[Federal Register: January 15, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 10)] [Notices] [Page 2370] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr15ja98-35] [[Page 2370]] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Deputy Chief Information Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DATES: An emergency review has been requested in accordance with the Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 3507 (j)), since public harm is reasonably likely to result if normal clearance procedures are followed. Approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been requested by February 9, 1998. A regular clearance process is also beginning. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before March 16, 1998. ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the emergency review should be addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Dan Chenok, Desk Officer: Department of Education, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20503. Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request should be addressed to Patrick J. Sherrill, Department of Education, 7th & D Streets, S.W., Room 5624, Regional Office Building 3, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. Written comments regarding the regular clearance and requests for copies of the proposed information collection requests should be addressed to Patrick J. Sherrill, Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 5624, Regional Office Building 3, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651, or should be electronic mailed to the internet address #FIRB@ed.gov, or should be faxed to 202-708-9346. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick J. Sherrill (202) 708-8196. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 3506 (c)(2)(A) requires that the Director of OMB provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may amend or waive the requirement for public consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency's ability to perform its statutory obligations. The Deputy Chief Information Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, publishes this notice containing proposed information collection requests at the beginning of the Departmental review of the information collection. Each proposed information collection, grouped by office, contains the following: (1) Type of review requested, e.g., new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement; (2) Title; (3) Summary of the collection; (4) Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information; (5) Respondents and frequency of collection; and (6) Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. ED invites public comment at the address specified above. Copies of the requests are available from Patrick J. Sherrill at the address specified above. The Department of Education is especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department, (2) will this information be processed and used in a timely manner, (3) is the estimate of burden accurate, (4) how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and (5) how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Dated: January 9, 1998. Gloria Parker, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer. Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Type of Review: New. Title: Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program. Abstract: This application will be used by the State Education Agencies (SEAs) to obtain funds to provide competitive grants to local education agencies to assist local Title I and some non-Title I schools to adopt research-based comprehensive school reform models. The information will be used to review and to approve SEA applications to participate in the program. Additional Information: An emergency request for this collection is two-fold. First, any delay in requesting applications from State Education Agencies (SEAs) beyond February 1998 will mean that the demonstration of comprehensive school reform models to be funded under this legislation will not be able to begin until the school year starting in 1999. Thus, the Department will not be able to fulfill the intent of Congress that these comprehensive innovations begin in the 1998 school year and provide evidence in succeeding years that can have a positive influence on the reauthorization of Title I itself. Second, this program was developed in the Congress at the end of the 1998 budget process. It was unclear until the final conference on the Department's budget if this program would actually become law. Thus, the Department could not develop materials that could go through the public comment process in a way that avoids the need for this emergency clearance approach. Therefore, ED is requesting approval by February 9, 1998 in order for the State competitive grant programs to be implemented in time for schools to establish working relationships with the providers of comprehensive school reform models in September 1998. Frequency: Annually. Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profits; Not-for-profit institutions; State, local or Tribal Gov't, SEAs or LEAs. Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: Responses: 56. Burden Hours: 2,240. [FR Doc. 98-995 Filed 1-14-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P