[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 198 (Friday, October 11, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 82597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23516]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2024-SCC-0068]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) 
Program Evaluation

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehavilitative Services 
(OSERS), 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 new information collection request (ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
November 12, 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 Diandrea Bailey, (202) 987-0126.

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: Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated 
Employment (SWTCIE) Program Evaluation.
    OMB Control Number: 1820-NEW.
    Type of Review: New ICR.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 4,866.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,224.
    Abstract: The U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation 
Services Administration (RSA) requests clearance for new data 
collection activities to support the evaluation of the Disability 
Innovation Fund (DIF) Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated 
Employment (SWTCIE) program. The aim of this project is to increase 
transitions to competitive integrated employment (CIE) among people 
working in subminimum wage employment (SWE)--or considering doing so--
through innovative activities to build systemwide alternatives to 
subminimum wage employment. Advocacy, policy and practice have evolved 
in recent decades toward a shift to CIE, as reflected in the Workforce 
Innovation and Opportunity Act and most recently in the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act of 2021, which provides funding for DIF. This 
request covers primary data collection activities, including survey 
data, administrative data, site visits, and focus groups.
    In September 2022, the RSA awarded five-year grants for the 84.421D 
DIF. The grants provide 14 state vocational rehabilitation (VR) 
agencies with funding to implement SWTCIE Innovative Model 
Demonstration projects to decrease SWE and increase CIE among people 
with disabilities currently employed in or contemplating SWE. To 
achieve this purpose, the projects will create innovative models for 
dissemination and replication to (1) identify strategies for addressing 
barriers associated with accessing CIE, (2) provide integrated services 
that support CIE, (3) support integration into the community through 
CIE, (4) identify and coordinate wraparound services for project 
participants who obtain CIE, (5) develop and disseminate evidence-based 
practices, and (6) provide entities holding section 14(c) certificates 
with readily accessible transformative business models for adoption. 
The intervention models vary across the SWTCIE projects, but all of 
them will work with employers that hold 14(c) certificates, other 
employers, service providers, and additional community partners to 
empower transition-age youth and working-age adults with disabilities 
to pursue CIE. In addition, each project will use part of its funds for 
an independent evaluator to conduct a project-specific evaluation of 
its activities and outcomes.
    This data collection for the RSA DIF is critical as the evaluation 
is intended to make information more actionable for practitioners and 
policymakers and ensure the DIF program outcomes are duplicatable for 
VR agencies and partners. The evaluation will (1) describe the 
implementation and costs of the federally-funded program and 
strategies; (2) improve the identification of DIF program models and 
strategies related to the state VR programs, intended to improve 
outcomes for individuals with disabilities in CIE, including but not 
limited to accommodations and services for individuals with 
disabilities, utilization of technology, and supports; (3) interconnect 
the projects to evaluate the effectiveness of particular strategies in 
the context of how commonly that strategy is used across the projects; 
(4) analyze trends in CIE outcomes and potential impacts of federal 
grants; and (5) examine the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of the 
program and strategies that support CIE and reduce SWE.

    Dated: October 7, 2024.
Juliana Pearson,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 2024-23516 Filed 10-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P