2011-3131. Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY:

Department of Education (ED).

ACTION:

Notice of proposed information collection requests.

SUMMARY:

The 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:

An emergency review has been requested in accordance with the Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 3507 (j)), since public harm is reasonably likely to result if normal clearance procedures are followed. Approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been requested by March 15, 2011. It is encouraged that all comments are sent by March 11, 2011. A regular clearance process is also beginning. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before April 12, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments should be addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Education Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10222, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503, be faxed to [phone] or e-mailed to [e-mail] with a cc: to [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35) requires that the Director of OMB provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. The Office of Management and Budget (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 Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, publishes this notice containing proposed information collection requests at the beginning of the Departmental review of the information collection. 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. ED 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 respondents, including through the use of information technology.

Dated: February 8, 2011.

Darrin A. King,

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

Office of the Deputy Secretary

Type of Review: New.

Title: Race to the Top Program Review Protocols.

OMB #: Pending.

Frequency: Monthly; Semi-Annually.

Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Government, State Educational Agencies or Local Educational Agencies.

Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:

Responses: 48.

Burden Hours: 74.

Abstract: The ARRA provides $4.3 billion for the Race to the Top Fund (referred to in the statute as the State Incentive Grant Fund). This is a competitive grant program. The purpose of the program is to encourage and reward States that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform; achieving significant improvement in student outcomes, including making substantial gains in student achievement, closing achievement gaps, improving high school graduation rates, and ensuring student preparation for success in college and careers; and implementing ambitious plans in four core education reform areas: (a) Adopting internationally-benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace; (b) building data systems that measure student success and inform teachers and principals in how they can improve their practices; (c) increasing teacher effectiveness and achieving equity in teacher distribution; and (d) turning around our lowest-achieving schools.

The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) will collect this data from the 12 Race to the Top grantee states to inform its review of grantee implementation, outcomes, oversight, and accountability. The Department will use these forms to inform on-site visits, “stocktake” meetings with Implementation and Support Unit leadership at the Department, and annual reports for individual grantees and the grant program as a whole.

In order to allow for the program review of the Race to the Top grantees to occur in a timely manner, we are committed to expediting the program review for Race to the Top, necessitating emergency clearance of the protocols.

Additional Information: As work on the protocols evolved, the Department concluded that it was more efficient and effective to have a few common questions that would apply to all of the grantees. Due to this unanticipated result of the protocol development, the Department is requesting that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clear the monitoring protocol on an emergency basis. This is the first year of implementation of a $4 billion dollar program, the largest discretionary grant program ever administered by the Department. As a result, the program continues to generate high public interest both for the Department and the Administration. Delays in finalizing this collection would also impede our ability to use this data to inform our technical assistance efforts in the first year of program implementation when support is critical. Additionally, as it is our intention to use much of the data gathered through this monitoring protocol to inform the on-site monitoring process, delay of clearance of this document will also hinder our on-site monitoring process.

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 4513. 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 the Internet address [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.