Department of Education January 25, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (Privacy Act), 5 U.S.C. 552a, the Department of Education (Department) publishes this notice of a new system of records entitled ``Indian EducationIndividual Reporting on Regulatory Compliance Related to the Indian Education Professional Development Program's Service Obligation and the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA)'' (18-14- 05). The Indian Education Professional Development program, authorized under title VII, part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), is designed to increase the number of, provide training to, and improve the skills of American Indian or Alaska Natives serving as teachers and school administrators in schools serving American Indian or Alaska Native students. Section 7122(h) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7442(h)) requires that individuals who receive financial assistance through the Indian Education Professional Development program subsequently complete a service obligation equivalent to the amount of time for which the participant received financial assistance. Participants who do not satisfy the requirements of the regulations must repay all or a pro- rated part of the cost of assistance, in accordance with 20 U.S.C. 7442(h) and 34 CFR 263.8(a)(3). The regulations in part 263 implement requirements governing, among other things, the service obligation and reporting requirements of the participants in the Indian Education Professional Development program, and repayment of financial assistance by these participants. In order for the Federal Government to ensure that the goals of the program are achieved, certain data collection, recordkeeping, and documentation are necessary. In addition, GPRA requires Federal agencies to establish performance measures for all programs, and the Department has established performance measures for the Indian Education Professional Development program. Data collection from participants who have received financial assistance under the Indian Education Professional Development program is a necessary element of the Department's effort to evaluate progress on these measures. The Department tracks participants who are receiving or have previously received support through the Indian Education Professional Development program. Participants must sign a payback agreement that includes contact information. Additionally, the Department receives information about participants from institutions of higher education (IHEs) and other eligible grantees when participants are no longer receiving assistance through the Indian Education Professional Development program. When the performance period is complete, the participant data are collected from the grantee and also from the participants. Records in the system pursuant to this notice may include the name, social security number, date of birth, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, and alternate contact information for each participant in the grant, as well as the name and contact information of a person through whom the participant can be contacted, the number of semesters or months for which the participant needs to provide service in order to satisfy the service payback obligation, the total amount of financial assistance the participant received, the time period during which the participant must satisfy the service payback obligation, eligible employment to fulfill the service payback obligation, contact information for employers, and grant identification numbers. In addition, participants may request an educational deferment, which requires verification of acceptance in a university/ college program, enrollment as a full-time student, registration each semester, timely submission of semester transcripts, and documentation of the participant as a student in good standing. Participants also provide information about specific areas of training, certifications or licensures obtained, reasons for leaving the program before completion, gender, ethnic origin, and education history. Participants are responsible for obtaining letters signed by the participant's supervisor that verify the employment information provided by the participant. These letters must be submitted to the Department every six months until service payback is completed.