[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 85 (Friday, May 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24090-24091]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11416]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Submission of Data by State Educational Agencies

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of dates of submission of state revenue and expenditure 
reports for fiscal year 1996 and of revisions to those reports.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education announces dates for the submission 
by state educational agencies (SEAs) of expenditure and revenue data 
and average daily attendance statistics on ED-Form 2447 for fiscal year 
(FY) 1996. The Secretary sets these dates to ensure that data are 
available to serve as the basis for timely distribution of Federal 
funds. The U.S. Bureau of the Census is the data collection agent 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 1998 appropriated funds.

DATES: The date on which submissions were first accepted was March 15, 
1997. The mandatory deadline for the final submission of all data, 
including any revisions to previously submitted data, is September 2, 
1997.

ADDRESSES: SEAs may mail ED-Form 2447 (The National Public Education 
Financial Survey--Fiscal Year 1996) to: Bureau of the Census, 
Attention: Governments Division, Washington, DC 20233-6800.
    Alternatively, SEAs may hand deliver submissions to: Governments 
Division, Bureau of the Census, 8905 Presidential Parkway, Washington 
Plaza II, Room 508, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, by 4 p.m. (Eastern Time).
    If an SEA's submission is received by the Bureau of the Census 
after September 2, 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.

[[Page 24091]]

    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) 457-1574. 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(a) of the 
National Education Statistics Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C. 9003(a)), which 
authorizes NCES to gather data on the financing of 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 the SPPE data as useful information on the 
financing of elementary and secondary education, the Secretary uses 
these data directly in calculating allocations for certain formula 
grant programs, including Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 as amended by the Improving America's Schools Act 
of 1994 (Title I), 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 Program make use of SPPE data 
indirectly because their formulas are based, in whole or in part, on 
State Title I allocations.
    In February 1997, the Bureau of the Census, acting as the data 
collection agent for NCES, mailed to SEAs ED Form 2447 with 
instructions and requested that SEAs submit data to the Bureau of the 
Census on March 15, 1997, or as soon as possible thereafter. SEAs were 
urged to submit accurate and complete data on March 15, or as soon as 
possible thereafter, to facilitate timely processing. Submissions by 
SEAs to the Bureau of the Census are checked for accuracy and returned 
to each SEA for verification. All data, including any revisions, must 
be submitted to the Bureau of the Census by an SEA not later than 
September 2, 1997.
    Having accurate information, on time, is critical to an efficient 
and fair allocation process, as well as the NCES statistical process. 
To ensure timely distribution of Federal education funds based on the 
best, most accurate data available, NCES establishes, for allocation 
purposes, September 2, 1997, as the 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. If an SEA submits revised data after September 2, the data 
may also be too late to be included in the final NCES published 
dataset.

    Authority: 20 U.S.C. 9003(a).

    Dated: April 28, 1997.
Ramon C. Cortines,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 97-11416 Filed 5-1-97; 8:45 am]
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