[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79871-79872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32266]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Submission of Data by State Educational Agencies; Submission 
Dates for State Revenue and Expenditure Reports for Fiscal Year (FY) 
2015, Revisions to Those Reports, and Revisions to Prior Fiscal Year 
Reports

AGENCY: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of 
Education Sciences, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces dates for State educational agencies 
(SEAs) to submit expenditure and revenue data and average daily 
attendance statistics on ED Form 2447 (the National Public Education 
Financial Survey (NPEFS)) for fiscal year (FY) 2015, revisions to those 
reports, and revisions to prior fiscal year reports. The Secretary sets 
these dates to ensure that data are available to serve as the basis for 
timely distribution of Federal funds. The U.S. Census Bureau is the 
data collection agent for this request of the Department of Education's 
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The data will be 
published by NCES and will be used by the Secretary in the calculation 
of allocations for FY 2017 appropriated funds.

DATES: SEAs can begin submitting data on Tuesday, February 2, 2016. The 
deadline for the final submission of all data, including any revisions 
to previously submitted data for FY 2014 and FY 2015, is Monday, August 
15, 2016. Any resubmissions of FY 2014 or FY 2015 data by SEAs in 
response to requests for clarification or reconciliation or other 
inquiries by NCES or the Census Bureau must be completed as soon as 
possible, but no later than Tuesday, September 6, 2016. All outstanding 
data issues must be reconciled or resolved by the SEAs, NCES, and the 
Census Bureau as soon as possible, but no later than September 6, 2016.

ADDRESSES: SEAs may mail ED Form 2447 to: U.S. Census Bureau, 
ATTENTION: Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division, 4600 Silver Hill 
Road, Suitland, MD 20746.
    Submission Information: SEAs may submit data online using the 
interactive survey form on the NPEFS data collection Web site at: 
http://surveys.nces.ed.gov/ccdnpefs. The NPEFS interactive survey 
includes a digital confirmation page where a personal identification 
number (PIN) may be entered. A successful entry of the PIN serves as a 
signature by the authorizing official. Alternatively, a certification 
form also may be printed from the Web site, signed by the authorizing 
official, and mailed to the Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division of 
the Census Bureau at the Washington, DC address provided above, within 
five business days after submission of the NPEFS Web interactive form.
    Alternatively, SEAs may hand-deliver submissions by 4:00 p.m. 
Washington, DC time on August 15, 2016, to: U.S. Census Bureau, 
Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division, 4600 Silver Hill Road, 
Suitland, MD 20746.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Stephen Q. Cornman, NPEFS Project 
Director, National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of 
Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Telephone: (202) 245-
7753 or by email: [email protected]. You may also contact an NPEFS 
team member (Census Bureau). Telephone: 1-800-437-4196 or (301) 763-
1571 or by email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1-800-
877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under section 153(a)(1)(I) of the Education 
Sciences Reform Act of 2002, 20 U.S.C. 9543(a)(1)(I), which authorizes 
NCES to gather data on the financing and management of education, NCES 
collects data annually from SEAs through ED Form 2447. The report from 
SEAs includes attendance, revenue, and expenditure data from which NCES 
determines a State's ``average per-pupil expenditure'' (SPPE) for 
elementary and secondary education, as defined in section 9101(2) of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) 
(20 U.S.C. 7801(2)).
    In addition to using the SPPE data as general information on the 
financing of elementary and secondary education, the Secretary uses 
these data directly in calculating allocations for certain formula 
grant programs, including, but not limited to, title I, part A of the 
ESEA, Impact Aid, and Indian Education programs. Other programs, such 
as the Education for Homeless Children and Youth program under title 
VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and the Teacher 
Quality State Grants program (title II, part A of the ESEA), make use 
of SPPE data indirectly because their formulas are based, in whole or 
in part, on State title I, part A allocations.
    In January 2016, the Census Bureau, acting as the data collection 
agent for NCES, will email ED Form 2447 to

[[Page 79872]]

