[Federal Register: February 22, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 36)]
[Notices]               
[Page 8236]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22fe02-45]                         


[[Page 8236]]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 
Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests.

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SUMMARY: The Leader, Regulatory Information Management, Office of the 
Chief Information Officer, invites comments on the proposed information 
collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: An emergency review has been requested in accordance with the 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 3507 (j)), since public harm is reasonably 
likely to result if normal clearance procedures are followed. Approval 
by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been requested by 
February 22, 2002. A regular clearance process is also beginning. 
Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before April 
23, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the emergency review should be 
addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Karen Lee, Desk Officer: Department of Education, Office of 
Management and Budget; 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10235, New Executive 
Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or should be electronically 

mailed to the internet address Karen_F._Lee@omb.eop.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Director of OMB 
provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity 
to comment on information collection requests. The Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) may amend or waive the requirement for public 
consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval 
process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate 
State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency's 
ability to perform its statutory obligations. The Leader, Information 
Management Group, Office of the Chief Information Officer, publishes 
this notice containing proposed information collection requests at the 
beginning of the Departmental review of the information collection. 
Each proposed information collection, grouped by office, contains the 
following: (1) Type of review requested, e.g., new, revision, 
extension, existing or reinstatement; (2) Title; (3) Summary of the 
collection; (4) Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the 
information; (5) Respondents and frequency of collection; and (6) 
Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. ED invites public comment. The 
Department of Education 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 respondents, 
including through the use of information technology.

    Dated: February 19, 2002.
John D. Tressler,
Leader, Regulatory Information Management, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Early Reading First Applicant Eligibility.
    Abstract: The Early Reading First program will provide grants to 
eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) and public and private 
organizations located in those LEAs to transform early education 
programs into centers of excellence to help young at-risk children 
achieve the language, cognitive, and early reading skills they need to 
succeed when they enter kindergarten. This notice sets eligibility 

standards and thresholds for LEAs on poverty, achievement, and school 
improvement status for the FY 2002 grant competition, and requests that 
States provide LEA data on achievement and schools in school 
improvement for the Department to use in identifying eligible LEAs.
    Additional Information: The Department is seeking OMB approval on 
or before February 22, 2002, for an emergency paperwork collection for 
this information from the States for the Early Reading First program. 

This request is based upon the unanticipated delay in enactment of the 
No Child Left Behind Act, the Administration's interest in awarding 
Early Reading First grants as soon as possible, and the public harm 
that otherwise might occur with delaying grant awards past December, 
2002.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions.
    Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:
      Responses: 52.
      Burden Hours: 156.
    Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request 
should be addressed to Vivian Reese, Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4050, Regional Office Building 3, 
Washington, DC 20202-4651, vivian.reese@ed.gov, or should be 
electronically mailed to the internet address OCIO_RIMG@ed.gov, or 
should be faxed to 202-708-9346.
    Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity 
requirements, contact Kathy Axt at (540) 776-7742 or via her internet 
address Kathy.Axt@ed.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service (FIRS) at 
1-800-877-8339.

[FR Doc. 02-4376 Filed 2-21-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P