Office of Elementary and Secondary Education--Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities National Programs--Federal Activities--Grant Competition to Prevent High-Risk Drinking and Violent Behavior Among College Students, Notice of final priorities and selection criteria for fiscal year (FY) 2001 and subsequent years [OESE]

[Federal Register: December 27, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 249)]
[Notices]               
[Page 82223-82226]
>From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27de00-145]                         


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Part VIII

Department of Education

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Office of Elementary and Secondary Education: Safe and Drug-Free 
Schools and Communities National Programs; Combined Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 2001; Notice


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education--Safe and Drug-Free 
Schools and Communities National Programs--Federal Activities--Grant 
Competition to Prevent High-Risk Drinking and Violent Behavior Among 
College Students

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice of final priorities and selection criteria for fiscal 
year (FY) 2001 and subsequent years.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for the Office of Elementary and 
Secondary Education announces final priorities and selection criteria 
under the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities National Programs-
Federal Activities-Grant Competition to Prevent High-Risk Drinking and 
Violent Behavior Among College Students. The Assistant Secretary may 
use these priorities and selection criteria for competitions in fiscal 
year (FY) 2001 and later years.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These priorities and selection criteria are effective 
January 26, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Lucey, Jr., U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW--Room 3E252, Washington, DC 20202-
6123. Telephone: (202) 205-5471. If you use a telecommunications device 
for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Information Relay Service 
(FIRS) at (800) 877-8339. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this 
document 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: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in 
which the Assistant Secretary chooses to use these final priorities 
and selection criteria, we invite applications through a notice in 
the Federal Register. A notice inviting applications under this 
competition is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Assistant Secretary published a notice 
of proposed priorities and selection criteria for this competition in 
the Federal Register on October 16, 2000 (65 FR 61246-61247). Except 
for minor editorial revisions, there are no differences between the 
notice of proposed priorities and selection criteria and this notice of 
final priorities and selection criteria.

Analysis of Comments and Changes

    In response to the Assistant Secretary's invitation in the notice 
of proposed priorities and selection criteria, nine parties submitted 
comments on the proposed priorities. An analysis of the comments 
follows, grouped by major issues according to subject. No changes have 
been made in response to the comments.
    Generally, we do not address technical and other minor changes, and 
suggested changes the law does not authorize the Assistant Secretary to 
make under the applicable statutory authority.

Eligible Applicants

    Comments: One party recommended that eligible applicants include 
statewide higher education coalitions.
    Discussion: Eligible applicants under this grant competition 
include institutions of higher education, consortia thereof, other 
public and private nonprofit organizations, or individuals. Insofar as 
statewide higher education coalitions are nonprofit organizations, they 
would be eligible to apply for funding under this grant competition.
    Changes: None.
Absolute Priorities

    Comments: Six parties recommended that the word ``or'' be removed 
from the section within each of the two priorities that states 
``campus- and/or community-based strategies.''
    Discussion: The priority language is broad enough to include a wide 
range of prevention strategies that can originate either on the campus 
or within its surrounding community. The Assistant Secretary does not 
intend to exclude community representatives from campus-based efforts, 
nor exclude campus representatives from community-based efforts, to 
prevent high-risk drinking and violent behavior among college students. 
To the contrary, the selection criteria for this grant competition 
award points for proposed projects that will establish linkages with 
other appropriate agencies and organizations providing services to the 
target population.
    Changes: None.

Focus of Funding

    Comments: Two parties recommended that the Department's 
discretionary grant funding should focus on building regional or 
statewide coalitions.
    Discussion: In Fiscal Year 1999, the Department conducted a State 
and Regional Coalition Grant Competition to Prevent High-Risk Drinking 
Among College Students. Although the current Grant Competition to 
Prevent High-Risk Drinking and Violent Behavior Among College Students 
does not have the express purpose of creating or sustaining coalitions, 
the Assistant Secretary does encourage collaboration among colleges and 
State and regional stakeholders in order to mobilize them into action 
and create systemic change. However, the Assistant Secretary has 
determined that this year's grant competition will focus on campus- 
and/or community-based efforts.
    Changes: None.

General

    In making awards under this grant program, the Assistant Secretary 
may take into consideration the geographic distribution of the projects 
in addition to the rank order of applicants.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds, the Assistant Secretary 
may make additional awards in FY 2002 from the rank-ordered list of 
nonfunded applications from this competition.

