[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 64799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-26093]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Submission for OMB Review; Office of Postsecondary 
Education; Secretary's Recognition of Accrediting Agencies

SUMMARY: The information collected is required to determine if an 
accrediting agency complies with the Secretary of Education's Criteria 
for Recognition and is used to allow the Secretary to make 
determinations on extending and/or continuing recognitions.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
November 23, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments submitted in response to this notice should be 
submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 
http://www.regulations.gov by selecting Docket ID number ED-2012-ICCD-
0041 or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. Please 
note that comments submitted by fax or email and those submitted after 
the comment period will not be accepted. Written requests for 
information or comments submitted by postal mail or delivery should be 
addressed to the Director of the Information Collection Clearance 
Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ, 
Room 2E117, Washington, DC 20202-4537.
    Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-
8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that Federal agencies provide 
interested parties an early opportunity to comment on information 
collection requests. The 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. 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. Please note that written comments received in response to 
this notice will be considered public records.
    Title of Collection: Title 34 CFR Part 602: Secretary's Recognition 
of Accrediting Agencies.
    OMB Control Number: 1840-0788.
    Type of Review: Revision.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 167.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 4,885.
    Abstract: In compliance with Title 34 CFR Part 602, the information 
collected consists of petitions, reports and accreditation 
notifications. The information collected is required to determine if an 
accrediting agency complies with the Secretary of Education's Criteria 
for Recognition and is used to allow the Secretary to make 
determinations on extending and/or continuing recognition. Only 
postsecondary institutions accredited by such a recognized accrediting 
agency obtain Title IV funding for its students. This portion of the 
new regulation was disclosed but not submitted for public comment when 
the negotiated rulemaking legislature was originally announced in the 
Federal Register in 2009. Therefore, this submission is considered a 
``revision of a currently approved collection.''

    Dated: October 17, 2012.
Darrin A. King,
Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Privacy, 
Information and Records Management Services, Office of Management.
[FR Doc. 2012-26093 Filed 10-22-12; 8:45 am]
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