[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 138 (Thursday, July 19, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 39609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13987]


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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: The Effects of a Hybrid Secondary School Course in Algebra 1 
on Teacher Practices, Classroom Quality and Adolescent Learning.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Affected Public: Individuals or household; Businesses or other for-
profit; Not-for-profit institutions; Federal Government; State, Local, 
or Tribal Government, SEAs or LEAs.
    Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:

Responses: 10,900
Burden Hours: 1,705

    Abstract: Algebra I has emerged in recent years as a critical 
gatekeeper course, necessary to prepare students for the rigorous 
mathematics curriculum required for high school graduation and 
successful postsecondary experiences. Therefore, providing Algebra I 
teachers with the very best resources and professional development to 
ensure effective instruction has become a priority in Kentucky and 
across the nation. This research study is designed to test, through a 
rigorous experimental design, an approach that combines online and 
technology enhanced instruction with face-to-face classroom instruction 
to address this need. This hybrid or ``blended'' approach has shown 
promising results in Kentucky and elsewhere. Teachers who receive the 
intervention in this study will apply the hybrid approach using the 
Kentucky Virtual High School's (KVHS) online course curriculum in 
Algebra I. They will be supported by extensive professional development 
in hybrid instruction and research-based practices for teaching Algebra 
I. The KVHS course is fully aligned with national and new state 
standards for Algebra instruction. The results on improved 
instructional practices, classroom quality, and student learning will 
be compared to those in control sites in which Algebra I instruction 
will continue as it has with traditional classroom instruction. 
Participating schools will be randomly assigned to either an 
intervention group or a control group in Spring 2008 and participating 
teachers will assume the intervention or control status assigned to 
their school. Baseline data collection for both intervention and 
control groups will begin in the fall of 2008, and continue each 
semester through spring 2010. Participating teachers in the 
intervention schools will begin professional development in May 2008, 
and will continue with the facilitated face-to-face on online support 
of a master teacher as they implement the intervention in 2008-2009. 
Teachers will continue to have access to all of the online resources 
for instruction in 2009-2010, as well as on-demand support for KVHS. 
Results of the study will be made available following a technical 
review by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education 
Sciences.
    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 3411. 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. E7-13987 Filed 7-18-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P