[Federal Register: September 24, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 185)]
[Notices]
[Page 59834-59837]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24se02-41]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Vocational and Adult Education; Reauthorization of
Federal Support for Vocational and Technical Education Programs
AGENCY: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings and request for comment on the
reauthorization of Federal support for vocational and technical
education programs.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary announces a series of public meetings
and invites comments from the public regarding the reauthorization of
programs under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education
Act of 1998 (the Act) and related issues, including Federal support for
secondary school reform.
[[Page 59835]]
Public Meetings
Dates, Time, and Addresses: We will hold public meetings according
to the following schedule:
1. Date: October 15, 2002, Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Sheraton Nashua Hotel, Wentworth Ballroom, 11 Tara
Boulevard, Nashua, NH 03062. Phone: (603) 888-9970. Fax: (603) 891-
4179.
Hotel Information: A limited number of rooms has been reserved at
the Sheraton Nashua Hotel located at 11 Tara Boulevard, Nashua, NH
03062. To make your reservations, please call 603-888-9970 and refer to
``OVAE Public Meeting.'' The room rate is $96.12 (tax inclusive) for
the reserved rooms on a first-come, first-served basis. Check-in time
is 3 p.m., and check-out time is 12 p.m.
2. Date: October 25, 2002, Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: College of The Canyons, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa
Clarita, CA 91355. Phone: (661) 259-7800. Fax: (661) 259-8302.
Hotel Information: A limited number of rooms has been reserved at
the Hyatt Valencia Hotel located at 24500 Town Center Drive, Valencia,
CA 91355. To make your reservations, please call 1-800-233-1234 and
refer to ``OVAE Public Meeting.'' The room rate is $108.90 (tax
inclusive) for the reserved rooms on a first-come, first-served basis.
Check-in time is 3 p.m., and check out time is 12 p.m.
Participants: Those who wish to present comments on the
reauthorization of Federal support for vocational and technical
education programs and related issues at one of the public meetings
must reserve time on the agenda for that meeting by contacting the
individuals identified under Reservations and Additional Meeting
Information. Reservations for presenting comments will be accepted on a
first-come, first-served basis.
Participants will be allowed approximately 3 to 5 minutes to
present their comments, depending upon the number of individuals who
reserve time on the agenda. At the meeting, participants also are
encouraged to submit two written copies of their comments. Persons
interested in making comments are encouraged to address the issues and
questions discussed under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Reservations and Additional Meeting Information: Individuals who
intend to present comments at one of the public meetings must make
reservations by contacting Gerri Anderson, Conference Manager, 1010
Wayne Ave, Suite 300, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 (voice) 1(888) 589-
4366; (fax) (301) 589-4122; (Federal Information Relay Service) 1-800-
877-8339; (e-mail) ganderson@dbconsultinggroup.com.
Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities at the Public Meetings
The meeting rooms and proceedings will be accessible to individuals
with disabilities. In addition, when making reservations, anyone
presenting comments at or attending a meeting who needs special
accommodations, such as sign language interpreters, Braille materials,
and communication access real-time transcription, should inform the
previously listed individual of his or her specific accessibility
needs. You should make requests for accommodations at least 10 working
days prior to the scheduled meeting date. Although we will attempt to
meet a request we receive after that date, we may not be able to make
available the requested auxiliary aid or service because of
insufficient time to arrange it.
Request for Written Comments
In addition to soliciting comments during the public meetings, we
invite the public to submit written comments on the reauthorization of
Federal support for vocational and technical education programs, as
well as related issues, including secondary school reform. We are
particularly interested in comments that address the issues and
questions described under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
DATES: Submit comments on or before October 31, 2002.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Gerry Anderson,
Conference Manager, 1010 Wayne Ave, Suite 300, Silver Spring, Maryland
20910.
1. E-Mail. We encourage you to e-mail your comments to the
following address: ganderson@dbconsultinggroup.com.
2. Facsimile. You may submit comments by facsimile at (301) 589-
4122. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf, you may call
(202) 205-5538.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of this notice in
an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or
computer diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the
previous paragraph. Availability of Copies of the Act: You may obtain
an electronic copy of the Act on the Internet at the following site:
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/CTE/legis.html.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the Act in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact number listed in the previous
paragraph.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Act authorizes Federal support to
improve secondary and postsecondary vocational and technical education
programs. The Act includes seven programs, with more than $1.3 billion
in funding for Fiscal Year 2002. The funded programs are: the
Vocational and Technical Education State Grants; Tech-Prep Education
State Grants; National Activities, including a national research
center; the Native American Vocational and Technical Education program;
the Tribally-Controlled Postsecondary Vocational and Technical
Institutions program; America's Career Resource Network grants to
States; and the Tech-Prep Demonstration program.
The statutory authorization for these programs expires on September
30, 2004. In order to contribute in a timely manner to congressional
reauthorization discussions, we are beginning a review of these
programs, as well as related issues, including secondary school reform.
To ensure public participation in our review and decision-making, we
invite public comment on these issues.
Key Issues for Public Comment
Comments are encouraged on the following priority issues.
1. Narrowing the Achievement Gap
Since the release of A Nation At Risk in 1983, little if any,
improvement has been made in the performance of our nation's high
school students. By all accounts, improvements have not been
substantial enough so that every student is prepared for a successful
future. In fact, data show that by the end of the 1980s, progress
stopped cold and, through the 1990s, achievement gaps have remained
stable or widened. A number of trends indicate that we may still be a
``nation at risk'' of not preparing our students for their future.
