The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009 provides 15 million dollars to ED to award to local educational agencies (LEAs) that had an increase in children and youth made homeless by Federally-declared major natural disasters in calendar year 2008 to partially compensate them for serving the educational and related needs of all homeless students in their district consistent with section 723 (d) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento Act). The information is collected in the form of a single electronic application submitted by LEAs. ED plans to award grants to applicants (LEAs and consortia of LEAs) based on verifiable counts of increases in homeless student enrollment in kindergarten through grade twelve directly tied to natural disasters in calendar year 2008.
The Homeless Education Disaster Assistance program (HEDA) was established in the "Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009," which the President signed into law on September 30, 2008 (Public Law 110-329) and which stipulates that ED should award HEDA funds to LEAs within 120 days. The Department is requesting emergency processing with a requested approval date of December 22, 2008. Using the regular clearance process would put ED well past the 120-day mark for awarding the HEDA funds that is specified in the Act, which would clearly go against Congress's intent. In sum, not approving this emergency request would cause harm to many LEAs and the homeless students they serve and would delay ED's ability to award the funds well passed 120 days. ED intends to publish the Federal Register application notice on or about January 5, 2009 with an application deadline on February 4, 2009.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.