[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 345-346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-31265]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY: Department of Education.

SUMMARY: The Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance 
Division, 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 
March 8, 2010.

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 Acting Director, Information Collection 
Clearance Division, 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: December 30, 2009.
James Hyler,
Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Regulatory 
Information Management Services, Office of Management.

Office of Postsecondary Education

    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Application for Grants under the Predominantly Black 
Institutions Program.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit; Not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:

Responses: 30.
Burden Hours: 600.

    Abstract: The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) 
amended Title III, Part A of the Higher Education Act to include 
Section 318--The Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) Program. Unlike 
the previous PBI Program (authorized by the College Cost Reduction and 
Access Act of 2007), which was competitive and focused on programs in 
the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, the 
PBI program authorized under the HEOA is an institutional aid program 
and grants are based on a formula rather than being competitive. All 
institutions who qualify as PBIs and submit the required materials will 
receive a portion of the total appropriation based on a formula. The 
PBI Program makes grant awards to eligible colleges and universities to 
plan, develop, undertake and implement programs to enhance the 
institution's capacity to serve more low- and middle-income Black 
American students; to expand higher education opportunities for 
eligible students by encouraging college preparation and student 
persistence in secondary school and postsecondary education; and to 
strengthen the financial ability of the institution to serve the 
academic needs of these students. Allowable activities are numerous and 
include academic instruction, teacher education, faculty development, 
equipment purchase, construction and maintenance, and tutoring and 
counseling services. This information collection is necessary to comply 
with Section 318 of Title III, Part A of the HEA as amended.
    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 4160. 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., 
LBJ, Washington, DC 20202-4537. Requests may also be electronically 
mailed to [email protected] or faxed to 202-401-0920. Please specify 
the complete title of the information collection when making your 
request.

[[Page 346]]

    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. E9-31265 Filed 1-4-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P