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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 130 / Monday, July 12, 2021 / Rules and Regulations pandemic, particularly when libraries have been closed. The commenter remarked that library collections urgently need updating on a regular basis to provide resources for our changing cultural needs. The commenter believed professional development for librarians will help ensure that students have the necessary literacy skills and tools to make accurate independent virtual learning choices.
Another commenter, in acknowledging the Departments recognition of the importance of coordinating with school libraries to carry out grant activities, encouraged the Department also to promote access to diverse literary material. The commenter believed that every student deserves a school library that incorporates diversity.
Discussion: The Department agrees with the commenter that many school libraries need updated collections, including ensuring that available materials reflect the diversity of students, and that professional development for school librarians can be a key lever in increasing student literacy. For that reason, we are modifying Priority 2 to clarify that, as under Priority 1, an applicant implementing a program under the priority must coordinate with school libraries.
Changes: We have clarified in Priority 2 that an applicant must coordinate with school libraries.
Comment: Five commenters provided remarks regarding Proposed Priority 1, Projects, Carried Out in Coordination with School Libraries, for Book Distribution, Childhood Literacy Activities, or Both. Four of the commenters offered support, recognizing the importance of school libraries, childhood literacy, and book distribution. One commenter remarked that IAL funding is best used by providing tangible items, such as eReaders, to LEAs serving children from low-income households. A commenter, who also supported the proposed priority, encouraged the Department to promote diversity of literary materials and evaluate proposed projects success in ensuring diversity.
Discussion: We appreciate the commenters support for Proposed Priority 1. We think applicants for IAL
funding are best positioned, in coordination with school libraries, to determine the needs of their students and acquire appropriate materials in response to those needs, which may include books and literacy-focused technology. We also agree that it is important to evaluate projects success in ensuring diversity and students benefit from access to diverse literary
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materials. Priority 2 highlights the Departments commitment to diverse learning environments.
Changes: None.
Comment: Eight commenters provided remarks for Proposed Priority 2, Providing a Learning Environment That Is Racially, Ethnically, Culturally, Disability and Linguistically Responsive and Inclusive, Supportive, and Identitysafe, and each offered their support for learning environments that are inclusive, supportive, and identity-safe.
Commenters stated that identity-safe learning environments will be beneficial for students from diverse backgrounds, low-income households, and urban areas. A commenter also urged the Department to prioritize funding for projects that create inclusive environments via ethnic course studies tailored to each unique student population.
Discussion: We agree that learning environments should be responsive, inclusive, supportive, and identity-safe, as reflected in Priority 2. With regard to prioritizing funding for projects that focus on ethnic studies or creating ethnic studies courses, we think Proposed Priority 2 provides the flexibility and autonomy for applicants to be innovative in creating responsive and inclusive learning environments, including through changes in curricula, library collections, and professional development.
Changes: None.
Comment: Sixteen commenters provided remarks regarding Proposed Priority 3, Supporting Students in Urban Areas. Three commenters supported the proposed priority, noting that many urban schools are underresourced; they expressed the need for certified librarians in urban schools and agreed that NCES locale codes are appropriate indicators of urbanicity.
Eleven commenters asserted that studies show students in rural areas face greater educational challenges than those in urban areas, citing data indicating that rural students are impacted more adversely in the areas of childhood poverty, internet access, college enrollment, and mental health care.
One commenter stated that NCES
locale codes are not the most appropriate indicator of urbanicity, for three reasons: First, school enrollment often does not match the surrounding population; second, relying on NCES
locale codes fails to achieve the goals of this proposed priority and the average wealth of families in particular schools should be a factor; and third, an area generally is not defined by its population and population density. The commenter contended that the level of
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infrastructure, presence of public transit, and types of jobs may better define a geographical area for the purpose of the priority.
Another commenter suggested the use of NCES locale codes restricts IAL
funding to LEAs with an urban locale code of 11, 12, or 13. The commenter contended the use of the locale codes results in an under-inclusive policy that limits funding to urban areas even though 70 percent of the United States population lives in suburban and rural areas. The commenter suggested the Department focus on identifying LEAs with the lowest literacy and math achievement levels, which may not be in urban settings.
Discussion: We appreciate the three commenters support for Proposed Priority 3 and agree that students in rural areas face educational challenges.
To that end, the Explanatory Statement for Division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 Pub. L. 116
260 2021 Appropriations Explanatory Statement directs the Department to ensure that grants are distributed among eligible entities that will serve geographically diverse areas, including both rural areas and underserved communities in urban school districts, in which students from low-income families make up at least 50 percent of enrollment. Because the Department previously established a priority to serve rural communities, this new priority is intended to complementnot replacethe rural priority so the program can prioritize both rural and urban areas, as directed by the 2021
Appropriations Explanatory Statement from Congress.
We appreciate the commenters suggestions regarding additional indicators to be used in addition to NCES locale codes when identifying urban areas and agree that population is not the only characteristic associated with urbanicity. However, the use of locale codes is a long-accepted practice in distinguishing among applicants and ensuring geographic diversity in competitive grant programs, and we decline to augment locale codes as suggested by the commenter.
We disagree with the commenter who asserted that the use of NCES locale codes restricts funding to LEAs assigned an urban locale code. As mentioned above, the 2021 Appropriations Explanatory Statement directs the Department to ensure that grants are distributed among eligible entities that will serve geographically diverse areas, including rural areas and underserved communities in urban school districts, in which students from low-income families make up at least 50 percent of
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