2020-15990. Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Measures and Methods for the National Reporting System for Adult Education

AGENCY:

Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is proposing a revision to an existing information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before September 21, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

To access and review all the documents related to the information collection listed in this notice, please use http://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED-2020-SCC-0117. Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://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, ED 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 by fax or email and those 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 Director of the Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and Strategy Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave SW, LBJ, Room 6W208D, Washington, DC 20202-8240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Braden Goetz, 202-245-7405.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Department of Education (ED), 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. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. 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. Please note that written comments received in response to this notice will be considered public records.

Title of Collection: Measures and Methods for the National Reporting System for Adult Education.

OMB Control Number: 1830-0027.

Type of Review: A revision of a currently approved information collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Organizations.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 57.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 5,700.

Abstract: This information collection request annually solicits performance and related information from the states and outlying areas that receive adult education state grant funds under the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA). The data are used to ensure that states and outlying areas meet the performance accountability requirements of AEFLA. Through this proposal, the Department is submitting a revised the National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS) Information Collection Request (ICR) to include additional data collection elements consistent with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA) performance accountability requirements for the AEFLA program. These new data collection elements will become effective on July 1, 2021 and required to be included in the annual performance reports due on October 1, 2021.

Dated: July 20, 2020.

Kate Mullan,

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