[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 214 (Friday, November 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68509-68510]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-28646]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Comment Request for Information Collection for Reintegration of 
Ex-Offenders-Adult Reporting System, Extension With Program Name Change

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. 
Currently, the Employment and Training Administration is soliciting 
comments concerning the collection of data about the extension of the 
currently approved reporting and recordkeeping system to support the 
Reintegration of Ex-Offenders-Adult (RExO-Adult) grants, which expires 
on March 31, 2012.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section 
of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee's section below on or before January 3, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Employment and Training 
Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210, 
Attention: Jenn Smith, Telephone number: (202) 693-3597 (this is not a 
toll-free number). Fax: (202) 693-3113. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    In applying for the Reintegration of Ex-Offender-Adult (formerly 
Prisoner Reentry Initiative) grants, faith-based and community 
organization grantees agree to submit participant data and quarterly 
aggregate reports for individuals who receive services through RExO-
Adult programs and their partnerships with One-Stop Centers, local 
Workforce Investment Boards, employment providers, the criminal justice 
system, and local housing authorities. The reports include aggregate 
data on demographic characteristics, types of services received, 
placements, outcomes, and follow-up status. Specifically, they 
summarize data on participants who received employment and placement 
services, housing assistance, mentoring, and other services essential 
to reintegrating ex-offenders through RExO-Adult programs.
    This requests an extension of the currently approved information 
collection to meet the reporting and recordkeeping requirements of the 
Reintegration of Ex-Offenders-Adult grants through an ETA-provided, 
Web-based Management Information System (MIS). In addition to reporting 
participant information and performance-related outcomes, RExO-Adult 
grantees demonstrate their ability to establish effective partnerships 
with the criminal justice system, local Workforce Investment Boards, 
local housing authorities, and other partner agencies. They also 
document the cost effectiveness of their projects.
    The MIS reporting and recordkeeping system incorporates each of 
these aspects necessary for program evaluation.
    Five outcome measures are used to measure success in the RExO-Adult 
grants: entered employment rate, employment retention rate, attainment 
of a degree or certificate, average six-month post-program earnings, 
and recidivism rate.
    Several of these conform to the common performance measures 
implemented across federal job training programs as of July 1, 2005. By 
standardizing the reporting and performance requirements of different 
programs, the common measures give ETA the ability to compare across 
programs the core goals of the workforce system--how many people 
entered jobs; how many stayed employed; and how

[[Page 68510]]

many successfully completed an educational program. Although the common 
measures are an integral part of ETA's performance accountability 
system, these measures provide only part of the information necessary 
to effectively oversee the workforce investment system. ETA also 
collects data from RExO-Adult grantees on program activities, 
participants, and outcomes that are necessary for program management 
and for conveying full and accurate information on the performance of 
RExO-Adult programs to policymakers and stakeholders.
    This information collection maintains a reporting and record-
keeping system for a minimum level of information collection that is 
necessary to comply with Equal Opportunity requirements, to hold RExO-
Adult grantees appropriately accountable for the Federal funds they 
receive, including common performance measures, and to allow the 
Department to fulfill its oversight and management responsibilities.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.

III. Current Actions

    Type of Review: Extension with program name change.
    Title: Reintegration of Ex-offenders-Adult (formerly PRI) Reporting 
System.
    OMB Number: 1205-0455.
    Affected Public: Faith-Based and Community Organization grantees.
    Form(s):
    Total Annual Respondents: 38 Grantees.
    Annual Frequency: Quarterly.

                                          Estimated Total Burden Hours
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                                                                                   Average time
         Form/activity               Total          Frequency      Total annual    per response    Total annual
                                  respondents                        response         (hours)      burden hours
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Participant Data Collection...              38  Continual.......           5,700             1.8          10,260
Quarterly narrative progress                38  Quarterly.......             152              16           2,432
 report.
Quarterly performance report..              38  Quarterly.......             152              16           2,432
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    Totals....................              38  ................           7,202  ..............          15,124
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    Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be 
summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and 
Budget approval of the information collection request; they will also 
become a matter of public record.

    Dated: Signed this 1st day of November 2011.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-28646 Filed 11-3-11; 8:45 am]
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