Extension of Approval Period for Certain Tests Used in the National Reporting System for Adult Education, 5430-5431 [2013-01574]
Download as PDF
5430
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 17 / Friday, January 25, 2013 / Notices
from the Department (34 CFR 100.4,
104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lana Shaughnessy, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
room 3E231, Washington, DC 20202–
6335. Telephone: (202) 205–2528 or by
email: Lana.Shaughnessy@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD or TTY, call the FRS,
toll free, at 1–800–877–8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document
and a copy of the application package in
an accessible format (e.g., Braille, large
print, audiotape, or compact disc) on
request to the program contact person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT in section VII in this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document:
The official version of this document is
the document published in the Federal
Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register
and the Code of Federal Regulations is
available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you
can view this document, as well as all
other documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
text or Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF). To use PDF you must
have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the
Department published in the Federal
Register by using the article search
feature at: www.federalregister.gov.
Specifically, through the advanced
search feature at this site, you can limit
your search to documents published by
the Department.
Dated: January 18, 2013.
Deborah Delisle,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and
Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2013–01424 Filed 1–24–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Extension of Approval Period for
Certain Tests Used in the National
Reporting System for Adult Education
Office of Vocational and Adult
Education, Department of Education.
ACTION: Extension of approval period.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with
AGENCY:
The Secretary announces an
extension of the approval period for
tests that were determined to be suitable
for use in the National Reporting System
for a period of three years, which would
otherwise expire on February 2, 2013.
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:39 Jan 24, 2013
Jkt 229001
The approval period for these tests is
extended to September 30, 2013. This
extension of the approval period will
allow for the completion of the current
National Reporting System assessment
review cycle.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John
LeMaster, Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue SW., Room 11159,
PCP, Washington, DC 20202–7240.
Telephone: (202) 245–6218 or by email:
John.LeMaster@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay
Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877–
8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On January 14, 2008, the Department
published in the Federal Register final
regulations for 34 CFR part 462,
Measuring Educational Gain in the
National Reporting System for Adult
Education (NRS regulations) (73 FR
2306). The NRS regulations established
the process that the Secretary uses to
determine the suitability of tests for use
in the NRS. We annually publish in the
Federal Register, and post on the
Internet at www.nrsweb.org, a list of the
names of tests and the educational
functioning levels the tests are suitable
to measure in the NRS as required by 34
CFR 462.12(c)(2).
On April 16, 2008, we published in
the Federal Register a notice providing
test publishers an opportunity to submit
tests for review under the NRS
regulations (73 FR 20616) (April 2008
notice). On February 2, 2010, after
completing a review of tests submitted
in response to the April 2008 notice, we
published in the Federal Register a
notice (February 2010 notice) listing the
tests and test forms that the Secretary
determined to be suitable for use in the
NRS (75 FR 5303). The Secretary
determined tests and test forms to be
suitable for a period of either seven or
three years from the date of the February
2010 notice. A seven-year approval
required no additional action on the
part of the publisher, unless the
information that the publisher
submitted as a basis for the Secretary’s
review was inaccurate or unless the test
was substantially revised. A three-year
approval required a set of conditions to
be met in order to gain a longer approval
period. If the conditions were met, the
Secretary would approve a period of
time for which the test may continue to
be used in the NRS. The three-year
approvals expire on February 2, 2013.
On September 12, 2011, we published
in the Federal Register (76 FR 56188) a
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
notice (September 2011 notice) to
update the list published on February 2,
2010 (75 FR 5303) and clarify and
include suitable test delivery formats.
On August 6, 2012, we published in the
Federal Register (77 FR 46749) a notice
(August 2012 notice) announcing the
same list of test forms and computer
delivery formats that continued to be
suitable for use in the NRS, but also
announcing a period during which
States may sunset an expiring test and
transition to other tests suitable for use
in the NRS. Specifically, under the
sunset provision, States may continue to
use tests with three-year NRS approvals
expiring on February 2, 2013, during a
transition period ending on June 30,
2014. States may use the transition
period to select new tests determined to
be suitable by the Department, purchase
appropriate inventories of assessment
materials, and provide training to staff.
Finally, on September 6, 2012, we
announced in the Federal Register (77
FR 54904) the next NRS review cycle,
inviting publishers to submit tests by
October 1, 2012 so that the Department
may determine their suitability for use
in the NRS. The Department is currently
conducting the assessment reviews.
Extension of Approval Period for
Expiring Tests
As stated, the Department previously
determined that certain tests were
suitable for use in the NRS for a period
of three years, beginning on February 2,
2010 and expiring on February 2, 2013.
The expiration of the three-year
approvals will occur during the
Department’s current NRS assessment
reviews. To allow for the completion of
the current NRS assessment review
cycle, the Secretary is extending the
approval period for these tests to
September 30, 2013. Thus, all tests
determined to be suitable for use in the
NRS through February 2, 2013 may
continue to be used in the NRS through
September 30, 2013. This extension
does not affect the sunset period for
expiring tests provided in the August
2012 notice; the sunset period is
available until it ends on June 30, 2014.
