[Federal Register: January 10, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 7)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 1409-1410]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10ja02-17]
[[Page 1409]]
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Part II
Department of Education
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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
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34 CFR Part 303
Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers With Disabilities
and Reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act;
Proposed Rule and Notice
[[Page 1410]]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
34 CFR Part 303
RIN 1820-AB53
Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with
Disabilities
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Withdrawal of notice of proposed rulemaking.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary withdraws the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(NPRM) for the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with
Disabilities under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) that was published on September 5, 2000. This
action is taken because of the pending reauthorization of Part C of
IDEA. All relevant comments received under the NPRM will be considered
in developing the Administration's legislative proposal on IDEA, along
with new comments submitted as part of the reauthorization process.
DATES: The NPRM published on September 5, 2000 at 65 FR 53808 is
withdrawn as of January 10, 2002.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: JoLeta Reynolds or Thomas Irvin (202)
205-5507. If you use a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD), you
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-
8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain the document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to Katie Mincey, Director of the Alternate Format
Center. Telephone: (202) 205-8113.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 5, 2000, the Secretary
published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal
Register (65 FR 53808) to amend the regulations governing the Early
Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities (34 CFR
part 303). In the NPRM, we requested comments and recommendations on a
number of provisions, including those related to the provision of early
intervention services in ``natural environments,'' State financing of
early intervention services, and proposed new provisions to address the
use of public and private insurance by States.
The number and quality of comments received on the NPRM
demonstrated an intense interest in these and other provisions in the
Part C regulations. However, because Part C of IDEA expires on
September 30, 2002 and must be reauthorized, we believe that any
changes to the existing regulations before the statute is
reauthorized--especially given the relatively brief period that these
regulations would remain in effect--would be counterproductive.
We believe that it would be more efficient and effective to delay
the issuance of any new regulations for the Part C program until after
the IDEA is reauthorized. This will add stability to the implementation
of Part C, and ensure the development of more comprehensive and
complete regulations for the early intervention program that should
remain in effect, without change, for an extended period of time.
For the reasons we have described in the preceding paragraphs, the
Secretary withdraws the NPRM for the Early Intervention Program for
Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities that was published on September
5, 2000.
In developing the Administration's proposal regarding the
reauthorization of IDEA, we will consider all relevant comments
received in response to the NPRM published on September 5, 2000,
together with new comments submitted as part of the reauthorization
process.
The Secretary is publishing in this issue of the Federal Register a
Notice of request for public comment on the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act and its implementation. We encourage you to
submit additional comments regarding the Early Intervention Program
under Part C and to address any of the questions raised in the
accompanying Notice.
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
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 84.181 Early
Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities)
List of Subjects in 34 CFR Part 303
Education of individuals with disabilities, Grant programs--
education, Infants and toddlers, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Dated: December 28, 2001.
Loretta L. Petty,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 02-622 Filed 1-9-02; 8:45 am]
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