01-8084. Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY:

Department of Education.

ACTION:

Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests.

SUMMARY:

The Acting Leader, Regulatory Information Management, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 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 30, 2001. A regular clearance process is also beginning. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before June 4, 2001.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments regarding the emergency review should be addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Lauren Wittenberg, Desk Officer: Department of Education, Office of Management and Budget; 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or should be electronically mailed to the internet address [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 Acting Leader, Information Management Group, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 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: March 28, 2001.

Joe Schubart,

Acting Leader, Regulatory Information Management, Office of the Chief Information Officer.

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Type of Review: New.

Title: Even Start Letter on State Program Quality Indicators' Deadline.

Abstract: The letter reminds States of the statutory deadline of June 30, 2001 for submission of their program quality indicators for the Even Start Family Literacy Program (Part B of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 196), to qualify States for funding for Fiscal Year 2001.

Additional Information: The Department of Education is requesting emergency processing for the Even Start Letter on State Program Quality Indicators' Deadline due to an unanticipated event and statutory deadline. The Literacy Involves Families Together (LIFT) Act that was recently enacted on December 21, 2000 (Pub. L. 106-554) established a deadline of June 30, 2001 for States to submit program quality indicators to the Department of Education. Any State failing to submit these program quality indicators by that deadline will not qualify for Even Start funding for Fiscal Year 2001. Based upon the recent imposition of this legislative deadline, and the public harm that will occur if States fail to meet the deadline and lose their Even Start funding for Fiscal Year 2001, the Department is requesting that the emergency notice for the Even Start State Indicators of Program Quality Letter be published by March 30, 2001. This allows the Department to receive immediate approval from OMB in order for States to meet their statutory deadline.

Frequency: On Occasion.

Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Gov't, SEAs or LEAs

Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:

 Responses: 52.

 Burden Hours: 26.

Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request should be addressed to Vivian Reese, Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4050, Regional Office Building 3, Washington, DC 20202-4651, or should be electronically mailed to the internet address [e-mail], or should be faxed to 202-708-9346.

Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements, contact Kathy Axt at her internet address [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.