2023-25705. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Annual Performance Report for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)...

AGENCY:

Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Department is proposing a revision of a currently approved information collection request (ICR).

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before December 21, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for proposed information collection requests should be submitted within 30 days of publication of this notice. Click on this link www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain to access the site. Find this information collection request (ICR) by selecting “Department of Education” under “Currently Under Review,” then check the “Only Show ICR for Public Comment” checkbox. Reginfo.gov provides two links to view documents related to this information collection request. Information collection forms and instructions may be found by clicking on the “View Information Collection (IC) List” link. Supporting statements and other supporting documentation may be found by clicking on the “View Supporting Statement and Other Documents” link.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Nicole Josemans, (202) 219–6082.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Department 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. Please note that written comments received in response to this notice will be considered public records.

Title of Collection: Annual Performance Report for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Program.

OMB Control Number: 1840–0777.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved ICR.

Respondents/Affected Public: State, local, and Tribal governments; private sector Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 159.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 3,180.

Abstract: Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), created in the Higher Education Act Amendments of 1998 (title IV, section 404A–404H), is a discretionary grant program which encourages applicants to provide support and maintain a commitment to eligible low-income students, including students with disabilities, to assist the students in obtaining a secondary school diploma and preparing for and succeeding in postsecondary education. GEAR UP provides grants to states and partnerships to provide services at high-poverty middle and high schools. GEAR UP grantees serve an entire cohort of students beginning no later than the seventh grade and follow them through graduation and, optionally, the first year of college.

The Annual Performance Report (APR) for Partnership and State Projects for GEAR UP is a required report that grant recipients must submit annually. The purpose of this information collection is for accountability. The data is used to report on progress in meeting the performance objectives of GEAR UP, program implementation, and student outcomes. The data collected includes budget data on Federal funds and match contributions, demographic data, and data regarding services provided to students.

This submission requests to revise the APR in several places. New questions were added regarding the grant's scholarship component and student postsecondary participation outcomes, and changes were made to questions about project financial status, participant demographics, and project services.

Dated: November 16, 2023.

Kun Mullan,

PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development.