SEAs, with instructions, and will request that SEAs commence submitting 
FY 2015 data to the Census Bureau on Tuesday, February 2, 2016. SEAs 
are urged to submit accurate and complete data by Friday, March 18, 
2016, to facilitate timely processing.
    Submissions by SEAs to the Census Bureau will be analyzed for 
accuracy and returned to each SEA for verification. SEAs must submit 
all data, including any revisions to FY 2014 and FY 2015 data, to the 
Census Bureau no later than Monday, August 15, 2016. Any resubmissions 
of FY 2014 or FY 2015 data by SEAs in response to requests for 
clarification or reconciliation or other inquiries by NCES or the 
Census Bureau must be completed by Tuesday, September 6, 2016. Between 
August 15, 2016, and September 6, 2016, SEAs may also, on their own 
initiative, resubmit data to resolve issues not addressed in their 
final submission of NPEFS data by August 15, 2016. All outstanding data 
issues must be reconciled or resolved by the SEAs, NCES, and the Census 
Bureau as soon as possible, but no later than September 6, 2016.
    In order to facilitate timely submission of data, the Census Bureau 
will send reminder notices to SEAs in May, June, and July of 2016.
    Having accurate, consistent, and timely information is critical to 
an efficient and fair Department of Education (Department) allocation 
process and to the NCES statistical process. To ensure timely 
distribution of Federal education funds based on the best, most 
accurate data available, the Department establishes, for program 
funding allocation purposes, Monday, August 15, 2016, as the final date 
by which the SEAs must submit data using either the interactive survey 
form on the NPEFS data collection Web site at: http://surveys.nces.ed.gov/ccdnpefs or ED Form 2447.
    Any resubmissions of FY 2014 or FY 2015 data by SEAs in response to 
requests for clarification or reconciliation or other inquiries by NCES 
or the Census Bureau must be completed through the interactive survey 
form on the NPEFS data collection Web site or ED Form 2447 by Tuesday, 
September 6, 2016. If an SEA submits revised data after the final 
deadline that result in a lower SPPE figure, the SEA's allocations may 
be adjusted downward, or the Department may direct the SEA to return 
funds. SEAs should be aware that all of these data are subject to audit 
and that, if any inaccuracies are discovered in the audit process, the 
Department may seek recovery of overpayments for the applicable 
programs.

    Note:  The following are important dates in the data collection 
process for FY 2015:
    February 2, 2016--SEAs can begin to submit accurate and complete 
data for FY 2015 and revisions to previously submitted data for FY 
2014.
    March 18, 2016--Date by which SEAs are urged to submit accurate 
and complete data for FY 2014 and FY 2015.
    August 15, 2016--Mandatory final submission date for FY 2014 and 
FY 2015 data to be used for program funding allocation purposes.
    September 6, 2016--Mandatory final deadline for responses by 
SEAs to requests for clarification or reconciliation or other 
inquiries by NCES or the Census Bureau. All data issues must be 
resolved.

    If an SEA's submission is received by the Census Bureau after 
August 15, 2016, the SEA must show one of the following as proof that 
the submission was mailed on or before that date:
    1. A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    2. A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    3. A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    4. Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary.
    If the SEA mails ED Form 2447 through the U.S. Postal Service, the 
Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    1. A private metered postmark.
    2. A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

    Note:  The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a 
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an SEA should check 
with its local post office.

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities may obtain this 
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, 
audiotape, or compact disc) on request to: Mr. Stephen Q. Cornman, 
NPEFS Project Director, National Center for Education Statistics, 
Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. 
Telephone: (202) 245-7753 or by email: [email protected].
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free 
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the 
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System 
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well 
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF 
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this 
site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Authority:  20 U.S.C. 9543.

    Dated: December 18, 2015.
Ruth Neild,
Deputy Director for Policy and Research Delegated the Duties of the 
Director for the Institute of Education Sciences.
[FR Doc. 2015-32266 Filed 12-22-15; 8:45 am]
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