2017-04738. Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) Program Annual Performance Report

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is proposing an extension of an existing information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before May 9, 2017.

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-2017-ICCD-0029. 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 224-84, Washington, DC 20202-4537.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Kenneth Foushee, [phone].

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: Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) Program Annual Performance Report.

OMB Control Number: 1840-0832.

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

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

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 49.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 833.

Abstract: The purpose of the Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) Program is to prepare, motivate, and assist military veterans in the development of academic and other skills necessary for acceptance into and success in a program of postsecondary education. Authority for this program is contained in Title IV, Part A, Subpart 2, Chapter 1, Section 402C of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, public or private agencies or organizations, including community-based organizations with experience in serving disadvantaged youth, secondary schools, and combinations of institutions, agencies, organizations, and secondary schools. Upward Bound Program participants must be potential first-generation college students, low-income individuals, or individuals who have a high risk for academic failure, and have a need for academic support in order to pursue successfully a program of education beyond high school. Required program services include: (1) Academic tutoring; (2) Advice and assistance in secondary and postsecondary course selection; (3) Preparation for college entrance exams and completing the college admission applications; (4) Information on federal student financial aid programs including (a) Federal Pell grant awards, (b) Loan forgiveness, and (c) Scholarships; (5) Assistance completing financial aid applications; (6) Guidance on and assistance in: (a) Secondary school reentry, (b) Alternative education programs for secondary school dropouts that lead to the receipt of a regular secondary school diploma, (c) Entry into general educational development (GED) programs or, (d) Entry into postsecondary education; (7) Education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of students or the students' parents, including financial planning for postsecondary education; and (8) Projects funded for at least two years under the program must provide instruction in mathematics through pre-calculus; laboratory science; foreign language; composition; and literature.

Dated: March 7, 2017.

Kate Mullan,

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