[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6731-6732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3456]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection requests.

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SUMMARY: The Acting Deputy Chief Information Officer, Office of the 
Chief Information Officer, invites comments on the proposed information 
collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: An emergency review has been requested in accordance with the 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 3507 (j)), since public harm is reasonably 
likely to result if normal clearance procedures are followed. Approval 
by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been requested by 
February 9, 1998. A regular clearance process is also beginning. 
Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before April 
10, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the emergency review should be 
addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Danny Werfel, Desk Officer: Department of Education, Office 
of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10235, New 
Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20503. Requests for copies 
of the proposed information collection request should be addressed to 
Patrick J. Sherrill, Department of Education, 7th & D Streets, S.W., 
Room 5624, Regional Office Building 3, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651.
    Written comments regarding the regular clearance and requests for 
copies of the proposed information collection requests should be 
addressed to Patrick J. Sherrill, Department of Education, 600 
Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 5624, Regional Office Building 3, 
Washington, DC 20202-4651, or should be electronic mailed to the 
internet address Pat__S[email protected], or should be faxed to 202-708-
9346.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick J. Sherrill (202) 708-8196. 
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: Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 3506 (c)(2)(A) requires that 
the Director of OMB provide interested Federal agencies and the public 
an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. The 
Office of Management and Budget (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 Acting Deputy Chief Information Officer, Office of the 
Chief Information Officer, publishes this notice containing proposed 
information collection requests at the beginning of the Departmental 
review of the information collection. 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. ED invites public comment at the address 
specified above. Copies of the requests are available from Patrick J. 
Sherrill at the address specified above.
    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: February 5, 1998.
Linda C. Tague,
Acting Deputy Chief Information Officer, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.

Office of Management

    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Streamlined Process for the Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) Approved Grant Applications.
    Abstract: Since April 1997, EDGAR's menu of selection criteria 
became effective. For each competition, the Secretary would select one 
or more criteria that best enable the Department to identify the 
highest quality applications consistent with the program purpose, 
statutory requirements, and any priorities established. This allowed 
the Secretary the flexibility to weigh the criteria according to the 
needs of each individual program. This menu of selection criteria will 
provide the Department the flexibility to choose a set of criteria 
tailored to a given competition and obviate the need to create specific 
selection criteria through individual program regulations. ED is 
requesting a streamlined process for programs of approved applications 
who choose to change: (1) criteria from the same EDGAR menu, (2) old 
EDGAR to new EDGAR criteria, or (3) program criteria to EDGAR criteria.
    Additional Information: ED is requesting an emergency clearance by 
February 9, 1998. This will allow programs to make the appropriate 
criteria changes without further delaying the grant process and provide 
sufficient time for applicants to complete their applications. Without 
this emergency request, applicants

[[Page 6732]]

would not receive their awards in time which could result in public 
harm.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profits; Not-for-profit 
institutions; State, Local or Tribal Gov't, SEAs or LEAs.
    Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:
      Responses: 1
      Burden Hours: 1

[FR Doc. 98-3456 Filed 2-9-98; 8:45 am]
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