[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 16 (Monday, January 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3976-3977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01291]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[145A2100DD.AADD001000.A0E501010.999900]


Renewal of Agency Information Collection for Sovereignty in 
Indian Education Grant Program

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of submission to OMB.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) is submitting to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) a request for approval for the collection 
of information for the Sovereignty in Indian Education Grant Program. 
The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control 
Number 1076-0182, which expires January 31, 2015.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
February 25, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the information collection to the 
Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior at the Office of 
Management and Budget, by facsimile to (202) 395-5806 or you may send 
an email to: [email protected]. Please send a copy of your 
comments to: Ms. Wendy Greyeyes, Bureau of Indian Education, 1849 C 
Street NW., MS-4655-MIB, Washington, DC 20240; Email: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Wendy Greyeyes, telephone: (202) 
208-5810. You may review the information collection request online at 
http://www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to review Department of 
the Interior collections under review by OMB.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    In 2013, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of 
Education convened an American Indian Education Study Group to diagnose 
the systemic challenges facing the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and 
to propose a comprehensive plan for reform to ensure that all students 
attending BIE-funded schools receive a world-class education.
    The Study Group drafted a framework for reform based on several 
listening sessions last fall with tribal leaders, Indian educators and 
others throughout Indian Country on how to facilitate tribal 
sovereignty in American Indian education and how to improve educational 
outcomes for students at BIE-funded schools. The Study Group 
incorporated feedback it received from tribal leaders and other BIE 
stakeholders into the final ``Blueprint for Reform,'' released on June 
13, 2014.
    Acting on the recommendations in the Blueprint, BIE will award 
competitive grants to tribes and their tribal education agencies to 
promote tribal control and operation of BIE-funded schools on their 
Indian reservations. The purpose of the grants is to support the 
tribe's capacity to manage and operate tribally controlled schools as 
defined in the Tribally Controlled

[[Page 3977]]

Schools Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-297). These funds will (a) support 
development of a school-reform plan to improve educational outcomes for 
students and (b) improve efficiencies and effectiveness in the 
operation of BIE-funded schools within a reservation.
    The grants will provide funds for the tribe to:
     Develop an implementation plan that will reform a tribe's 
current organizational structure towards an expert and independent 
tribal education agency that will support schools and students; and
     Cover the execution of the implementation plan with 
identified staffing, projected timelines, proposed budgets, and 
activities.
    Each proposal must include a project narrative, a budget narrative, 
a work plan outline, and a Project Director to manage the execution of 
the grant. The Project Directors will participate in monthly 
collaboration meetings, submit quarterly budget updates, ensure an 
annual report is submitted at the end of each project year, and 
ultimately ensure that the tribal education agency fulfills the 
obligations of the grant. A response is required to obtain and/or 
retain a benefit.

II. Request for Comments

    On November 11, 2014, BIE published a notice announcing the renewal 
of this information collection and provided a 60-day comment period in 
the Federal Register (79 FR 66394). There were no comments received in 
response to this notice.
    The BIE requests your comments on this collection concerning: (a) 
The necessity of this information collection for the proper performance 
of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; (b) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of 
the burden (hours and cost) of the collection of information, including 
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) Ways we could 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (d) Ways we could minimize the burden of the collection 
of the information on the respondents.
    Please note that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and an 
individual need not respond to, a collection of information unless it 
displays a valid OMB Control Number.
    It is our policy to make all comments available to the public for 
review at the location listed in the ADDRESSES section. Before 
including your address, phone number, email address or other personal 
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your 
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be 
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your 
comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public 
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1076-0182.
    Title: Sovereignty in Indian Education Grant Program.
    Brief Description of Collection: Indian Tribes and Tribal 
Organizations may submit proposals to support their efforts to take 
control and operate BIE-funded schools located on the tribe's 
reservation. Each proposal must include a project narrative, a budget 
narrative, a work plan outline, and a Project Director to manage the 
execution of the grant. The Project Directors will participate in 
monthly collaboration meetings, submit quarterly budget updates, ensure 
an annual report is submitted at the end of each project year, and 
ultimately ensure that the tribal education agency fulfills the 
obligations of the grant.
    Type of Review: Extension without change of currently approved 
collection.
    Respondents: Indian Tribes and/or Tribal Education Departments.
    Number of Respondents: 11 per year.
    Frequency of Response: Proposals and Annual reports once per year; 
Budget Reports are submitted 4 times per year; and Monthly meetings are 
12 times per year.
    Estimated Time per Response: Ranges from 1 hour to 40 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 682 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Non-Hour Dollar Cost: $0.

    Dated: January 20, 2015.
Elizabeth K. Appel,
Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action--Indian 
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015-01291 Filed 1-23-15; 8:45 am]
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