[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 29, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59515-59516]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18627]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2023-SCC-0152]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Annual 
Performance Report for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for 
Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), 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 a revision of a currently approved 
information collection request (ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
October 30, 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-0152. 
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 Nicole Josemans, 202-452-7111.

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: Annual Performance Report for Gaining Early 
Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Program.
    OMB Control Number: 1840-0777.
    Type of Review: A revision of a currently approved ICR.
    Respondents/Affected Public: State, local, and Tribal governments; 
private sector.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 159.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 3,180.
    Abstract: Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate 
Programs (GEAR UP), created in the Higher Education Act Amendments of 
1998 (title IV, section 404A-404H), is a discretionary grant program 
which encourages applicants to provide support and maintain a 
commitment to eligible low-income students, including students with 
disabilities, to assist the students in obtaining a secondary school 
diploma and preparing for and succeeding in postsecondary education. 
GEAR UP provides grants to states and partnerships to provide services 
at high-poverty middle and high schools. GEAR UP grantees serve an 
entire cohort of students beginning no later than the seventh grade and 
follow them through graduation and, optionally, the first year of 
college.
    Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs 
(GEAR UP), created in the Higher Education Act Amendments of 1998 
(title IV, section 404A-404H), is a discretionary grant program which 
encourages applicants to provide support and maintain a commitment to 
eligible low-income students, including students with disabilities, to 
assist the students in obtaining a secondary school diploma and 
preparing for and succeeding in postsecondary education. GEAR UP 
provides grants to states and partnerships to provide services at high-
poverty middle and high schools. GEAR UP grantees serve an entire 
cohort of students beginning no later than the seventh grade and follow 
them through graduation and, optionally, the first year of college.

[[Page 59516]]

    The Annual Performance Report (APR) for Partnership and State 
Projects for GEAR UP is a required report that grant recipients must 
submit annually. The purpose of this information collection is for 
accountability. The data is used to report on progress in meeting the 
performance objectives of GEAR UP, program implementation, and student 
outcomes. The data collected includes budget data on Federal funds and 
match contributions, demographic data, and data regarding services 
provided to students.
    This submission requests to revise the APR in several places. New 
questions were added regarding the grant's scholarship component and 
student postsecondary participation outcomes, and changes were made to 
questions about project financial status, participant demographics, and 
project services.

    Dated: August 24, 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. 2023-18627 Filed 8-28-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P