[April 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 78)] [Unified Agenda] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:ua24ap06_006-1] [Page 22514-22515] DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (ED) Download:_______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Part VI Department of Education ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Semiannual Regulatory Agenda [[Page 22514]] DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of the Secretary 34 CFR Subtitles A and B Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Education. ACTION: Semiannual regulatory agenda. _______________________________________________________________________ SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education publishes a semiannual agenda of Federal regulatory and deregulatory actions. The agenda is issued under the authority of section 4(b) of Executive Order 12866 ``Regulatory Planning and Review.'' The purpose of the agenda is to encourage more effective public participation in the regulatory process by providing the public with early information about pending regulatory activities. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions or comments related to specific regulations listed in this agenda should be directed to the agency contact listed for the regulations. Questions or comments related to preparation of this agenda should be directed to Stanley M. Cohen, Division of Regulatory Services, Office of the General Counsel, Department of Education, Room 6E117, FB-6, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-2241; telephone: (202) 401-8300. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 4(b) of Executive Order 12866, dated September 30, 1993, requires the Department of Education (ED) to publish, at a time and in a manner specified by the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, an agenda of all regulations under development or review. The Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 602(a), requires ED to publish, in October and April of each year, a regulatory flexibility agenda. The regulatory flexibility agenda may be combined with any other agenda that satisfies the statutory requirements (5 U.S.C. 605(a)). In compliance with the Executive order and the Regulatory Flexibility Act, the Secretary publishes this agenda. For each set of regulations listed, the agenda provides the title of the document, the type of document, a citation to any rulemaking or other action taken since publication of the most recent agenda, and planned dates of future rulemaking. In addition, the agenda provides the following information:
An abstract that includes a description of the problem to be addressed, any principal alternatives being considered, and potential costs and benefits of the action. An indication of whether the planned action is likely to have significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities as defined by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601(6)). A reference to where a reader can find the current regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations. A citation of legal authority. The name, address, and telephone number of the contact person at ED from whom a reader can obtain additional information regarding the planned action. In accordance with ED's Principles for Regulating listed in its regulatory plan (70 FR 64138, published October 31, 2005), ED is committed to regulation that improves the quality and equality of services to its customers, learners of all ages. ED will regulate only when necessary and then in the most flexible, most equitable, least burdensome way possible. Interested members of the public are invited to comment on any of the items listed in this agenda that they believe are not consistent with the Principles for Regulating. This publication in the Federal Register does not impose any binding obligation on ED with regard to any specific item in the agenda. ED may elect not to pursue any of the regulatory actions listed here, and regulatory action in addition to the items listed is not precluded. Dates of future regulatory actions are subject to revision in subsequent agendas. Electronic Access to This Document You may view this document, as well as all other ED documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), on the Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/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: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/ index.html Dated: February 22, 2006. Kent D. Talbert, Acting General Counsel. Office of the Chief Financial Officer--Long-Term Actions ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regulation Sequence Title Identifier Number Number ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 762 Protection of Human Subjects (Classified Research).................................... 1890-AA08 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 22515]] Office for Civil Rights--Final Rule Stage ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regulation Sequence Title Identifier Number Number ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 763 Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving 1870-AA11 Federal Financial Assistance.......................................................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Office for Civil Rights--Completed Actions ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regulation Sequence Title Identifier Number Number ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 764 Equal Access to Public School Facilities for the Boy Scouts of America and Other 1870-AA12 Designated Youth Groups............................................................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Office of Elementary and Secondary Education--Final Rule Stage ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regulation Sequence Title Identifier Number Number ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 765 Title I, Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged...................... 1810-AA97 766 Title I, Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged; Individuals With 1810-AA98 Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)--Assistance to States for the Education of Children With Disabilities..................................................................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services--Final Rule Stage ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regulation Sequence Title Identifier Number Number ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 767 National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard............................... 1820-AB56 768 Assistance to States for the Education of Children With Disabilities; Preschool Grants 1820-AB57 for Children With Disabilities; and Service Obligations Under Special Education-- Personnel Development (Section 610 Review)............................................ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Office of Innovation and Improvement--Proposed Rule Stage ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regulation Sequence Title Identifier Number Number ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 769 Student Rights in Research, Experimental Programs, and Testing........................ 