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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 4 (Friday, January 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 775-776]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00055]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2023-SCC-0184]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Application for the Educational Flexibility (Ed-Flex) Program

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), Department 
of Education (ED).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
the Department is proposing a revision of a currently approved 
information collection request (ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
February 5, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for proposed 
information collection requests should be submitted within 30 days of 
publication of this notice. Click on this link www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain to access the site. Find this information collection request 
(ICR) by selecting ``Department of Education'' under ``Currently Under 
Review,'' then check the ``Only Show ICR for Public Comment'' checkbox. 
Reginfo.gov provides two links to view documents related to this 
information collection request. Information collection forms and 
instructions may be found by clicking on the ``View Information 
Collection (IC) List'' link. Supporting statements and other supporting 
documentation may be found by clicking on the ``View Supporting 
Statement and Other Documents'' link.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Even Skloot, 202-453-6515.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department 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: Application for the Educational Flexibility 
(Ed-Flex) Program.
    OMB Control Number: 1810-0737.
    Type of Review: A revision of a currently approved ICR.
    Respondents/Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 32.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 620.
    Abstract: This is a request for a revision to the Educational 
Flexibility program application to include the annual reporting 
template. The Educational Flexibility (Ed-Flex) program is authorized 
under the Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999 and was 
reauthorized by section 9207 of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). 
The Ed-Flex program allows the Secretary to authorize a State 
educational agency (SEA) that serves an eligible State to waive 
statutory or regulatory requirements applicable to one or more the 
included programs for any local educational agency (LEAs), educational 
service agency, or school within the State. Section 4(a)(3) of the 
Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999 requires each SEA 
desiring to participate in the education flexibility program to submit 
an application detailing that SEAs education flexibility plan. Section 
4(a)(5)(B) requires each SEA that is authorized to become an Ed-Flex 
Partnership State to submit an annual report on the results of its 
oversight and the impact of the waivers on school and student 
performance. Previously, the annual reporting requirement instructions 
and burden hours were included as part of the application. In order to 
standardize reporting, we have created an annual reporting template and 
are increasing the burden hours related to the annual reporting based 
on feedback from the field. However, overall, there is a decrease in 
burden due to a change in the estimated number of responses based on 
past experience with the program.

[[Page 776]]

    Dated: January 2, 2024.
Kun 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. 2024-00055 Filed 1-4-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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