[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 82 (Thursday, April 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23797-23798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-10301]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY: Department of Education (ED).

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection requests.

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SUMMARY: The Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance 
Division, Privacy, Information and Records 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 May 31, 
2011. A regular clearance process is also beginning. Interested persons 
are invited to submit comments on or before June 27, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Written comments 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, be faxed to (202) 395-
5806 or e-mailed to [email protected] with a cc: to 
[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 Director, 
Information Collection Clearance Division, Privacy, Information and 
Records 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: April 25, 2011.
James Hyler,
Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Privacy, 
Information and Records Management Services, Office of Management.

Office of the Secretary

    Type of Review: New.
    Title of Collection: Race to the Top Annual Performance Report.
    OMB Control Number(s): 1894-NEW.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.
    Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Government, State 
Educational Agencies or Local Educational.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 12.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 1,452.
    Abstract: In order to fulfill our responsibilities for programmatic 
oversight and public reporting, the Department has developed a Race to 
the Top Annual Performance Report that is tied directly to the Race to 
the Top selection programmatic requirements previously established and 
published in the Federal Register. The report is grounded in the key 
performance targets included in grantees' approved Race to the Top 
plans. Grantees will be required to report on their progress in the 
four core education reform areas: Science, Technology, Engineering, and 
Mathematics. This reporting includes narrative sections on progress and 
key performance indicators. As was the case in the completion of the 
Race to the Top applications, grantees will coordinate with Local 
Educational Agencies (LEAs) to collect and report on school and 
district-level data elements.
    In order to robustly fulfill our programmatic and fiscal oversight 
responsibilities, it is essential that we gather this data from Race to 
the Top grantees and subgrantees as soon as possible to inform 
decision-making for the second year of the grant. The Race to the Top 
Annual Performance Report data will be used as a component of the 
comprehensive program review process (for which the comment period just 
closed). In particular, the data informs both a stocktake (meeting) 
with Race to the Top leadership that will be focused on assessing 
grantee progress and pinpointing areas requiring technical

[[Page 23798]]

assistance as well as State-specific and comprehensive reports that 
will update the public and Congress about Race to the Top. It is in the 
public interest to present the data in a timely manner.
    Additional Information: Pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.13(a)(2)(iii), the 
Department is requesting emergency approval as the use of the normal 
clearance procedures will disrupt the timely collection of the 
information critical for managing the performance of Race to the Top 
grants and effectiveness. This is the first year of implementation of a 
$4 billion dollar program, the largest discretionary grant program ever 
administered by the Department. As a result, the program continues to 
generate high public interest.
    If the routine paperwork processing timeline is followed, the Race 
to the Top Annual Performance Report data collection tool will not be 
released until August. Given that many LEAs begin the school year in 
August; this timing would create an undue burden on the LEAs and on the 
State. During the process of developing the Race to the Top Annual 
Performance Report, we elicited feedback from grantees regarding the 
timing of collection. Based on that feedback, we believe that a June 
timeframe would best meet the needs of the grantees and the Department.
    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 4576. 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 the Internet address 
[email protected] or faxed to 202-401-0920. 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] 202-
260-8916. 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. 2011-10301 Filed 4-27-11; 8:45 am]
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