Scores by 12th graders on the National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) remain disturbingly low. As of 1998, only 40 percent of
12th graders were able to read at or above a proficient level and just
22 percent were able to write at or above a proficient level. Only 16
percent of 12th grade students in 2000 scored at or above a proficient
level in math and 18 percent scored at or above a proficient level in
science. Despite a substantial decrease in achievement gaps between
1970 and 1999, white students still consistently outperform peers of
other racial and ethnic backgrounds in every subject area. In fact, by
1999, on average, 17-
[[Page 59836]]
year-old African-American and Hispanic students had skills in English,
mathematics, and science skills comparable to those of 13-year-old
White students. Achievement gaps also exist among students who pursue
different programs of study. As of 1994, vocational concentrators
lagged behind other students in English, math, and science achievement.
On January 8, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the No
Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the most sweeping reform of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) since it was enacted in
1965. Its provisions include increased accountability for States,
school districts, and schools; greater choice for parents and students,
particularly those attending low-performing schools; more flexibility
for States and local educational agencies in the use of Federal
education dollars; and a stronger emphasis on reading, especially for
our youngest children.
Although No Child Left Behind applies to both elementary and
secondary students, it places primary and much-needed emphasis on the
28 million public school students enrolled in kindergarten through 8th
grade. Follow-up action that builds on No Child Left Behind may be
needed to improve the achievement of the nation's high school students.
[sbull] Is there a need for additional or separate Federal action
to address the achievement gap among secondary school students?
[sbull] Is there a need for additional or separate Federal action
to address the achievement gap among non-baccalaureate postsecondary
students?
[sbull] How should Federal support for vocational and technical
education programs be aligned with Title I of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act and other elementary and secondary education
programs?
[sbull] The current array of Federal programs that impact high
schools and their students, may or may not represent a coherent Federal
high school policy.
[sbull] What policies and programmatic elements would an effective,
coherent Federal strategy to promote high school transformation
include?
[sbull] How would existing vocational and technical education be
modified to support this Federal strategy?
[sbull] Nearly one-third of college freshman take remedial math
courses, and over one-quarter take remedial English. In some states,
estimates of students requiring college remediation are nearly 50
percent. What can be done to assure that every student is prepared for
postsecondary education, without the need for remediation?
2. Focusing on What Works
The Federal investment in vocational and technical education
comprises about seven percent of the total amount spent nationally on
vocational and technical education.
[sbull] How can these limited resources be targeted to maximize the
return on the Federal investment?
[sbull] What are the features of effective secondary vocational and
technical education programs that should be given higher priority for
Federal resources?
[sbull] What are the features of effective postsecondary vocational
and technical education programs that should be given higher priority
for Federal resources?
[sbull] How should our national program funds be targeted to help
close the achievement gap between high and low performing students,
including factors that are based on gender, ethnicity, economic status
and disability?
3. Increasing Accountability for Student Performance
The Act established a State accountability system that holds States
accountable for meeting annual, agreed-upon levels of performance on a
set of ``core indicators'' specified in the statute. Each State has
discretion to determine how it will measure each of the indicators.
[sbull] While the Act's accountability system has heightened
attention on student achievement, completion, and other outcomes, some
contend that the system is needlessly complex and does not generate
straightforward, easily understandable information about student,
program, and State performance. How can this accountability system be
simplified and improved?
[sbull] The law uses a single set of indicators to measure the
effectiveness of both secondary and postsecondary programs. However,
some of the indicators, such as attainment of State-establish academic
proficiencies, are not readily applicable to postsecondary education.
What indicators are most appropriate and useful for measuring the
effectiveness of postsecondary vocational and technical education
programs? To what types of students should they apply? For example,
should non-credit students be included in the accountability system?
4. Coordination With Federal Employment and Training Programs
Title I of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) created a one-stop
delivery system that links multiple Federal education and training
programs in order to make these services more accessible to the public,
to reduce duplication of services, and to facilitate coordinated
planning across programs. Postsecondary vocational and technical
education programs supported by the Act are ``mandatory partners'' that
are required to participate in the one-stop delivery system. They are
also represented on local workforce investment boards that govern the
one-stop system in local areas.
[sbull] Have the one-stop delivery system's goals of improving
public access to postsecondary vocational and technical education,
reducing duplication, and facilitating coordination been achieved in
local areas? What changes are needed to promote the further attainment
of these goals? How have memoranda of understanding [MOUs] worked to
benefit the postsecondary vocational and technical education
participant?
[sbull] States negotiate annual levels of performance for WIA Title
I employment programs for a set of ``core indicators'' that are similar
to that established under the Act. Placement in employment, for
example, is measured for both WIA Title I and the Act. Should these
indicators be measured consistently across these programs and others,
using the same population and other definitions? How should this common
employment measure be constructed and what definitions should be used?
Are there other indicators [e.g., educational attainment] for which
there should also be common measurement approaches and definitions?
[sbull] Have WIA incentive grants helped States look at ways to
promote student achievement across programs and help close the
achievement gap?
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 the following site:
www.ed.gov/legislation/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.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2301, et seq.
[[Page 59837]]
Dated: September 19, 2002.
Carol D'Amico,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 02-24251 Filed 9-23-02; 8:45 am]
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