2015-30405. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Data Challenges and Appeals Solution (DCAS)

AGENCY:

Federal Student Aid (FSA), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing an extension of an existing information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before December 31, 2015.

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-2015-ICCD-0112. 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. 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 Information Collection Clearance Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ, Room 2E103, Washington, DC 20202-4537.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Beth Grebeldinger, 202-377-4018.

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: Data Challenges and Appeals Solution (DCAS).

OMB Control Number: 1845-0137.

Type of Review: An extension of an existing information collection.

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

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 1,029,889.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 175,081.

Abstract: This is a request for an extension of the emergency clearance that was granted on this collection for the Data Challenges and Appeals Solution (DCAS), a new system that will allow institutions to challenge their self-reported data as well as Department calculated metrics. The system will ultimately provide for the receipt, processing, data storage and archiving of data challenges received from institutions for challenges of Gainful Employment (GE) metrics, Cohort Default Rates (institutional and programmatic), and Disclosure Rates and Metrics. This request is for the first phase of DCAS, the institutional challenge to the GE completers list provided to institutions by the Department of Education. The other aspects of DCAS will be made functional and available to institutions in stages, to allow for full development and testing, through subsequent system releases.

Dated: November 25, 2015.

Kate Mullan,

Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy Officer, Office of Management.