[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 352-353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-58]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection requests.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Leader, Regulatory Information Management, 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 
January 5, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the emergency review should be 
addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Lauren Wittenberg, Acting Desk Officer: Department of 
Education, Office of Management and Budget; 725 17th Street, NW., Room 
10235, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) 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 Leader, Regulatory 
Information Management, 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.
    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 
respondents, including through the use of information technology.

    Dated: December 27, 2000.
John Tressler,
Leader, Regulatory Information Management, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Program.
    Abstract: The Professional Development for Early Childhood 
Educators and Caregivers Grants are designed for one or more local 
educational service agencies, State educational agencies, State 
agencies for higher education, institutions of higher education, and 
other public and private agencies, organizations, and institutions to 
fund projects that provide professional development opportunities to 
improve the knowledge and skills of early childhood educators and 
caregivers who work in urban and rural

[[Page 353]]

communities with high concentrations of young children living in 
proverty.
    Additional Information: Due to the unexpected delay in passage of 
an appropriations law, ED is requesting an emergency review of this 
information collection in order to make awards in sufficient time for 
applicants to provide high-quality professional development programs by 
early summer 2001 when many early childhood educators and caregivers 
will be available to participate. Based upon the occurrence of this 
unanticipated event, and the public harm that might otherwise occur 
with delaying grant awards so that the opportunity is missed to provide 
professional development during summer 2001. OMB approval is requested 
by January 5, 2000, so that the application notice can be published and 
the application be made available to eligible applicants. We anticipate 
that this time schedule will allow eligible applicants 60 days to 
prepare grant applications, and the Department to award grants by mid-
May.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Gov't, SEAs or LEAs; Not-
for-profit institutions.
    Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:
Responses: 100.
Burden Hours: 1,300.
    Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request 
should be directed to Vivian Reese, Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4050, Regional Office Building 3, 
Washington, DC 20202-4651, or should be electronically mailed to the 
internet address [email protected], or should be faxed to 202-708-
9346.
    Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity 
requirements, contact Kathy Axt at her internet address 
[email protected]. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for 
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 
1-800-877-8339.

[FR Doc. 01-58 Filed 1-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P