2022-04051. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Student Transportation Form

AGENCY:

Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) are proposing to renew an information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before March 28, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

Send written comments on this information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget's Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior by email at [e-mail]; or via facsimile to [phone]. Please provide a copy of your comments to Steven Mullen, Information Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action—Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1001 Indian School Road NW, Suite 229, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104; or by email to [e-mail]. Please reference OMB Control Number 1076-0134 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, contact Jake Coury, Program Analyst, telephone: [phone]. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.

A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on October 18, 2021 (86 FR 57686). We received one comment in response to that notice.

Comment 1: The respondent supported the information collection, stating in their opinion that the information collection is necessary to determine the allocation of transportation funds and meet the transportation needs of American Indian students in the state of Wisconsin; and helpful for American Indian students served by Bureau-funded schools.

Agency Response to Comment 1: The Bureau greatly appreciates the support of our partners who both use the ISEP transportation program as well as other external partners in support of our data collection practices to most efficiently distribute the funds appropriated by Congress under the ISEP Transportation program. We are continuously working to improve our processes and are currently in the process of updating our WebET system and administration of the system so that as a Bureau we continue working to fulfill the goals of the GPEA.

As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the following:

(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether or not the information will have practical utility;

(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of response.

Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Abstract: The BIE is requesting renewal of OMB approval for the Student Transportation Form. The Student Transportation regulations in 25 CFR part 39, subpart G, contain the program eligibility and criteria that govern the allocation of transportation funds. Information collected from the schools will be used to determine the rate per mile. The information collection provides transportation mileage for Bureau-funded schools, which determines the allocation of transportation funds. This information is collected using a web-based system, Web Education Transportation (Web ET).

Title of Collection: Student Transportation Form.

OMB Control Number: 1076-0134.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Contract and Grant schools; Bureau-operated schools.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 183 per year, on average.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 183 per year, on average.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: Two hours.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 366 hours.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain a Benefit.

Frequency of Collection: Once per year.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $0.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. ).

Steven Mullen,

Information Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action—Indian Affairs.