[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 87 (Monday, May 6, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30368-30369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-11133]


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

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 May 
7, 2002. A regular clearance process is also beginning. Interested 
persons are invited to submit comments on or before July 5, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the emergency review should be 
addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Karen Lee, Desk Officer: Department of Education, Office of 
Management and Budget; 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10235, New Executive 
Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or should be electronically 
mailed to the Internet address [email protected].

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, Information 
Management Group, 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

[[Page 30369]]

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: May 1, 2002.
John D. Tressler,
Leader, Regulatory Information Management, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.

    Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Early Reading First Program Federal Register Notice Inviting 
Applications, and Application Packet.
    Abstract: The Early Reading First program will provide grants to 
eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) and public and private 
organizations located in those LEAs to transform early childhood 
education programs into centers of excellence to help young at-risk 
children achieve the language, cognitive, and early reading skills they 
need to succeed when they enter kindergarten.
    Additional Information: The Department expects to receive a large 
number of applications, and wishes to ensure that the funded 
applications are of the highest quality, and plans to use a two-phase 
application process (with a Pre-Application and Full Application). This 
two-phase application process will put less burden on the majority of 
applicants by requiring only a short concept paper from them, and will 
also have the benefit of providing helpful comments from peer reviewers 
to strengthen proposals from applicants invited to submit Full 
Applications. It would be difficult, without emergency paperwork 
clearance, for the Department to award these grants by December, 2002. 
Based upon the unexpected delay and the public harm that might 
otherwise occur with delaying grant awards, the Department is 
requesting approval by May 7, 2002.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Gov't, SEAs or LEAs; not-
for-profit institutions.
    Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:

      Responses: 900.
      Burden Hours: 12,000.

    Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request 
may be accessed from http://edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the ``Browse 
Pending Collections'' link and by clicking on link number 2020. When 
you access the information collection, click on ``Download Attachments 
'' to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to 
Vivian Reese, Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 
4050, Regional Office Building 3, Washington, DC 20202-4651 or to the 
e-mail address [email protected]. Requests may also be electronically 
mailed to the Internet address [email protected] or faxed to 202-708-
9346. Please specify the complete title of the information collection 
when making your request.
    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. 02-11133 Filed 5-3-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P