Department of Education 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Secretary amends the regulations in the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) to: improve the Department's ability to evaluate the performance of discretionary grant programs and grantee projects; support, where appropriate, projects supported by evidence of effectiveness; review grant applications using selection factors that promote the Secretary's policy objectives related to project evaluation, sustainability, productivity, and strategy to scale; and reduce burden on grantees in selecting implementation sites, implementation partners, or evaluation service providers for their proposed projects. These amendments will allow the Department to be more effective and efficient when selecting grantees in discretionary grant competitions, provide higher-quality data to the Congress and the public, and better focus applicants on the goals and objectives of the programs to which they apply for grants.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing a new Generic information collection to an existing information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing a revision of an existing information collection.

The Secretary amends the Student Assistance General Provisions regulations governing participation in the student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (Title IV, HEA programs). The amended regulations implement the Office of Hearings & Appeals (OHA) Electronic Filing System, which provides a Web-based interface for the submission of documents in administrative litigation involving enforcement and compliance with requirements of Title IV, HEA programs. The OHA Electronic Filing System (OES) permits documents to be submitted electronically in an Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) directly to OHA through standard Web-based screens and prompts.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing an extension of an existing information collection.

The Secretary announces priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria under the Race to the TopDistrict program. The Secretary may use one or more of these priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2013 and later years. The Race to the TopDistrict program builds on the experience of States and districts in implementing reforms in the four core educational assurance areas through Race to the Top and other key programs and supports applicants that demonstrate how they can personalize education for all students in their schools. The U.S. Department of Education (Department) conducted one competition under the Race to the TopDistrict program in FY 2012, and we are maintaining the overall purpose and structure of the FY 2012 Race to the TopDistrict competition. These priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria are almost identical to the ones we used in the FY 2012 competition.

The Secretary proposes to waive the requirements in our regulations of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations that, respectively, generally prohibit project periods exceeding five years and project period extensions involving the obligation of additional Federal funds. The proposed waiver and extension of the project period would enable the currently funded Technical Assistance Coordination Center to receive funding from October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014.

On July 24, 2013, the U.S. Department of Education published a 60-day comment period notice in the Federal Register (Page 44553, Column 3) seeking public comment for an information collection entitled, ``Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS- K: 2011) Spring Third-Grade National Collection, Fourth- Grade Recruitment, and Fifth-Grade Tracking''. The OMB number identified in the notice was incorrect. The correct OMB number is 1850- 0750. The Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Privacy, Information and Records Management Services, Office of Management, hereby issues a correction notice as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing an extension of an existing information collection.

The Secretary proposes to amend the Student Assistance General Provisions, Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins Loan) Program, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program regulations. The proposed regulations would: amend the FFEL and Direct Loan program regulations to reflect changes made to the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), by the SAFRA Act included in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010; incorporate other recent statutory changes in the Direct Loan Program regulations; update, strengthen, and clarify various areas of the Student Assistance General Provisions, Perkins Loan, FFEL, and Direct Loan program regulations; and provide for greater consistency in the regulations governing the title IV, HEA student loan programs. These proposed regulations would ensure that the title IV, HEA Federal student aid programs operate as efficiently as possible.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing a new information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing an extension of an existing information collection.

The Department of Defense (DoD) is publishing this semiannual agenda of regulatory documents, including those that are procurement- related, for public information and comments under Executive Order 12866 ``Regulatory Planning and Review.'' This agenda incorporates the objective and criteria, when applicable, of the regulatory reform program under the executive order and other regulatory guidance. It contains DoD issuances initiated by DoD components that may have economic and environmental impact on State, local, or tribal interests under the criteria of Executive Order 12866. Although most DoD issuances listed in the agenda are of negligible public impact, their nature may be of public interest and, therefore, are published to provide notice of rulemaking and an opportunity for public participation in the internal DoD rulemaking process. Members of the public may submit comments on individual proposed and interim final rulemakings at www.regulations.gov during the comment period that follows publication in the Federal Register. This agenda updates the report published on January 8, 2013, and includes regulations expected to be issued and under review over the next 12 months. The next agenda is scheduled to be published in the fall of 2013. In addition to this agenda, DoD components also publish rulemaking notices pertaining to their specific statutory administration requirements as required. Starting with the fall 2007 edition, the Internet became the basic means for disseminating the Unified Agenda. The complete Unified Agenda will be available online at www.reginfo.gov, in a format that offers users the ability to obtain information from the agenda database. Because publication in the Federal Register is mandated for the regulatory flexibility agendas required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 602), the Department of Defense's printed agenda entries include only: (1) Rules that are in the Agency's regulatory flexibility agenda, in accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act, because they are likely to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities; and (2) Any rules that the Agency has identified for periodic review under section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Printing of these entries is limited to fields that contain information required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act's agenda requirements. Additional information on these entries is in the Unified Agenda available online.

The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services announces a priority for the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program administered by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). Specifically, we announce a priority for a Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Community Living Policy. The Assistant Secretary may use this priority for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2013 and later years. We take this action to focus research attention on areas of national need. We intend this priority to improve outcomes among individuals with disabilities.

The Secretary waives the requirements that generally prohibit project periods exceeding five years and extensions of project periods involving the obligation of additional Federal funds. This extension and waiver enables the currently funded TACE Centers to receive funding through September 30, 2014.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing a new information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is proposing an extension of a previously approved information collection.

The Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education announces a priority and requirements under the Education Facilities Clearinghouse (EFC) program and may use one or more of the priority and requirements for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2013 and later years. Through this action, we intend to support the collection and dissemination of best practices for the planning, design, financing, procurement, construction, improvement, operation, and maintenance of safe, healthy, and high-performing elementary and secondary education facilities. Specifically, this priority and requirements will support the establishment of a clearinghouse to help stakeholders recognize the linkages between the school facility and three areas: Academic instruction, student and community well-being, and school fiscal health.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is: a new information collection.

The Secretary announces deadline dates for the receipt of documents and other information from applicants and institutions participating in certain Federal student aid programs authorized under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), for the 2013-2014 award year. The Federal student aid programs covered by this deadline date notice are the Federal Pell Grant, William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant, and Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant programs. These programs, administered by the U.S. Department of Education (Department), provide financial assistance to students attending eligible postsecondary educational institutions to help them pay their educational costs. Deadline and Submission Dates: See Tables A and B at the end of this notice.

The Department seeks input from tribal officials, tribal governments, tribal organizations, and affected tribal members on the Department's interpretation of the term ``reservation'' in section 121(c) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Department is also exploring additional measures of consultation, including regional face-to-face meetings to be held in August and September of 2013.

The Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education proposes to change the maximum duration of grants awarded to State educational agencies (SEAs) under the Migrant Education Program (MEP) Consortium Incentive Grant (CIG) Program from two years to three years. We take this action to allow participating SEAs to have an additional year to conduct needed activities, evaluate their projects, and provide a final report addressing their success in completing project activities and achieving the objectives and outcomes that were established in their approved CIG program application.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing an extension of an existing information collection.