[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 144 (Monday, July 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 43729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17650]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No. ED-2014-ICCD-0108]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Race 
to the Top Program Review Protocols

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary/Office of the Deputy Secretary (OS), 
Department of Education (ED).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing an extension of an 
existing information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
September 26, 2014.

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-2014-ICCD-
0108 or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. If the 
regulations.gov site is not available to the public for any reason, ED 
will temporarily accept comments at [email protected]. Please note 
that comments submitted by fax or email and those submitted after the 
comment period will not be accepted; ED will ONLY accept comments 
during the comment period in this mailbox when the regulations.gov site 
is not available. 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, Mailstop L-OM-2-
2E319, Room 2E105, Washington, DC 20202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Patrick Carr, 202-708-8196.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Education (ED), in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with 
an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing 
collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact 
of its information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department's 
information collection requirements and provide the requested data in 
the desired format. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) that is described below. 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: Race to the Top Program Review Protocols.
    OMB Control Number: 1894-0011.
    Type of Review: An extension of an existing information collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Governments.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 12.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 744.
    Abstract: The ARRA provides $4.3 billion for the Race to the Top 
Fund (referred to in the statute as the State Incentive Grant Fund). 
This is a competitive grant program. The purpose of the program is to 
encourage and reward States that are creating the conditions for 
education innovation and reform; achieving significant improvement in 
student outcomes, including making substantial gains in student 
achievement, closing achievement gaps, improving high school graduation 
rates, and ensuring student preparation for success in college and 
careers; and implementing ambitious plans in four core education reform 
areas: (a) Adopting internationally-benchmarked standards and 
assessments that prepare students for success in college and the 
workplace; (b) building data systems that measure student success and 
inform teachers and principals in how they can improve their practices; 
(c) increasing teacher effectiveness and achieving equity in teacher 
distribution; and (d) turning around our lowest-achieving schools.
    The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) will collect this 
data from the 12 Race to the Top grantee states to inform its review of 
grantee implementation, outcomes, oversight, and accountability. The 
Department will use these forms to inform on-site visits, ``stocktake'' 
meetings with Implementation and Support Unit (ISU) leadership at the 
Department, and annual reports for individual grantees and the grant 
program as a whole.
    In order to allow for a comprehensive program review of the Race to 
the Top grantees, we are requesting a 3 year clearance with this form.

    Dated: July 23, 2014.
Stephanie Valentine,
Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Privacy, 
Information and Records Management Services, Office of Management.
[FR Doc. 2014-17650 Filed 7-25-14; 8:45 am]
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