Definitions

    1. ``High-risk drinking'' is defined as those situations that may 
involve but not be limited to: Binge drinking (commonly defined as five 
or more drinks on any one occasion); underage drinking; drinking and 
driving; drinking in conjunction with situations when one's condition 
is already impaired by another cause, such as depression or emotional 
stress; or combining alcohol and medications, such as tranquilizers, 
sedatives, and antihistamines.
    2. ``Specific student populations'' can include but not be limited 
to student athletes, members of fraternities and sororities, students 
attending two-year institutions of higher education, and first-year 
students.

Priorities

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and 
Communities Act of 1994, the Assistant Secretary gives an absolute 
preference to applications that meet either of the following 
priorities, and funds under this competition only those applications 
that meet either of the following absolute priorities:

Absolute Priority #1--Develop or Enhance, Implement, and Evaluate 
Campus- and/or Community-Based Strategies to Prevent High-Risk Drinking 
Among College Students

    Under this priority, applicants are required to:
    (1) Identify a specific student population to be served by the 
grant and provide a justification for its selection;
    (2) Provide evidence that a needs assessment has been conducted on 
campus to document prevalence rates

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related to high-risk drinking by the population selected;
    (3) Set measurable goals and objectives for the proposed project 
and provide a description of how progress toward achieving goals will 
be measured annually;
    (4) Design and implement prevention strategies, using student input 
and participation, that research has shown to be effective in 
preventing high-risk drinking by the target population;
    (5) Use a qualified evaluator to design and implement an evaluation 
of the project using outcomes-based (summative) performance indicators 
related to behavioral change and process (formative) measures that 
assess and document the strategies used; and
    (6) Demonstrate the ability to start the project within 60 days 
after receiving Federal funding in order to maximize the time available 
to show impact within the grant period.

Absolute Priority #2--Develop or Enhance, Implement, and Evaluate 
Campus- and/or Community-Based Strategies to Prevent High-Risk Drinking 
Among College Students

    Under this priority, applicants are required to:
    (1) Identify a specific student population to be served by the 
grant and provide a justification for its selection;
    (2) Provide evidence that a needs assessment has been conducted on 
campus to document prevalence rates related to violent behavior;
    (3) Set measurable goals and objectives for the proposed project 
and provide a description of how progress toward achieving goals will 
be measured annually;
    (4) Design and implement prevention strategies, using student input 
and participation, that research has shown to be effective in 
preventing violent behavior among college students;
    (5) Use a qualified evaluator to design and implement an evaluation 
of the project using outcomes-based (summative) performance indicators 
related to behavioral change and process (formative) measures that 
assess and document the strategies used; and
    (6) Demonstrate the ability to start the project within 60 days 
after receiving Federal funding in order to maximize the time available 
to show impact within the grant period.

Selection Criteria

    The Assistant Secretary uses the following selection criteria to 
evaluate applications for new grants under this competition. The 
maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points. The maximum 
score for each criterion or factor under that criterion is indicated in 
parentheses.
    (1) Need for project. (15 points)
    In determining the need for the proposed project, the following 
factors are considered:
    (a) The magnitude or severity of the problem to be addressed by the 
proposed project. (10 points)
    (b) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses. (5 points)
    (2) Significance. (20 points)
    In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
following factors are considered:
    (a) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system 
change or improvement. (5 points)
    (b) The potential contribution of the proposed project to the 
development and advancement of theory, knowledge, and practices in the 
field of study. (10 points)
    (c) The extent to which the proposed project involves the 
development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on, 
or are alternatives to, existing strategies. (5 points)
    (3) Quality of the project design. (30 Points)
    In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, 
the following factors are considered:
    (a) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable. 
(10 points)
    (b) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target 
population or other identified needs. (5 points)
    (c) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects 
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. (10 points)
    (d) The extent to which the proposed project will establish 
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing 
services to the target population. (5 points)
    (4) Quality of project personnel. (10 points)
    In determining the quality of project personnel, the following 
factors are considered:
    (a) The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. (3 points)
    (b) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel. (7 points)
    (5) Quality of the project evaluation. (25 points)
    In determining the quality of the evaluation, the following factors 
are considered:
    (a) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project. (10 points)
    (b) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible. (10 points)
    (c) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes. (5 points)

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.
    Applicable Program Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Guidelines in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 
85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7131.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at either of the 
following sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html

To use PDF, you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at either of the previous sites. If you have questions about using 
PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) toll free at (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

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Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.184H Office of 
Elementary and Secondary Education--Safe and Drug-Free Schools and 
Communities National Programs--Federal Activities--Grant Competition 
to Prevent High-Risk Drinking and Violent Behavior Among College 
Students)

    Dated: December 21, 2000.
Michael Cohen,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 00-33007 Filed 12-26-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U