§ 412.2 Who is eligible for an award?

State and local educational agencies, postsecondary educational institutions, and other public and private agencies, organizations, and institutions are eligible for an award under this program.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2402(c))

§ 412.3 What activities may the Secretary fund?

(a) The Secretary provides grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to six regional curriculum coordination centers (CCCs).

(b) Each CCC must-(1) Provide for national dissemination of information on effective vocational and technical education programs and materials, with particular attention to regional programs;

(2) Be accessible by electronic means; (3) Provide leadership and technical assistance in the design, development, and dissemination of curricula for vocational education;

(4) Coordinate the sharing of information among the States with respect to vocational and technical education curricula;

(5) Reduce duplication of effort in State activities for the development of vocational and technical education curricula; and

(6) Promote the use of research findings with respect to vocational education curricula.

(c) The six regional CCCs assisted with funds under this program must serve States according to the Department of Education's regional alignment as follows:

(1) The Northeast Curriculum Coordination Center serves Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the Virgin Islands.

(2) The Southeast Curriculum Coordination Center serves Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

(3) The East Central Curriculum Coordination Center serves Delaware, the District of Columbia, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio,

Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

(4) The Midwest Curriculum Coordination Center serves Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

(5) The Northwest Curriculum Coordination Center serves Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

(6) The Western Curriculum Coordination Center serves American Samoa, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Palau until the Compact of Free Association with Palau takes effect. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2402(c))

§ 412.4 What is the National Network of Directors Council?

(a) The National Network of Directors Council (Council) enhances the effectiveness of the Network by

(1) Planning for inter-center coordination, dissemination, and diffusion activities;

(2) Providing leadership to ensure cohesiveness for overall Network functions;

(3) Promoting the adoption and adaptation of curriculum materials;

(4) Maintaining liaison with dissemination systems described in § 412.32;

(5) Convening at least twice a year; and

(6) Planning for and participating in an annual meeting of CCCS that includes activities such as displays of current curriculum materials from each CCC, inservice training sessions, and hands-on experience with new technologies in vocational and technical education. This meeting must be held in a different region each year.

(b) The Council is composed of the six CCC directors and a liaison from the Department. One of the CCC directors serves as chair for the Council and has responsibilities for submitting minutes of Council meetings to the Secretary. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2402(c))

§ 412.5 What regulations apply?

The following regulations apply to the National Network for Curriculum Coordination in Vocational and Technical Education:

(a) The regulations in this part 412. (b) The regulations in 34 CFR part 400.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2402(c))

§ 412.6 What definitions apply? The definitions in 34 CFR 400.4 apply to this part.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2402(c))

Subpart B-(Reserved)

Subpart C-How Does the
Secretary Make an Award?

§ 412.20 How does the Secretary evaluate an application?

(a) The Secretary evaluates an application for a grant or cooperative agreement on the basis of the criteria in § 412.21.

(b) The Secretary may award up to 100 points, including 15 points to be distributed in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section, based on the criteria in §412.21.

(c) Subject to paragraph (d) of this section, the maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses after the heading for each criterion.

(d) For each competition as announced through a notice published in the FEDERAL REGISTER, the Secretary may assign the reserved points among the criteria in §412.21.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2402(c))

$412.21 What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

The Secretary uses the following criteria to evaluate an application:

(a) Regional need. (30 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the applicant's understanding of and responsiveness to the needs of the region, including the extent to which the applicant—

(1) Demonstrates an understanding of the leadership responsibilities associated with serving as a resource center and facilitator for States in a region, including the region's need for inservice training, holding regional meetings, providing technical assistance, coordinating with State directors of vocational education, maintaining a

lending library, and disseminating information regularly;

(2) Proposes adequate mechanisms and procedures for reporting the results of curriculum networking services and activities of the 50 States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Outlying Areas;

(3) Demonstrates the capacity to disseminate information on effective vocational education materials, including curriculum materials;

(4) Demonstrates an understanding of the operation of the Vocational Education Curriculum Materials and ADVOCNET Systems and the need for establishing a Tech-Prep education clearinghouse; and

(5) Demonstrates the capacity to undertake the responsibilities associated with participation as a member of the Network Directors Council described in §412.4.

(b) Plan of operation. (25 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the project, including

(1) The quality of the design of the project;

(2) The extent to which the management plan ensures proper and efficient administration of the project;

(3) How well the objectives of the project relate to the purpose of the program;

(4) The quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources and personnel to achieve each objective; and

(5) How the applicant will ensure that project participants who are otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.

(c) Key personnel. (10 points) (1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the proposed project, including—

(i) The qualifications of the project director;

(ii) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be used in the project;

(iii) The appropriateness of the time that each person referred to in paragraphs (c)(1) (i) and (ii) of this section will commit to the project; and

(iv) How the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.

(2) To determine the personnel qualifications under paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, the Secretary considers

(1) The experience and training of key personnel in project management and in the fields related to the objectives of the project; and

(ii) Any other qualifications of key personnel that pertain to the quality of the project.

commitment.

(d) Institutional (10 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which the applicant

(1) Has experience with vocational education curriculum and dissemination;

(2) Will initiate and maintain liaison functions with regional States; and

(3) Will provide adequate facilities, equipment, and supplies.

(e) Budget and cost effectiveness. (5 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which

(1) The budget is cost effective and adequate to support the project activities; and

(2) The budget contains costs that are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project.

(f) Evaluation plan. (5 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the project's evaluation plan, including the extent to which the plan

(1) Is clearly explained and is appropriate to the project; and

(2) Identifies expected outcomes of the services provided and how those services will be measured.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control No. 1830-0013) (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2402(c))

Subpart D-What Conditions Must Be Met After An Award?

