[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 146 (Wednesday, July 29, 2020)] [Notices] [Pages 45612-45613] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2020-16444] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [Docket No.: ED-2020-SCC-0123] Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Education Stabilization Fund--Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER) Recipient Data Collection Form AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), Department of Education (ED). ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is proposing a new information collection. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before September 28, 2020. 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-2020-SCC-0123. 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, ED 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 by fax or email and those 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 Director of the Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and Strategy Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, LBJ, Room 6W208D, Washington, DC 20202-8240. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Gabriella Tanner, 202-453-6129, or email [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Education (ED), 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. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. 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 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: Education Stabilization Fund--Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER) Recipient Data Collection Form. OMB Control Number: 1810-NEW. Type of Review: A new information collection. Respondents/Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Organizations; Private Sector. Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 3,326. Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 10,258. Abstract: This information collection supports the annual collection of data pertaining to the uses of funds under the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER Fund). The Department awards GEER grants to Governors (states) and analogous grants to Outlying Areas for the purpose of providing local educational agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education (IHEs), and other education related entities with emergency assistance as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The Department has awarded these grants--to States (governor's offices) based on a formula stipulated in the legislation. (1) [[Page 45613]] 60% on the basis of the State's relative population of individuals aged 5 through 24. (2) 40% on the basis of the State's relative number of children counted under section 1124(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The grants are awarded to Outlying Areas based on the same formula. The information will be reviewed by Department employees to ensure that GEER funds are used in accordance with Sec. 18002(c) of the CARES Act, and will be shared with the public to promote transparency regarding the allocation and uses of funds. GEER Reporting Requirements: Data collected through this information collection will inform Department monitoring and oversight, and public reporting and is in addition to reporting already required under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA), Public Law 109--282, as amended by the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act), Public Law 113--101. GEER Reporting Timeframe: The anticipated reporting periods and associated deadlines for this information collection are as follows: The First Annual Report is due on January 29, 2021 and applies to the reporting period from March 13, 2020 through September 30, 2020. The Second Annual Report is due on January 31, 2022 and applies to the reporting period from October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021. The Third Annual Report is due on March 1, 2023 and applies to the reporting period from October 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022. Directed Questions: The Department requests input from data submitters and stakeholders on the following directed questions. Please note that in addition to these questions, public comments are encouraged on all of the changes proposed. While these questions are directed to State data submitters, comments from all stakeholders on these topics are welcome. (1) What data in this form will be difficult to collect or report and why? Are there changes that could be made to improve the quality of the data or reduce the burden? (2) The Department is interested in reducing the burden of data collection and making use of existing data when at all possible. For example, are the proposed data on LEAs and IHEs available in State data systems? If data are not available in the State data system, is it feasible for States to collect these data from LEAs and IHEs that received GEER funding? (3) Will the proposed method for collecting the number of FTE positions created or retained as a result of GEER funds awarded to the State yield accurate data? Is there an alternative methodology that would improve the accuracy of the data? (4) What changes should be made to the form to accommodate data collection from the Outlying Areas of the United States, specifically: The U.S. Virgin Islands (VI), Guam (GU), the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and American Samoa (AS)? Dated: July 24, 2020. Kate 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. 2020-16444 Filed 7-28-20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P