01-11204. Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY:

Department of Education.

ACTION:

Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests.

SUMMARY:

The 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 May 7, 2001. A regular clearance process is also beginning. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before July 3, 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, N.W., Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. 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 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: April 30, 2001.

John Tressler,

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

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Type of Review: New.

Title: School Renovation, IDEA, and Technology Grant Application.

Abstract: ED will use the information collected through this application to award grants to approximately 52 State educational agencies that will conduct competitive grant processes to award subgrants to eligible local educational agencies (LEAs). The information will also be used to describe to the Congress and the public how these grants are being used.

Additional Information: The Department of Education is requesting emergency clearance from OMB for the School Renovation, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Technology Grant Application due to an unanticipated event and possibly causing public harm. Since the passage of the FY 2001 Appropriations Act with this program's enactment, the Department has been meeting with interested groups and with contact persons in the States to determine how best to implement the new program. Funds appropriated for these grants will become available on July 1, 2001. Emergency approval is requested by May 7, 2001 so that States may start their subgrant process as soon as possible and some grantees may have their awards in time to undertake school renovation and repair projects during the summer. Summer is the primary season for LEAs to undertake school facility renovation projects, when schools are not otherwise in use. Failure to make awards on this schedule will likely cause substantial harm to some eligible LEAs since they may be forced to delay their school renovation projects until the following year.

Frequency: Annually.

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

Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: Responses: 52; Burden Hours: 104.

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.