E6-11307. Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY:

Department of Education.

SUMMARY:

The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before September 18, 2006.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. 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 IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, publishes that notice containing proposed information collection requests prior to submission of these requests to OMB. 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. OMB 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 the respondents, including through the use of information technology.

Dated: July 12, 2006.

Angela C. Arrington,

IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management.

Federal Student Aid

Type of Review: Extension.

Title: Federal Student Aid Student Aid on the Web (previously the “Students Portal”).

Frequency: On Occasion; Monthly; Annually.

Affected Public: Individuals or household; Federal Government; state, local, or tribal gov't, SEAs or LEAs.

Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:

 Responses: 4,013,550.

 Burden Hours: 1,560,825.

Abstract: Federal Student Aid of the U.S. Department of Education seeks renewal of the registration system within the Student Aid on the Web (previously the “Students Portal”), an Internet Portal Web site (hereafter “the Web site”). The Web site makes the college application process more efficient, faster, and accurate by making it an automated, electronic process that targets financial aid and college applications. The Web site uses some personal contact information criteria to automatically fill out the forms and surveys initiated by the user. The Web site also provides a database of demographic information that helps Federal Student Aid target the distribution of financial aid materials to specific groups of students and/or parents. For example, studies have shown that providing student financial assistance information to middle school (or elementary school) students and/or their parents dramatically increases the likelihood that those students will attend college. The demographic information from the Web site helps us to identify potential customers in the middle school age range and is information that was previously unavailable to us. Only content has been updated on the Web site since its first approval.

Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request may be accessed from http://edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the “Browse Pending Collections” link and by clicking on link number 3153. When you access the information collection, click on “Download Attachments” to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-4700. Requests may also be electronically mailed to [e-mail] or faxed to 202-245-6623. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request.

Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be electronically mailed to [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.