[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40854-40855]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-16151]


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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 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: 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 July 
17, 2008. A regular clearance process is also beginning. Interested 
persons are invited to submit comments on or before September 15, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the emergency review should be 
addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Education Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget; 725 
17th Street, NW., Room 10222, New Executive Office Building, 
Washington, DC 20503. Commenters are encouraged to submit responses 
electronically by e-mail to [email protected] or via fax to 
(202) 395-6974.

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 IC Clearance 
Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of 
Management, 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, 2008.
Angela C. Arrington,
IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, 
Office of Management.

Office of the Under Secretary

    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Study of Pell Grant Recipients Who Transfer Among Eligible 
Institutions.
    Abstract: This is a request for clearance for a survey of Pell 
Grant recipients who transferred from one institution to another. The 
general purpose of the survey is to determine the satisfaction of Pell 
Grant recipients with the financial aid process, while a more specific 
purpose is to identify and describe problems that Pell Grant recipients 
may encounter when attempting to transfer credits/courses from one 
institution to another.

Additional Information:

    The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) requests that OMB 
grant an emergency clearance of the Study of Pell Grant Recipients Who 
Transfer Among Eligible Institutions. This study is designed to 
determine the satisfaction of Pell Grant recipients with the financial 
aid process and to identify and describe problems that they may 
encounter when attempting to transfer credits/courses from one 
institution to another. This study is particularly relevant, given the 
timing of the following factors: First, the Congress is currently 
working on reauthorization for the Higher Education Act/reauthorization 
will likely include new requirements for disclosing institutions' 
transfer of credit policies. Implementation of these requirements by 
the Department would be best informed by the results of this study. 
Second, the Department of Education currently has the best sample with 
the most recent contact information for the population of interest. 
Given that this population is particularly difficult to reach, there is 
significant risk that our sample may degrade if we delay data 
collection further. Finally the information obtained from this study 
will assist in improving the Department's customer service functions 
for students who receive federal student aid for the 2009-10 school 
year. Data from this study will inform messaging to federal student aid 
applicants who appear to transfer to ensure that the credits that they 
have earned are considered by their receiving institution. Delays in 
conducting this study would prevent the Department from providing this 
service to federal student aid applicants. We respectfully request OMB 
approval by July 17, 2008.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:
Responses: 1,500.
Burden Hours: 375.
    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 3758. 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 the Internet address [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

[[Page 40855]]

use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

[FR Doc. E8-16151 Filed 7-15-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P