[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 208 (Monday, October 30, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74158-74159]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23871]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2023-SCC-0184]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
Application for the Educational Flexibility (Ed-Flex) Program

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), 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 
December 29, 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-0184. 
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 Evan Skloot, 202-453-6515.

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: Application for the Educational Flexibility 
(Ed-Flex) Program.
    OMB Control Number: 1810-0737.
    Type of Review: A revision of a currently approved ICR.
    Respondents/Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal governments.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 32.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 620.
    Abstract: This is a request for a revision to the Educational 
Flexibility program application to include the annual reporting 
template. The Educational Flexibility (Ed-Flex) program is authorized 
under the Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999 and was 
reauthorized by section 9207 of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). 
The Ed-Flex program allows the Secretary to authorize a State 
educational agency (SEA) that serves an eligible State to waive 
statutory or regulatory requirements applicable to one or more the 
included programs for any local educational agency (LEAs), educational 
service agency, or school within the State. Section 4(a)(3) of the 
Education Flexibility Partnership Act of

[[Page 74159]]

1999 requires each SEA desiring to participate in the education 
flexibility program to submit an application detailing that SEAs 
education flexibility plan. Section 4(a)(5)(B) requires each SEA that 
is authorized to become an Ed-Flex Partnership State to submit an 
annual report on the results of its oversight and the impact of the 
waivers on school and student performance. Previously, the annual 
reporting requirement instructions and burden hours were included as 
part of the application. In order to standardize reporting, we have 
created an annual reporting template and are increasing the burden 
hours related to the annual reporting based on feedback from the field. 
However, overall, there is a decrease in burden due to a change in the 
estimated number of responses based on past experience with the 
program.

    Dated: October 25, 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. 2023-23871 Filed 10-27-23; 8:45 am]
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