Emergency Memo

United States Department of Education

January 7, 2021

MEMORANDUM

TO: Lindsay Abate

Office of Management and Budget Desk Officer

FROM: Christopher McCaghren

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Higher Education Programs

RE: Emergency request for Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) approval

Pursuant to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) procedures established at 5 CFR 1320, the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) requests that the following collection of information, CRRSAA, Recipient’s Funding Certification and Agreement (Proprietary Schools), be processed in accordance with section 1320.13 Emergency Processing. The Department has determined that this information must be collected prior to the expiration of time periods established under Part 1320, and that this information is essential to the Department’s ability to effectively implement the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) (P.L. 116-260) and address the economic disruption posed by the Novel (new) Coronavirus (“2019-nCoV”).

Section 314(a)(4) of the CRRSAA provides funding for proprietary institutions of higher education (IHEs), to be used to make financial aid grants directly to students, which may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care. The Department is requesting emergency clearance to allow for immediate outreach to eligible IHEs to meet the requirements of the CRRSAA.

If this emergency collection is not approved, these emergency financial aid grants to students would be delayed. The pressing financial need of students due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus would remain unmet, leaving students without the aid intended for such critical benefits as such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child-care expenses.

Given the short timeframe, the Department is unable to consult with the public prior to issuing the forms; however, the Department has ample experience designing other similar forms in a way that is clear and minimizes burden.

The Department requests approval of the submission by January 12, 2021. Given the inability to seek public comment during such a short timeframe for this emergency collection, the Department will also provide 60-day language as part of the notice in the Federal Register seeking public comment for the regular information collection.

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