[Federal Register: May 2, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 85)]
[Notices]
[Page 24090-24091]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02my97-60]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Submission of Data by State Educational Agencies
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of dates of submission of state revenue and expenditure
reports for fiscal year 1996 and of revisions to those reports.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education announces dates for the submission
by state educational agencies (SEAs) of expenditure and revenue data
and average daily attendance statistics on ED-Form 2447 for fiscal year
(FY) 1996. The Secretary sets these dates to ensure that data are
available to serve as the basis for timely distribution of Federal
funds. The U.S. Bureau of the Census is the data collection agent for
the Department's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The
data will be published by NCES and will be used by the Secretary in the
calculation of allocations for FY 1998 appropriated funds.
DATES: The date on which submissions were first accepted was March 15,
1997. The mandatory deadline for the final submission of all data,
including any revisions to previously submitted data, is September 2,
1997.
ADDRESSES: SEAs may mail ED-Form 2447 (The National Public Education
Financial Survey--Fiscal Year 1996) to: Bureau of the Census,
Attention: Governments Division, Washington, DC 20233-6800.
Alternatively, SEAs may hand deliver submissions to: Governments
Division, Bureau of the Census, 8905 Presidential Parkway, Washington
Plaza II, Room 508, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, by 4 p.m. (Eastern Time).
If an SEA's submission is received by the Bureau of the Census
after September 2, in order for the submission to be accepted, the SEA
must show one of the following as proof that the submission was mailed
on or before the mandatory deadline date:
1. A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
2. A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service.
3. A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
4. Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary.
[[Page 24091]]
If the SEA mails ED Form 2447 through the U.S. Postal Service, the
Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
1. A private metered postmark.
2. A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, an SEA should check with
its local post office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Lawrence R. MacDonald, Chief,
Governments Division, at the Maryland address specified above or by
telephone: (301) 457-1574. Individuals who use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern
time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of section 404(a) of the
National Education Statistics Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C. 9003(a)), which
authorizes NCES to gather data on the financing of education, NCES
collects data annually from SEAs through ED Form 2447. The report from
SEAs includes attendance, revenue and expenditure data from which NCES
determines the average state per pupil expenditure (SPPE) for
elementary and secondary education.
In addition to using the SPPE data as useful information on the
financing of elementary and secondary education, the Secretary uses
these data directly in calculating allocations for certain formula
grant programs, including Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 as amended by the Improving America's Schools Act
of 1994 (Title I), Impact Aid, and Indian Education. Other programs
such as the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program under
Title VII of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, the
Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program, and the Safe and
Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program make use of SPPE data
indirectly because their formulas are based, in whole or in part, on
State Title I allocations.
In February 1997, the Bureau of the Census, acting as the data
collection agent for NCES, mailed to SEAs ED Form 2447 with
instructions and requested that SEAs submit data to the Bureau of the
Census on March 15, 1997, or as soon as possible thereafter. SEAs were
urged to submit accurate and complete data on March 15, or as soon as
possible thereafter, to facilitate timely processing. Submissions by
SEAs to the Bureau of the Census are checked for accuracy and returned
to each SEA for verification. All data, including any revisions, must
be submitted to the Bureau of the Census by an SEA not later than
September 2, 1997.
Having accurate information, on time, is critical to an efficient
and fair allocation process, as well as the NCES statistical process.
To ensure timely distribution of Federal education funds based on the
best, most accurate data available, NCES establishes, for allocation
purposes, September 2, 1997, as the final date by which ED Form 2447
must be submitted. However, if an SEA submits revised data after the
final deadline that results in a lower SPPE figure, its allocations may
be adjusted downward or the Department may request the SEA to return
funds. SEAs should be aware that all of these data are subject to audit
and that, if any inaccuracies are discovered in the audit process, the
Department may seek recovery of overpayments for the applicable
programs. If an SEA submits revised data after September 2, the data
may also be too late to be included in the final NCES published
dataset.
Authority: 20 U.S.C. 9003(a).
Dated: April 28, 1997.
Ramon C. Cortines,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 97-11416 Filed 5-1-97; 8:45 am]
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