[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 138 (Thursday, July 19, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39608-39609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13986]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY: Department of Education.
SUMMARY: The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management 
Services, Office of Management, invites comments on the proposed 
information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
September 17, 2007.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) provide interested Federal agencies and the public an 
early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. 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 IC Clearance Official, Regulatory 
Information Management Services, Office of Management, publishes that 
notice containing proposed information collection requests prior to 
submission of these requests to OMB. 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. OMB 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 
the respondents, including through the use of information technology.

    Dated: July 12, 2007.
Angela C. Arrington,
IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, 
Office of Management.

Institute of Education Sciences

    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Assessment Accommodations for English Language Learners.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Affected Public: Individuals or household.
    Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:

Responses: 3,667.
Burden Hours: 397.

    Abstract: This study will examine the effect of a test 
accommodation and its impact on the validity of assessments for English 
language learners (ELLs). Specifically, it will examine the ways in 
which linguistic modification affects students' ability to access 
content (e.g. math) during testing. Linguistic modification is theory-
based process in which the language in test items, directions, and/or 
response options are modified in ways that clarify and simplify the 
text without simplifying or significantly altering the construct 
tested. By comparing the effects of linguistic modification on the 
performance of ELL students with that of English language proficient 
general education students without disabilities (non-ELL/non-SD), this 
study aims to increase understanding of the effects of an 
accommodation--one that holds promise as a means of decreasing the 
achievement gap between non-ELL/non-SD and ELL students--on construct 
validity, differential validity, and incremental validity of 
achievement test scores. While the initial phase of this study focuses 
on instrument refinement and validation, the second phase uses 
experimental design to examine the effectiveness of this accommodation 
for

[[Page 39609]]

ELLs on tests of mathematics achievement.
    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 3412. When 
you access the information collection, click on ``Download 
Attachments'' to view. Written requests for information should be 
addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
Potomac Center, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-4700. Requests may also 
be electronically mailed to [email protected] or faxed to 202-245-
6623. Please specify the complete title of the information collection 
when making your request.
    Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity 
requirements should be electronically mailed to [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. E7-13986 Filed 7-18-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P