(Authority: 34 CFR 462.14)
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document in
an accessible format (e.g., braille, large
print, audiotape, or compact disc) on
request to the contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT in this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document:
The official version of this document is
the document published in the Federal
Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register
and the Code of Federal Regulations is
E:\FR\FM\25JAN1.SGM
25JAN1
5431
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 17 / Friday, January 25, 2013 / Notices
available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you
can view this document, as well as all
other documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
text or Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF). To use PDF you must
have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the
Department published in the Federal
Register by using the article search
feature at: www.federalregister.gov.
Specifically, through the advanced
search feature at this site, you can limit
your search to documents published by
the Department.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 9212.
Dated: January 22, 2013.
Johan Uvin,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and
Strategic Initiatives.
[FR Doc. 2013–01574 Filed 1–24–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Annual Notice of Interest Rates of
Federal Student Loans Made Under the
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan
Program
Federal Student Aid,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.268.
This notice is effective January
25, 2013.
SUMMARY: In accordance with by section
455(b)(9) of the Higher Education Act of
1965, as amended, the Chief Operating
Officer for Federal Student Aid
announces the interest rates for the
period July 1, 2012, through June 30,
2013, for loans made under the William
D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct
Loan) Program. The Chief Operating
Officer takes this action to give notice of
Direct Loan interest rates to the public.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ian
Foss, U.S. Department of Education, 830
First Street NE., room 114I1,
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone:
(202) 377–3681 or by email:
ian.foss@ed.gov.
DATES:
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay
Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877–
8339.
Individuals with disabilities can
obtain this document in an accessible
format (e.g., braille, large print,
audiotape, or compact disc) on request
to the contact person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
455(b) of the Higher Education Act of
1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C.
1087e(b)), provides formulas for
determining the interest rates charged to
borrowers for loans made under the
Direct Loan Program including: Federal
Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans (Direct
Subsidized Loans); Federal Direct
Unsubsidized Stafford Loans (Direct
Unsubsidized Loans); Federal Direct
PLUS Loans (Direct PLUS Loans); and
Federal Direct Consolidation Loans
(Direct Consolidation Loans).
The Direct Loan Program includes
loans with variable interest rates and
loans with fixed interest rates. Most
loans made under the Direct Loan
Program before July 1, 2006, have
variable interest rates that change each
year. In most cases, the variable interest
rate formula that applies to a particular
loan depends on the date of the first
disbursement of the loan. The variable
rates are determined annually and are
effective for each 12-month period
beginning July 1 of one year and ending
June 30 of the following year.
Under section 455(b) of the HEA,
Direct Loans first disbursed on or after
July 1, 2006, have a fixed interest rate.
In the case of some Direct
Consolidation Loans, the interest rate is
determined by the date on which the
Direct Consolidation Loan application
was received. Direct Consolidation
Loans for which the application was
received on or after February 1, 1999,
have a fixed interest rate. This fixed rate
is based on the weighted average of the
loans that are consolidated, rounded up
to the nearest higher 1⁄8 of one percent
up to a maximum rate of 8.25 percent.
Under section 455(b) of the HEA, the
Direct Loan variable interest rates are
based on formulas that use the bond
equivalent rates of the 91-day Treasury
bills auctioned at the final auction held
before June 1 of each year, plus a
statutory add-on percentage. These
formulas apply to all Direct Subsidized
Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans;
Direct Consolidation Loans for which
the application was received on or after
July 1, 1998, and before February 1,
1999; and Direct PLUS Loans disbursed
on or after July 1, 1998. In each case, the
calculated rate is capped by a maximum
interest rate. The bond equivalent rate of
the 91-day Treasury bills auctioned on
May 29, 2012, which is used to calculate
the interest rates on these loans, is 0.086
percent, which is rounded to 0.09
percent.
In addition, under section 455(b)(4) of
the HEA, the interest rate for Direct
PLUS Loans that were first disbursed on
or after July 1, 1994, and before July 1,
1998, is based on the weekly average of
the one-year constant maturity Treasury
yield, as published by the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve
System on the last day of the calendar
week ending on or before June 26 of
each year, plus a statutory add-on
percentage. The calculated rate is
capped by a maximum interest rate. The
weekly average of the one-year constant
maturity Treasury yield published on
June 22, 2012, which is used to
calculate the interest rate on these loans,
is 0.19 percent.
This notice includes five charts
containing specific information on the
calculation of the interest rates for loans
made under the Direct Loan Program.
Chart 1 contains information on the
interest rates for variable-rate Direct
Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized
Loans.
Chart 2 contains information on the
interest rates for variable-rate Direct
PLUS Loans.
Chart 3 contains information on the
interest rates for variable-rate Direct
Subsidized Consolidation Loans and
Direct Unsubsidized Consolidation
Loans.
