2019-25804. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Significant Disproportionality State Survey

AGENCY:

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is proposing a new information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before December 27, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

To access and review all the documents related to the information collection listed in this notice, please use http://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED-2019-ICCD-0065. Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov site is not available to the public for any reason, ED will temporarily accept comments at [e-mail]. Please include the docket ID number and the title of the information collection request when requesting documents or submitting comments. Please note that comments submitted by fax or email and those submitted after the comment period will not be accepted. Written requests for information or comments submitted by postal mail or delivery should be addressed to the Director of the Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and Strategy Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, LBJ, Room 6W208, D, Washington, DC 20202-4537.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Mary Louise Dirrigl, 202-245-7324.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Department of Education (ED), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department's information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. 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. Please note that written comments received in response to this notice will be considered public records.

Title of Collection: Significant Disproportionality State Survey.

OMB Control Number: 1820-NEW.

Type of Review: A new information collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 50.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 100.

Abstract: This new collection will collect detailed information on the State's use of the standard methodology, or another methodology based upon risk ratios and risk ratio thresholds, to identify significant disproportionality in the LEAs of the State. The Department will use this information to support States and LEAs in their efforts to comply with the statutory requirement at section 618(d) of the IDEA. Specifically, the collection will include information about the extent to which each State has implemented the standard methodology, and steps necessary for States to be in compliance with the December 2016 regulation, including anticipated obstacles States will face and the extent to which States have considered safeguards to ensure compliance with federal law and the U.S. Constitution. This information will allow the Department to determine the appropriate time and manner for the States to report their standards required under 34 CFR 300.647(b)(7), and to fulfill its role of monitoring and enforcement for reasonableness under 34 CFR 300.647(b)(1)(iii).

Dated: November 22, 2019.

Kate Mullan,

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