2023-11569. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Data Elements for Bureau-Funded Schools

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 with revisions.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before June 30, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection request (ICR) should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) through https://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRA/​icrPublicCommentRequest?​ref_​nbr=​202301-1076-001 or by visiting https://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain and selecting “Currently under Review—Open for Public Comments” and then scrolling down to the “Department of the Interior.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Steven Mullen, Information Collection Clearance Officer, by email at [e-mail] or telephone at (202) 924–2650. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. You may also view the ICR at https://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​Forward?​SearchTarget=​PRA&​textfield=​1076-0122.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), 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 March 2, 2023 (88 FR 13145). BIE received one comment.

Comment: Commentor opposes the BIE proposal for a referral intake form to facilitate virtual counseling and crisis services and believes the new form would place undue burden on schools, especially those without a counselor on staff.

Agency Response to Comment: BIE wholeheartedly appreciates schools are limited in both capacity and resources. To clarify, BIE's program seeks to connect schools to federally-funded virtual counseling and crisis services. The proposed action would not create a regulatory requirement for schools to provide counseling services; and it would not require Tribal schools/organizations to have a counselor on staff. BIE's Behavioral Health and Wellness Program (BHWP) is an optional resource for students and staff at all Bureau-funded programs, departments, and institutions—including Bureau operated schools, Tribally controlled schools, post-secondary institutions, and Tribal colleges and universities. The purpose of the referral intake form is to collect information necessary to facilitate virtual counseling and crisis services.

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.

OMB Control Number 1076–0122

Abstract: The Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), is required by the Snyder Act (25 U.S.C. 13), Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 (25 U.S.C. 5301), Education Amendments of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 2001), Augustus F. Hawkins-Robert T. Stafford Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), and Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. 6301) to provide educational services to federally recognized Indians and Alaska Natives. In addition, 25 CFR 43, Maintenance and Control of Student Records in Bureau Schools, contain regulations governing the maintenance, control, and accessibility of student records.

BIE's Student Enrollment Application is utilized by schools operated or funded by BIE. The information is collected by school registrars to determine the student's eligibility for enrollment in a bureau-operated school, and if eligible, is shared with appropriate school officials to identify the student's base and supplemental educational and/or residential program needs. The information is compiled into a national database by the Bureau of Indian Education to facilitate budget requests and the allocation of congressionally appropriated funds.

BIE's Behavioral Health and Wellness Program (BHWP) is focused on providing indigenous focused, evidence-based, and trauma-informed behavioral health and wellness services/resources for students and staff at all Bureau-funded programs, departments, and institutions including Bureau operated schools, Tribally controlled schools, post-secondary institutions, and Tribal colleges and universities.

Proposed Revisions

BIE proposes a referral intake form to facilitate federally-funded virtual counseling and crisis services. All data collected for the BHWP will only be utilized for establishing the appropriate level of care, assessing client safety, ensuring services are individualized to meet the client's specific needs, and providing clients with external referrals, as needed. The BHWP counseling and crisis services are optional—BIE regulations do not require a school to participate in the BHWP.

Title of Collection: Data Elements for Bureau-Funded Schools.

OMB Control Number: 1076–0122.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals, Contract and Grant schools, and Bureau-funded schools.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 49,000 per year, on average.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 49,000 per year, on average.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: 15 to 30 minutes.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 12,500 hours.

Frequency of Collection: Occasionally, required to obtain a benefit.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $0.

Authority

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.