Chart 4 contains information on the
interest rates for variable-rate Direct
PLUS Consolidation Loans.
Chart 5 contains information on the
interest rates for fixed-rate Direct
Subsidized, Direct Unsubsidized, and
Direct PLUS Loans.
CHART 1—VARIABLE-RATE DIRECT SUBSIDIZED AND DIRECT UNSUBSIDIZED LOANS
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with
Cohort
First disbursed on or
after
Index rate
First disbursed
before
7/1/1994 .......................
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:39 Jan 24, 2013
Max. rate
(percent)
7/1/1995
Jkt 229001
8.25
PO 00000
Frm 00025
Margin
In-school,
grace,
deferment
(percent)
91-Day
T-Bill rate
(percent)
0.09
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Total rate
All other
periods
(percent)
3.10
E:\FR\FM\25JAN1.SGM
3.10
25JAN1
In-school,
grace,
deferment
(percent)
3.19
All other
periods
(percent)
3.19
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 17 (Friday, January 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5430-5431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01574]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Extension of Approval Period for Certain Tests Used in the
National Reporting System for Adult Education
AGENCY: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Extension of approval period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Secretary announces an extension of the approval period
for tests that were determined to be suitable for use in the National
Reporting System for a period of three years, which would otherwise
expire on February 2, 2013. The approval period for these tests is
extended to September 30, 2013. This extension of the approval period
will allow for the completion of the current National Reporting System
assessment review cycle.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John LeMaster, Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 11159, PCP, Washington, DC
20202-7240. Telephone: (202) 245-6218 or by email:
John.LeMaster@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On January 14, 2008, the Department published in the Federal
Register final regulations for 34 CFR part 462, Measuring Educational
Gain in the National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS
regulations) (73 FR 2306). The NRS regulations established the process
that the Secretary uses to determine the suitability of tests for use
in the NRS. We annually publish in the Federal Register, and post on
the Internet at www.nrsweb.org, a list of the names of tests and the
educational functioning levels the tests are suitable to measure in the
NRS as required by 34 CFR 462.12(c)(2).
On April 16, 2008, we published in the Federal Register a notice
providing test publishers an opportunity to submit tests for review
under the NRS regulations (73 FR 20616) (April 2008 notice). On
February 2, 2010, after completing a review of tests submitted in
response to the April 2008 notice, we published in the Federal Register
a notice (February 2010 notice) listing the tests and test forms that
the Secretary determined to be suitable for use in the NRS (75 FR
5303). The Secretary determined tests and test forms to be suitable for
a period of either seven or three years from the date of the February
2010 notice. A seven-year approval required no additional action on the
part of the publisher, unless the information that the publisher
submitted as a basis for the Secretary's review was inaccurate or
unless the test was substantially revised. A three-year approval
required a set of conditions to be met in order to gain a longer
approval period. If the conditions were met, the Secretary would
approve a period of time for which the test may continue to be used in
the NRS. The three-year approvals expire on February 2, 2013.
On September 12, 2011, we published in the Federal Register (76 FR
56188) a notice (September 2011 notice) to update the list published on
February 2, 2010 (75 FR 5303) and clarify and include suitable test
delivery formats. On August 6, 2012, we published in the Federal
Register (77 FR 46749) a notice (August 2012 notice) announcing the
same list of test forms and computer delivery formats that continued to
be suitable for use in the NRS, but also announcing a period during
which States may sunset an expiring test and transition to other tests
suitable for use in the NRS. Specifically, under the sunset provision,
States may continue to use tests with three-year NRS approvals expiring
on February 2, 2013, during a transition period ending on June 30,
2014. States may use the transition period to select new tests
determined to be suitable by the Department, purchase appropriate
inventories of assessment materials, and provide training to staff.
Finally, on September 6, 2012, we announced in the Federal Register (77
FR 54904) the next NRS review cycle, inviting publishers to submit
tests by October 1, 2012 so that the Department may determine their
suitability for use in the NRS. The Department is currently conducting
the assessment reviews.
Extension of Approval Period for Expiring Tests
As stated, the Department previously determined that certain tests
were suitable for use in the NRS for a period of three years, beginning
on February 2, 2010 and expiring on February 2, 2013. The expiration of
the three-year approvals will occur during the Department's current NRS
assessment reviews. To allow for the completion of the current NRS
assessment review cycle, the Secretary is extending the approval period
for these tests to September 30, 2013. Thus, all tests determined to be
suitable for use in the NRS through February 2, 2013 may continue to be
used in the NRS through September 30, 2013. This extension does not
affect the sunset period for expiring tests provided in the August 2012
notice; the sunset period is available until it ends on June 30, 2014.
(Authority: 34 CFR 462.14)
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print,
audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations is
[[Page 5431]]
available via the Federal Digital System at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this
site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of this
Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable
Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader,
which is available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 9212.
Dated: January 22, 2013.
Johan Uvin,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Strategic Initiatives.
[FR Doc. 2013-01574 Filed 1-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P