[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 68 (Friday, April 7, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18314-18315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8595]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Renewal of Two Currently Approved Information Collections

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service 
(hereinafter ``Corporation''), as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirement on respondents can be properly assessed.
    Currently, the Corporation is soliciting comments concerning the 
proposed revision of two forms:
     Corporation for National Service Enrollment Form (OMB 
#3045-0006), and
     Corporation for National Service End of Term/Exit Form 
(OMB #3045-0015).
    Copies of the forms can be obtained by contacting the office listed 
below in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
ADDRESSES section by June 6, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Corporation for National and Community 
Service, National Service Trust, Attn: Ms. Natalie Burch, 8th Floor, 
1201 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20525.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Natalie Burch, (202) 606-5000, ext. 
159.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corporation is particularly interested 
in comments which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Corporation, including whether the information will have practical 
utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.

I. Background

    The Corporation for National and Community Service supports 
programs that provide opportunities for individuals who want to become 
involved in national service. The service opportunities cover a wide 
range of activities over varying periods of time. Upon successfully 
completing an agreed-upon term of service in an AmeriCorps program, an 
AmeriCorps participant receives an ``education award''. This education 
award can be used to make a payment towards a qualified student loan or 
pay for educational expenses at qualified post-secondary institutions 
and approved school-to-work opportunities programs. This award is an 
amount of money set aside in the AmeriCorps member's name in the 
National Service Trust Fund. Members have seven years in which to draw 
against any unused balance.
    The National Service Trust is the office within the Corporation 
that administers the education award program. This involves:
     Tracking the service for all AmeriCorps members;
     Ensuring that the requirements of the Corporation's 
enabling legislation are met, vis-a-vis the education award;
     Processing school and loan payments that the members 
authorize; and
     Processing payments for the interest that accrues on 
certain qualified student loans during the member's service period.

II. Current Action

    The Corporation has been using several versions of the two forms 
contained in this Notice since the AmeriCorps program began in 1994. 
The Corporation proposes to ask the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for permission to renew each form in basically the same format as 
the forms currently in use. The current forms are due to expire on June 
30, 2000.
    The Corporation's Enrollment Form serves two purposes essential to 
the functioning of the AmeriCorps program. It is the means by which 
programs certify that an individual is eligible to serve in an 
AmeriCorps program and the date service has begun. Second, it provides 
the Corporation, Grantees, program managers, and Congress with 
demographic data on AmeriCorps members.
    The Enrollment Form is the beginning-of-service counterpart to the 
Corporation's End of Term/Exit Form, which concludes the tracking of 
members at the end of their term of service.
    Submission of the End of Term/Exit form provides legal 
certification for the disbursement of an education award to an 
AmeriCorps member. It is the document by which an authorized program 
official at an AmeriCorps program site indicates whether an AmeriCorps 
member is eligible for an education award.
    Several versions of both forms have been used since the AmeriCorps 
program began in 1994.
    In 1999, the Corporation began using an electronic system to both 
enroll and exit AmeriCorps members. Many local projects can enter into 
a database information about their members' enrollment and completion 
of service. This data is transferred to the Trust

[[Page 18315]]

periodically where it becomes the official record.
    Currently, more than half of the nation's AmeriCorps programs use 
this system. The Corporation would like to have all programs use it, 
since it ultimately speeds up both collecting information and issuing 
education awards to members who have successfully completed their terms 
of service. However, many AmeriCorps programs, especially smaller ones, 
do not have the technological resources to afford the computer hardware 
and software.
    The Corporation does not want to exclude any competent, otherwise 
qualified organizations from participating as a sponsor, so it is 
possible that there may always be a small number of organizations that 
will use forms. A separate discussion of each form follows.

A. Enrollment Form--(OMB #3045-0006)

    Currently, AmeriCorps members use a form entitled Corporation for 
National Service Enrollment Form to enroll national service 
participants in the AmeriCorps program. The form requests program-
related as well as demographic information. The program information 
includes the participant's start date, the code number of the program, 
the expected completion date, and whether the term of service is full 
or part time. This is the Corporation's sole source of data for 
individual members. The demographic information includes background 
information on the AmeriCorps member (including gender, marital status, 
education level, and reasons for joining).
    The program information is used to:
     Make liability projections for the Trust Fund;
     Verify national service participation when requested by a 
lender who holds an AmeriCorps member's student loan (members are 
eligible to have the repayment of certain student loans postponed if 
they are participating in national service),
     Plan and monitor programs (review recruiting efforts, 
identify programs with excessive early termination rates, establish and 
reconcile program's budgets)
    The demographic information is used for recruiting purposes and to 
provide the Corporation, program managers, and the Congress with 
demographic data on AmeriCorps members.
    In requesting permission for renewal of this form, the Corporation 
does not propose making any changes to the version currently in use.
    Type of Review: Renewal.
    Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service.
    Title: Corporation for National Service Enrollment Form.
    OMB Number: 3045-0006.
    Agency Number: None.
    Affected Public: Individuals about to participate in an AmeriCorps 
program.
    Total Respondents: 5,000 annually.
    Frequency: Once per service period (average of once per year).
    Average Time Per Response: Total of 7 minutes (4 minutes for the 
AmeriCorps members; and 3 minutes for the program staff).
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 584 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): None.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): None.

B. End of Term/Exit Form--(3045-0015)

    The Corporation's End of Term/Exit form is the means by which 
AmeriCorps programs certify that a member has, or has not, successfully 
satisfied conditions which must be met in order to receive an education 
award. When an AmeriCorps member successfully completes a term of 
national service, a designated program official certifies that the 
service was completed and the individual is eligible for an education 
award. The End of Term/Exit form is the document upon which this 
certification is recorded. Additional information requested on the form 
includes the member's service completion date, the current address 
where the education award documentation should be mailed, and two 
questions regarding the member's desire for post service information.
    The Corporation proposes to eliminate the ten evaluation questions 
that are on the form currently being used. The Corporation's Evaluation 
Division has decided that relevant evaluation data will be collected 
through surveys.
    Type of Review: Renewal.
    Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service.
    Title: Corporation for National Service End of Term/Exit Form.
    OMB Number: None.
    Agency Number: None.
    Affected Public: AmeriCorps members who have ended their term of 
national service.
    Total Respondents: 5,000 annually.
    Frequency: Once per term of service (average of once per year).
    Average Time Per Response: 7 minutes, total (4 minutes for the 
AmeriCorps members to complete the form and, 3 minutes for the program 
staff)
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 584 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): None.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): None.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated: April 3, 2000.
Thomas L. Bryant,
Acting General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 00-8595 Filed 4-6-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-U