2023-14685. Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program (TEACH Grant Program) Service Obligation Certification and Suspension Request Forms

AGENCY:

Federal Student Aid (FSA), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Department is proposing a revision of a currently approved information collection request (ICR).

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before September 11, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

To access and review all the documents related to the information collection listed in this notice, please use https://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED–2023–SCC–0129. Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov site is not available to the public for any reason, the Department will temporarily accept comments at [e-mail]. Please include the docket ID number and the title of the information collection request when requesting documents or submitting comments. Please note that comments 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 Manager of the Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and Strategy Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, LBJ, Room 6W203, Washington, DC 20202–8240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Beth Grebeldinger, (202) 377–4018.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Department, 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. The Department is soliciting comments on the proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. The Department 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: Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program (TEACH Grant Program) Service Obligation Certification and Suspension Request Forms.

OMB Control Number: 1845–0158.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved ICR.

Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals or Households.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 54,495.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 17,982.

Abstract: The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) is requesting a revision of the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher (TEACH) Grant Certification of Qualifying Teaching (Certification), and five Service Obligation Suspension Requests (Suspension Requests) currently approved under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) No. 1845–0158. Under conditions that are specified in the TEACH Grant Program regulations, a grant recipient may request and receive a temporary suspension of the eight-year period for completing the service obligation, and a grant recipient who is subject to an extended call to active-duty military service may receive a discharge of some or all of the four-year service obligation. The requested revision to the information collection does not change the current number of respondents, responses, or burden hours. The only substantive proposed change is in the Certification. We have also made a minor conforming change in the TEACH Grant Service Obligation Suspension Request: Enrollment in a Qualifying Program or Completing Teacher Licensure Requirements form and minor formatting change to the TEACH Grant Service Obligation Suspension/Discharge Request: Military Service. We are otherwise proposing no substantive changes to the Certification and Suspension forms included with this submission.

Dated: July 6, 2023.

Kun Mullan,

PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development.