given the state's
demographic landscape.
Discussion: The Secretary agrees that the topic of second language
learners is important and believes that it is included under paragraph
(f)(2) in the priority.
Changes: None.
Comments Related to Enhanced Learning in Different Subjects/Skills
Comments: One commenter asserted that early math, for example, is
much more wanting than early reading and recommended that enhanced
learning in many different subjects/skills be included.
Discussion: The Secretary agrees that enhanced learning in
different subjects/skills is important and believes that it is
appropriately included in this center under paragraph (f)(6) in the
priority.
Changes: None.
Comments Related to Brain Development
Comments: One commenter asserted that the central study area for
early learning should be brain development. This commenter stated that
reading is but one function of brain development and should be studied
accordingly.
Discussion: The Secretary agrees that brain development is
important and believes that it is included under paragraph (f)(2) in
the priority. The Secretary has also added language to clarify that, as
the topic of study, ``early reading'' may include this work.
Changes: None.
Comments Related to Motivational and Affective Factors
Comments: One commenter observed that (f)(5) (to conduct research
in the areas of motivation and affective factors) seemed more narrow
and limiting when compared to the other items under (f). This commenter
argued that the relative importance of this factor is diminished next
to issues that address knowledge about the reading process, about how
reading instruction might best occur, about reading teachers'
knowledge, practice, and change, and about the global nature and
influences (classroom and community) on reading.
Discussion: The Secretary agrees that the topics subsumed under
(f)(1-3) may appear to be quite comprehensive and that (f)(4-6) may be
viewed as less so. The Secretary has not assigned weights to the
elements under (f)(1-7), and thus expects that applicants will submit
applications that reflect their own views on the relative importance of
these elements.
Changes: None.
[FR Doc. 97-7677 Filed 3-21-97; 3:28 pm]
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