[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 139 (Friday, July 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47132-47133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-15457]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2023-SCC-0137]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Report 
of Dispute Resolution Under Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities 
Education Act

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 
(OSERS), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
the Department is proposing an extension without change of a currently 
approved information collection request (ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
September 19, 2023.

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-2023-SCC-0137. 
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, the Department 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 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 Manager of the Strategic 
Collections and Clearance Governance and Strategy Division, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave, SW, LBJ, Room 6W203, 
Washington, DC 20202-8240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Amy Bae, (202) 987-1557.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department, 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. The Department is soliciting comments on the 
proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. 
The Department 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: Report of Dispute Resolution Under Part C of 
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
    OMB Control Number: 1820-0678
    Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved 
ICR
    Respondents/Affected Public: State, local, and Tribal governments 
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 56
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,240
    Abstract: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; 
Pub. L. 108-446) directs the Secretary of Education to obtain data on 
the dispute resolution process described in section 615 of the law. 
Specific legislative authority in section 618 of IDEA requires that:
    ``(a) In General--Each State that receives assistance under this 
part, and the Secretary of the Interior, shall provide data each year 
to the Secretary of Education and the public on the following:
    (1)(F) The number of due process complaints filed under section 615 
and the number of hearings conducted.
    (H) The number of mediations held, and the number of settlement 
agreements reached through such mediations''.
    In addition to the specific data requirements described in Section 
618, Section 616(a)(3)(B) of IDEA identifies the dispute resolution 
process as a monitoring priority. The law states specifically that:
    ``(3) Monitoring Priorities--The Secretary shall monitor the 
States, and shall require each State to monitor the local educational 
agencies located in the

[[Page 47133]]

State (except the State exercise of general supervisory 
responsibility), using quantifiable indicators in each of the following 
priority areas, and using such qualitative indicators as are needed to 
adequately measure performance in the following priority areas:
    (B) State exercise of general supervisory authority, including 
child find, effective monitoring, the use of resolution sessions, 
mediation, voluntary binding arbitration, and a system of transition 
services as defined in sections 602(34) and 637(a)(9)''.
    The data collection form provides instructions and information for 
States when submitting their dispute resolution data. The form collects 
data on the number of written, signed complaints; mediation requests; 
and hearing requests and the status of these actions initiated during 
the reporting year with regards to children served under Part C of 
IDEA. The purposes of these data are to: (1) assess the progress, 
impact, and effectiveness of State and local efforts to implement the 
legislation and (2) provide Congress, the public, and Federal, State, 
and local educational agencies with relevant information. These data 
are used for monitoring activities, planning purposes, congressional 
reporting requirements, and dissemination to individuals and groups.

    Dated: July 17, 2023.
Kun Mullan,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 2023-15457 Filed 7-20-23; 8:45 am]
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