§ 412.30 What additional activities must be carried out by Curriculum Coordination Centers?

In carrying out the activities described in § 412.3, each CCC must perform the following activities:

(a) Assist States in the development, adaptation, adoption, dissemination, and use of curriculum materials and services and other information resulting from research and development activities carried out under the Act, including performing these activities during at least two regional meetings involving States served by the CCC. One of these regional meetings must be conducted jointly with the other five CCCs and their regional States at the meeting described in § 412.4(a)(6).

(b) Coordinate with other curriculum coordination centers funded under this

part.

(c) Coordinate with the State salaried State liaison representative (SLR), who is appointed by the State director of vocational education. The SLR has primary responsibilities for liaison activities within the States, including

(1) Obtaining new curriculum and research and development materials for Network sharing;

(2) Informing localities and State agencies of Network services;

(3) Disseminating CCC related materials;

(4) Arranging for intrastate and interstate development and dissemination activities;

(5) Arranging for technical assistance and inservice training workshops;

(6) Participating in regional CCC meetings; and

(7) Fostering adoption and adaptations of materials available through the CCC.

(d) Maintain a lending library with a collection of vocational education curriculum, research, and development materials for use by the States served by the CCC.

(e) Each CCC must participate in the Council activities described in §412.4.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2402(c))

SOURCE: 57 FR 36780, Aug. 14, 1992, unless otherwise noted.

Subpart A-General

§ 413.1 What is the National Center or Centers for Research in Vocational Education?

The Secretary supports the establishment of one or two National Centers for Research in Vocational Education (National Center) in the areas of— (a) Applied research and development; and

(b) Dissemination and training. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2404)

§413.2 Who is eligible to apply for the National Center or Centers?

An institution of higher education or consortium of institutions of higher education may apply to be a National Center under this part.

CROSS-REFERENCE: See 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129, Group Applications. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2404(a)(5))

§ 413.3 What kinds of activities are carried out?

The Secretary provides a grant or cooperative agreement to a National Center or Centers that are designed to perform either one or both of the following activities:

(a) Applied research and development activities. (1) A major purpose of the National Center is to design and conduct research and development activities that are consistent with the purposes of the Act, including

(i) Longitudinal studies that extend over a period of years;

(ii) Supplementary and short-term activities; and

(iii) Upon negotiation with the center, and if funds are provided pursuant to section 404(d) of the Act, such other topics as the Secretary may designate.

(2) The National Center shall conduct applied research and development activities that include examination of the following:

(i) Economic changes that affect the skills that employers seek and entrepreneurs need.

(ii) Integration of academic and vocational education.

(iii) Efficient and effective practices for addressing the needs of special populations.

(iv) Efficient and effective methods for delivering vocational education.

(v) Articulation of school and college instruction with high quality work experience.

(vi) Recruitment, education, and enhancement of vocational teachers and other professionals in the field.

(vii) Accountability processes in vocational education, including identification and evaluation of the use of appropriate performance standards for student, program, and State-level out

comes.

(viii) Effective practices that educate students in all aspects of the industry the students are preparing to enter.

(ix) Effective methods for identifying and inculcating literacy and other communication skills essential for effective job preparation and job performance.

(x) Identification of strategic, high priority occupational skills and skills formation approaches needed to maintain the competitiveness of the United States workforce, sustain high-wage, high-technology jobs, and address national priorities such as technical jobs needed to protect and restore the environment.

(xi) Identification of practices and strategies that address entrepreneurial development for minority-owned enterprises.

(3) The applied research and development activities must include

(i) An emphasis on the recruitment, education, and enhancement of minority and female vocational teachers and professionals; and

(ii) Activities that aid in the development of minorities and women for leadership roles in vocational education.

(b) Dissemination and training activities. (1) A major purpose of the National Center is to design and conduct dissemination and training activities that are consistent with the purposes of the Act, including

(i) The broad dissemination of the results of the research and development conducted by the National Center;

(ii) The development and utilization of a national level dissemination network including functions such as clear

inghouses, databases, and telecommunications;

(iii) Planning, developing, and conducting training activities; and

(iv) Upon negotiation with the Center and if funds are provided pursuant to section 404(d) of the Act, such other topics as the Secretary may designate.

(2) The National Center shall conduct dissemination and training activities that include the following:

(i) Teacher and administrator training and leadership development.

(ii) Technical assistance to ensure that programs serving special populations are effective in delivering wellintegrated and appropriately articulated vocational and academic offerings for secondary, postsecondary, and adult students.

(iii) Needs assessment, design, and implementation of new and revised programs with related curriculum materials to facilitate vocational-academic integration.

(iv) Evaluation and follow-through to maintain and extend quality programs.

(v) Assistance in technology transfer and articulation of program offerings from advanced technology centers to minority enterprises.

to (vi) Assistance programs and States on the use of accountability indicators, including appropriate and innovative performance standards.

(vii) Delivery of information and services using advanced technology, if appropriate, to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of knowledge transfer.

(viii) Development of processes for synthesis of research, in cooperation with a broad array of users, including vocational and non-vocational educators, employers and labor organizations.

(ix) Dissemination of exemplary curriculum and instructional materials, and development and publication of curriculum materials (in conjunction with vocational and nonvocational constituency groups, if appropriate).

(x) Technical assistance in recruiting, hiring, and advancing minorities in vocational education.

(3) The training and leadership development activities must include an emphasis on