1855-AA03 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________________________________ [April 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 78)] [Unified Agenda] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:ua24ap06_006-2] [Page 22515-22516] Department of Education (ED) Long-Term Actions Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) _______________________________________________________________________ 762. PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS (CLASSIFIED RESEARCH) Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant CFR Citation: 34 CFR 97 Timetable: ________________________________________________________________________ Action Date FR Cite ________________________________________________________________________ Interim Final Rule To Be Determined Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No Small Entities Affected: No Government Levels Affected: None Agency Contact: Helene Deramond Phone: 202 245-6154 RIN: 1890-AA08 [[Page 22516]] _______________________________________________________________________ [April 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 78)] [Unified Agenda] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:ua24ap06_006-3] [Page 22516] Department of Education (ED) Final Rule Stage Office for Civil Rights (OCR) _______________________________________________________________________ 763. NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Priority: Other Significant Legal Authority: 20 USC 1681 to 1682 CFR Citation: 34 CFR 106 Legal Deadline: None Abstract: The Department proposed changes to the regulations implementing title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. These changes would amend existing regulations to provide more flexibility for educators to establish single-sex classes and schools at the elementary and secondary levels. The amendments would support efforts of school districts to improve educational outcomes for children and to provide public school parents with a diverse array of educational opportunities that respond to the educational needs of their children, while at the same time ensuring appropriate safeguards against discrimination. Amendments would be designed to permit appropriate latitude for innovative efforts to help children learn and to expand the choices parents have for their children's education consistent with the purposes of title IX. Timetable: ________________________________________________________________________ Action Date FR Cite ________________________________________________________________________ NPRM 03/09/04 69 FR 11276 NPRM Comment Period End 04/23/04 Final Action 06/00/06 Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No Small Entities Affected: No Government Levels Affected: None Agency Contact: Sandra G. Battle, Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Room 6126, PCP, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-1100 Phone: 202 245-6767 RIN: 1870-AA11 _______________________________________________________________________ [April 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 78)] [Unified Agenda] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:ua24ap06_006-4] [Page 22516] Department of Education (ED) Completed Actions Office for Civil Rights (OCR) _______________________________________________________________________ 764. EQUAL ACCESS TO PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES FOR THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA AND OTHER DESIGNATED YOUTH GROUPS Priority: Other Significant CFR Citation: 34 CFR 108 Completed: ________________________________________________________________________ Reason Date FR Cite ________________________________________________________________________ Final Action 03/24/06 71 FR 14994 Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No Small Entities Affected: No Government Levels Affected: None Agency Contact: Sandra G. Battle Phone: 202 245-6767 RIN: 1870-AA12 _______________________________________________________________________ [April 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 78)] [Unified Agenda] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:ua24ap06_006-5] [Page 22516] Department of Education (ED) Final Rule Stage Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) _______________________________________________________________________ 765. TITLE I, IMPROVING THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF THE DISADVANTAGED Priority: Other Significant Legal Authority: 20 USC 6301 CFR Citation: 34 CFR 200 Legal Deadline: None Abstract: These regulations would amend the regulations governing programs administered under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The regulations would provide States with additional flexibility regarding State, local educational agency, and school accountability for students with limited English proficiency (LEP) who have recently arrived in U.S. schools. The regulations would permit a State to exclude these LEP students from its reading/language arts assessment for a limited time. The regulations would also permit a State to count in the LEP subgroup for 1 or 2 years students who were LEP but who are no longer LEP. Timetable: ________________________________________________________________________ Action Date FR Cite ________________________________________________________________________ NPRM 06/24/04 69 FR 35462 NPRM Comment Period End 08/09/04 Final Action 06/00/06 Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No Small Entities Affected: No Government Levels Affected: None Agency Contact: Jacquelyn Jackson, Director, Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs, Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Room 3W230, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-6132 Phone: 202 260-0826 Related RIN: Previously reported as 1820-AB55 RIN: 1810-AA97 _______________________________________________________________________ [April 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 78)] [Unified Agenda] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:ua24ap06_006-6] [Page 22516-22517] Department of Education (ED) Final Rule Stage Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) _______________________________________________________________________ 766. TITLE I, IMPROVING THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF THE DISADVANTAGED; INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA)-- ASSISTANCE TO STATES FOR THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES Priority: Other Significant Legal Authority: 20 USC 6301; 20 USC 1400 to 1482 CFR Citation: 34 CFR 200; 34 CFR 300 Legal Deadline: None Abstract: These regulations would amend the regulations governing programs administered under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and the regulations governing programs under part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The regulations would provide States with additional flexibility regarding the State, local educational agency, and school accountability for [[Page 22517]] the achievement of a group of students with disabilities