[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 102 (Friday, May 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28818-28819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11357]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2021-SCC-0079]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
Required Proprietary Institution Certification Form

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), Department of 
Education (ED).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is 
requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct an 
emergency review of a new information collection.

DATES: OMB approved this information collection under emergency 
processing on May 10, 2021. A regular clearance process is also hereby 
being initiated. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on 
or before July 27, 2021.

ADDRESSES: To access and review all the documents related to the 
information collection listed in this notice, please use http://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED-2021-SCC-0079. 
Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted 
electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number 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 include the docket ID 
number and the title of the information collection request when 
requesting documents or submitting comments. 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 Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and 
Strategy Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, 
LBJ, Room 6W208D, Washington, DC 20202-4537.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Karen Epps, 202-453-6337.

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

[[Page 28819]]

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: Required Proprietary Institution Certification 
Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1840-0855.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Private Sector.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 1,757.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 879.
    Abstract: The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides funding for 
proprietary institutions of higher education, to be used solely to make 
financial aid grants directly to students, which may be used for any 
component of the student's cost of attendance or for emergency costs 
that arise due to the coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, 
health care (including mental health care) or child care. This 
collection includes required certifications that must be completed by 
proprietary institutions seeking funding under this statute.
    Additional Information: The Department received emergency clearance 
for this information collection in order to issue awards in a timely 
manner. Due to the heightened risk associated with proprietary 
institutions, the Department determined it necessary to obtain 
additional certifications prior to making further awards under the 
(a)(4) funding stream. Without approval of the Required Proprietary 
Institution Certifications form, the Department would have been forced 
to delay making ARP (a)(4) awards to these institutions. Delay of ARP 
(a)(4) awards would be particularly problematic, as Congress has 
designated these funds as being solely directed to emergency financial 
aid grants to students at these institutions.

    Dated: May 25, 2021.
Kate Mullan,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-11357 Filed 5-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P