2010-1486. Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY:

Department of Education.

SUMMARY:

The Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before March 29, 2010.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. 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 Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, publishes that notice containing proposed information collection requests prior to submission of these requests to OMB. 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. OMB invites public comment.

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 21, 2010.

Kate Mullan,

Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management.

Institute of Education Sciences

Type of Review: Revision.

Title: Conversion Magnet Schools Evaluation Revision.

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions.

Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:

Responses: 50.

Burden Hours: 187.

Abstract: The Conversion Magnet Schools Evaluation is being conducted to determine if effort to turn around low-performing schools through converting to a Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) supported magnet schools are associated with improved student achievement and the reduction in minority group isolation. The Institute of Education Sciences, in collaboration with the Office of Innovation and Improvement, initiated the study due to the popularity and persistence of magnet programs and the inconclusive research on the relationship of these programs to important student outcomes. The study will use quasi-experimental designs to explore the relationship between magnet programs and student achievement both for “resident” students who attend magnet schools as their neighborhood schools and, if possible, for non-resident students. Data collection includes student records data, principal surveys, and project director interviews. The U.S. Department of Education has commissioned American Institutes for Research to conduct this study. An OMB clearance request that (1) described the study design and full data collection activities and (2) requested approval for the burden associated with the first three years of data collection was approved in 2007. This revision requests approval for the last two years of data collection.

Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request may be accessed from http://edicsweb.ed.gov,, by selecting the “Browse Pending Collections” link and by clicking on link number 4205. When you access the information collection, click on “Download Attachments” to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., LBJ, Washington, DC 20202-4537. Requests may also be electronically mailed to [e-mail] or faxed to 202-401-0920. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request.

Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be electronically mailed to [e-mail]. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.