who can make significant progress but may not reach grade-level achievement standards within the same time frame as other students. The regulations would permit a State to measure the achievement of this group of students based on modified achievement standards. Timetable: ________________________________________________________________________ Action Date FR Cite ________________________________________________________________________ NPRM 12/15/05 70 FR 74624 NPRM Comment Period End 02/28/06 Final Action 06/00/06 Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No Small Entities Affected: No Government Levels Affected: None Agency Contact: Jacquelyn Jackson, Director, Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs, Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Room 3W230, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-6132 Phone: 202 260-0826 Troy Justesen, Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Room 5138, PCP, 400 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, DC 20202-2570 Phone: 202 245-7468 RIN: 1810-AA98 _______________________________________________________________________ [April 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 78)] [Unified Agenda] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:ua24ap06_006-7] [Page 22517] Department of Education (ED) Final Rule Stage Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) _______________________________________________________________________ 767. NATIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARD Priority: Other Significant Legal Authority: 20 USC 1411 to 1420 CFR Citation: 34 CFR 300 Legal Deadline: None Abstract: These regulations would establish the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS or Standard) as required under sections 612(a)(23)(A) and 674(e)(4) of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, as amended by the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. The purpose of the NIMAS is to help increase the availability and timely delivery of print instructional materials in accessible formats to blind or other persons with print disabilities in elementary schools and secondary schools. This action would add an appendix to 34 CFR part 300 that would set forth the technical elements and specifications for the Standard. Timetable: ________________________________________________________________________ Action Date FR Cite ________________________________________________________________________ NPRM 06/29/05 70 FR 37302 NPRM Comment Period End 09/12/05 Final Action 05/00/06 Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No Small Entities Affected: No Government Levels Affected: None Agency Contact: Troy Justesen, Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Room 5138, PCP, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-2570 Phone: 202 245-7468 RIN: 1820-AB56 _______________________________________________________________________ [April 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 78)] [Unified Agenda] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:ua24ap06_006-8] [Page 22517-22518] Department of Education (ED) Final Rule Stage Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) _______________________________________________________________________ 768. ASSISTANCE TO STATES FOR THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES; PRESCHOOL GRANTS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES; AND SERVICE OBLIGATIONS UNDER SPECIAL EDUCATION--PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT (SECTION 610 REVIEW) Priority: Other Significant Legal Authority: 20 USC 1221e-3, 1406, 1411 to 1419, 1462(h) CFR Citation: 34 CFR 300, 301 and 304 Legal Deadline: None Abstract: These regulations would amend the regulations governing the Assistance to States for Education of Children With Disabilities Program, the Preschool Grants for Children With Disabilities Program, and Service Obligations Under the Special Education Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities Program. These amendments are needed to implement changes to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act made by the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. Timetable: ________________________________________________________________________ Action Date FR Cite ________________________________________________________________________ Notice 01/10/02 67 FR 1411 NPRM 06/21/05 70 FR 35781 NPRM Comment Period End 09/06/05 Final Action 05/00/06 Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No Small Entities Affected: No Government Levels Affected: None Agency Contact: Troy Justesen, Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Room 5138, PCP, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-2570 Phone: 202 245-7468 RIN: 1820-AB57 [[Page 22518]] _______________________________________________________________________ [April 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 78)] [Unified Agenda] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:ua24ap06_006-9] [Page 22518] Department of Education (ED) Proposed Rule Stage Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) _______________________________________________________________________ 769. STUDENT RIGHTS IN RESEARCH, EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMS, AND TESTING Priority: Other Significant Legal Authority: 20 USC 1232h CFR Citation: 34 CFR 98 Legal Deadline: None Abstract: These regulations are needed to implement amendments to the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) resulting from (1) section 1017 of the Goals 2000 Educate America Act (Pub. L. 103-227; 20 U.S.C. 1232h) and (2) legislation passed as part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) (Pub. L. 107-110). Section 1017 of Goals 2000 amended PPRA to require schools, in certain instances, to make specific educational materials available to parents for inspection. The provision also amended PPRA to prohibit schools from requiring students to submit to certain surveys, analyses, or evaluations without parental consent. Amendments made to PPRA by NCLB specify certain subjects on which schools, in conjunction with parents, must develop and adopt policies. These amendments also require local educational agencies to directly notify parents of these policies and permit parents to opt out of certain activities. As our next action, we will issue a new NPRM incorporating the amendments resulting from NCLB, as well as the earlier amendments resulting from the Goals 2000 Educate America Act. Timetable: ________________________________________________________________________ Action Date FR Cite ________________________________________________________________________ NPRM 08/28/95 60 FR 44696 NPRM Comment Period End 10/27/95 Second NPRM 07/00/06 Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No Small Entities Affected: No Government Levels Affected: None Agency Contact: Ellen Campbell, Family Policy Compliance Office, Department of Education, Room 2W117, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605 Phone: 202 260-3887 Related RIN: Previously reported as 1880-AA66 RIN: 1855-AA03 [FR Doc. 06-2035 Filed 04-21-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-S