[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 31, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34889-34890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11569]



[[Page 34889]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[234A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900; OMB Control Number 1076-0122]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Data Elements 
for Bureau-Funded Schools

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, 
the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) are proposing to renew an 
information collection with revisions.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
June 30, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) should be sent within 30 days of 
publication of this notice to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs (OIRA) through https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRA/icrPublicCommentRequest?ref_nbr=202301-1076-001 or by visiting https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain and selecting ``Currently under 
Review--Open for Public Comments'' and then scrolling down to the 
``Department of the Interior.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Mullen, Information Collection 
Clearance Officer, by email at [email protected] or telephone at (202) 
924-2650. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, 
hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. You may also 
view the ICR at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/Forward?SearchTarget=PRA&textfield=1076-0122.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), we 
provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an 
opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing 
collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our 
information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting 
burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection 
requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.
    A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period 
soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 
March 2, 2023 (88 FR 13145). BIE received one comment.
    Comment: Commentor opposes the BIE proposal for a referral intake 
form to facilitate virtual counseling and crisis services and believes 
the new form would place undue burden on schools, especially those 
without a counselor on staff.
    Agency Response to Comment: BIE wholeheartedly appreciates schools 
are limited in both capacity and resources. To clarify, BIE's program 
seeks to connect schools to federally-funded virtual counseling and 
crisis services. The proposed action would not create a regulatory 
requirement for schools to provide counseling services; and it would 
not require Tribal schools/organizations to have a counselor on staff. 
BIE's Behavioral Health and Wellness Program (BHWP) is an optional 
resource for students and staff at all Bureau-funded programs, 
departments, and institutions--including Bureau operated schools, 
Tribally controlled schools, post-secondary institutions, and Tribal 
colleges and universities. The purpose of the referral intake form is 
to collect information necessary to facilitate virtual counseling and 
crisis services.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other 
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are 
especially interested in public comment addressing the following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. 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.

OMB Control Number 1076-0122

    Abstract: The Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of 
Indian Education (BIE), is required by the Snyder Act (25 U.S.C. 13), 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 (25 
U.S.C. 5301), Education Amendments of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 2001), Augustus 
F. Hawkins-Robert T. Stafford Elementary and Secondary School 
Improvement Amendments of 1988 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), and Every 
Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. 6301) to provide educational services 
to federally recognized Indians and Alaska Natives. In addition, 25 CFR 
43, Maintenance and Control of Student Records in Bureau Schools, 
contain regulations governing the maintenance, control, and 
accessibility of student records.
    BIE's Student Enrollment Application is utilized by schools 
operated or funded by BIE. The information is collected by school 
registrars to determine the student's eligibility for enrollment in a 
bureau-operated school, and if eligible, is shared with appropriate 
school officials to identify the student's base and supplemental 
educational and/or residential program needs. The information is 
compiled into a national database by the Bureau of Indian Education to 
facilitate budget requests and the allocation of congressionally 
appropriated funds.
    BIE's Behavioral Health and Wellness Program (BHWP) is focused on 
providing indigenous focused, evidence-based, and trauma-informed 
behavioral health and wellness services/resources for students and 
staff at all Bureau-funded programs, departments, and institutions 
including Bureau operated schools, Tribally controlled schools, post-
secondary institutions, and Tribal colleges and universities.

Proposed Revisions

    BIE proposes a referral intake form to facilitate federally-funded 
virtual counseling and crisis services. All data collected for the BHWP 
will only be utilized for establishing the appropriate level of care, 
assessing client safety, ensuring services are individualized to meet 
the client's specific needs, and providing clients with external 
referrals,

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as needed. The BHWP counseling and crisis services are optional--BIE 
regulations do not require a school to participate in the BHWP.
    Title of Collection: Data Elements for Bureau-Funded Schools.
    OMB Control Number: 1076-0122.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals, Contract and Grant 
schools, and Bureau-funded schools.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 49,000 per year, on 
average.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 49,000 per year, on 
average.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 15 to 30 minutes.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 12,500 hours.
    Frequency of Collection: Occasionally, required to obtain a 
benefit.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $0.

Authority

    An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The authority for this action is 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Steven Mullen,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Regulatory Affairs 
and Collaborative Action--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2023-11569 Filed 5-30-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P