[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 5 (Monday, January 9, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 2478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-379]




[[Page 2477]]

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Part IV





Department of Education





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Submission of Data by State Educational Agencies; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 5 / Monday, January 9, 1995 / Notices 
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[[Page 2478]]

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Submission of Data by State Educational Agencies

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of dates for submission of State revenue and expenditure 
reports for fiscal year 1994 and of revisions to those reports.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education announces a date for the submission 
by State educational agencies (SEAs) of preliminary expenditure and 
revenue data and average daily attendance statistics for fiscal year 
(FY) 1994 and establishes a deadline for any revisions to that 
information. The Secretary sets these dates to ensure that data are 
available for timely distribution of Federal funds. The U.S. Bureau of 
the Census is the collection agency for the Department's National 
Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The data will be published by 
NCES and will be used by the Secretary in the calculation of 
allocations for FY 1996 appropriated funds.

DATES: The suggested date for submission of preliminary data is March 
15, 1995. The mandatory deadline for submission of final data, 
including revisions to preliminary data, is September 5, 1995.

ADDRESSES: SEAs are urged to mail or hand deliver ED Form 2447 (The 
National Public Education Financial Survey--Fiscal Year 1994) by the 
first date specified in this notice. SEAs must mail or hand deliver 
final data and any revisions to preliminary data on or before the 
mandatory deadline date to--Bureau of the Census, Attn: Governments 
Division, Washington, D.C. 20233-0001.
    An SEA may hand deliver any revisions to--Bureau of the Census, 
Governments Division, Room 508, 8905 Presidential Parkway, Washington 
Plaza II, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, 20772 by 4:00 p.m. (Washington, 
D.C. time) on or before the mandatory deadline date.
    If an SEA's submission is received by the Bureau of the Census 
after the mandatory deadline date, in order for the submission to be 
accepted, the SEA must show one of the following as proof that the 
submission was mailed on or before the mandatory deadline date:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary.
    If the SEA mails ED Form 2447 through the U.S. Postal Service, the 
Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, an SEA should check with 
its local post office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Lawrence R. MacDonald, Chief, 
Governments Division, at the Maryland address specified above or by 
telephone: (301) 457-1563. Individuals who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern 
time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of section 404 of the 
Improving America's Schools Act, P.L. 103-382; 108 Stat. 3518 (1994), 
which authorizes NCES to gather data from States on the financing of 
elementary and secondary education, NCES collects data annually from 
SEAs through ED Form 2447. The report from SEAs includes attendance, 
revenue, and expenditure data from which NCES determines the average 
State per pupil expenditure (SPPE) for elementary and secondary 
education.
    In addition to using SPPE data as useful statistics on the 
financing of elementary and secondary education, the Secretary uses 
them directly in calculating allocations for certain formula grant 
programs, including Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965, as amended by the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994, 
Impact Aid, and Indian Education. Other programs such as The Education 
for Homeless Children and Youth Program under Title VII of the Stewart 
B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, the Dwight D. Eisenhower 
Professional Development program, and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools 
and Communities Act make use of SPPE data indirectly because their 
formulas are based, in whole or in part, on State Title 1 allocations.
    In January 1995, the Bureau of the Census, acting as the collection 
agent for NCES, will mail to SEAs ED Form 2447 with instructions and 
request that SEAs submit initial data to the Department by March 15, 
1995. If an SEA does not submit initial FY 1994 data on ED Form 2447 on 
or about March 15, 1995, it should inform Census, in writing, of the 
delay and the date by which it will submit FY 1994 data. Submissions by 
SEAs to the Bureau of the Census are edited and returned to each SEA 
for verification. NCES acknowledges that data submitted prior to 
September 5, 1995, may be preliminary and are subject to revision by an 
SEA not later than September 5, 1995.
    To ensure timely distribution of Federal education funds based on 
the best, most accurate data available, NCES establishes, for 
allocation purposes, a final date by which ED Form 2447 must be 
submitted. However, if an SEA submits revised data after the final 
deadline that results in a lower SPPE figure, its allocations may be 
adjusted downward or the Department may request the SEA to return 
funds. SEAs should be aware that all of these data are subject to audit 
and that, if any inaccuracies are discovered in the audit process, the 
Department may seek recovery of overpayments for the applicable 
programs.

    Authority: Section 404 of the Improving America's Schools Act, 
P.L. 103-382; 108 Stat. 3518 (1994).

    Dated: December 30, 1994.
Sharon P. Robinson,
Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 95-379 Filed 1-6-95; 8:45 am]
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