[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 136 (Wednesday, July 16, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42008-42009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17915]


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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 Leader, Regulatory Information Management Group, 
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 
August 10, 2003. A regular clearance process is also beginning. 
Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
September 15, 2003.

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 Acting Leader, 
Regulatory 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 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: July 10, 2003.
Joseph Schubart,
Acting Leader, Regulatory Information Management Group, Office of the 
Chief Information Officer.

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Mathematics and Science Partnerships--Basic State 
Educational Agency Information.
    Abstract: Given the size of the program's fiscal year 2003 
appropriation, the Mathematics and Science Partnerships program (Title 
II, part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by 
the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-110) becomes a 
State educational agency (SEA)-administered formula grant program. 
Section 2202 of the ESEA has the Department make awards to SEAs without 
allowance for its review and approval of a program application. This 
State Survey contains minimum information that the Department needs in 
order to (1) Be able to provide technical assistance to SEAs as they 
begin implementing their programs, and (2) monitor programs 
effectively.
    Additional Information: The Department is requesting emergency 
processing for the State Survey for the

[[Page 42009]]

new Mathematics and Science Partnerships Program (Title II, part B of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the No Child 
Left Behind Act) due to an unanticipated event. The FY 2003 
appropriation for this program is slightly more than $100 million, and 
the program is now a SEA--administered formula grant program. The 
awarding of funds to SEAs is based on statutory formula. Normal 
processing for this collection would likely delay approval for the 
State Survey this year. The Department quite simply needs the basis 
information our State Survey requests much sooner if we are to meet our 
responsibilities to provide technical assistance as SEAs begin to 
administer this new and important program, and to be able to monitor 
its implementation.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Businesses or other 
for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions; Farms; Federal Government; 
State, local or Tribal Gov't, SEAs or LEAs.
    Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:
 Responses: 780.
 Burden Hours: 31,200.
    Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request 
may be accessed from http://www.edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the 
``Browse Pending Collections'' link and by clicking on link number 
2275. 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 e-mail 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. 03-17915 Filed 7-15-03; 8:45 am]
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