supporting statement part a fiscal waivers_1810-new

Tracking and OMB Number: 1810-NEW

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

FOR PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. What is the purpose for this information collection? Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Include a citation that authorizes the collection of information. Specify the review type of the collection (new, revision, extension, reinstatement with change, reinstatement without change). If revised, briefly specify the changes. If a rulemaking is involved, list the sections with a brief description of the information collection requirement, and/or changes to sections, if applicable.

Due to the continued extraordinary circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedented obstacles students, educators, and schools are facing during the 2020-2021 school year, the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) is offering each State educational agency (SEA) the opportunity to request waivers that will afford additional fiscal flexibility for certain funds received under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), pursuant to the Department's authority under section 8401 of the ESEA. Specifically, the Department is offering a waiver for an SEA to be able to approve a local educational agency (LEA) to carry over more than 15 percent of its fiscal year (FY) 2020 Title I, Part A funds (i.e., the Title I, Part A funds that will become carryover funds on October 1, 2021), even if the LEA has received a waiver from its SEA to exceed this limitation for its FY 2018 or FY 2019 Title I, Part A funds. Second, we are offering flexibility to each SEA to be able to extend for itself and its subgrantees the period of availability of FY 2019 funds by one year for programs included in the State’s consolidated State plan to allow additional time to obligate those funds.

The purpose for this new collection is collect these waiver requests using a streamlined process from each State education agency (SEA) wishing to use the waiver template. No rulemaking is associated with this collection of information.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

The Department will use this information to review each SEA’s waiver request and determine which requirements will be waived for each SEA.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision of adopting this means of collection. Please identify systems or websites used to electronically collect this information. Also describe any consideration given to using technology to reduce burden. If there is an increase or decrease in burden related to using technology (e.g. using an electronic form, system or website from paper), please explain in number 12.

SEAs will be encouraged to submit information under this collection in electronic format via e-mail to [email protected]. The basis for this decision was to provide the least amount of burden on the SEAs.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above.

This is a unique collection. There are no other standardized means for SEAs to request waivers of these statutory requirements.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden. A small entity may be (1) a small business which is deemed to be one that is independently owned and operated and that is not dominant in its field of operation; (2) a small organization that is any not-for-profit enterprise that is independently owned and operated and is not dominant in its field; or (3) a small government jurisdiction, which is a government of a city, county, town, township, school district, or special district with a population of less than 50,000.

Small businesses are not impacted by this data collection. The Department is only requesting information from SEAs.

6. Describe the consequences to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

Without this information collection, SEAs would spend more time drafting a waiver request that meets the statutory requirements. In particular, this waiver template will make it clear to SEAs what information is necessary in order for the Department to determine that the SEA meets the requirements in ESEA section 8401(b) under these circumstances. SEAs and their subgrantees would have less time to respond to the unique circumstances they are facing and focus on making timely and responsible decisions about the obligation of all Federal funds. In addition, it is imperative that SEAs receive decisions on these waivers as quickly as possible to inform SEAs’ and their subgrantees’ financial decisions as the end of the fiscal year approaches. A streamlined and standardized template will allow the Department to make timely determiniations on each request.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:

• requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly;

• requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;

• requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document;

• requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;

• in connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results than can be generalized to the universe of study;

• requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;

• that includes a pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or that unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use; or

• requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secrets, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information’s confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.

There are no special circumstances that apply to this collection.

8. As applicable, state that the Department has published the 60 and 30 Federal Register notices as required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB.

Include a citation for the 60 day comment period (e.g. Vol. 84 FR ##### and the date of publication). Summarize public comments received in response to the 60 day notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden. If only non-substantive comments are provided, please provide a statement to that effect and that it did not relate or warrant any changes to this information collection request. In your comments, please also indicate the number of public comments received.

For the 30 day notice, indicate that a notice will be published.

Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instruction and record keeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

Consultation with representatives of those from whom information is to be obtained or those who must compile records should occur at least once every 3 years – even if the collection of information activity is the same as in prior periods. There may be circumstances that may preclude consultation in a specific situation. These circumstances should be explained.

The Department is requesting emergency clearance and OMB approval in order to collect waiver requests from SEAs as soon as possible to inform SEAs’ and their subgrantees’ financial decisions as the end of the fiscal year approaches. The Department recognizes it may not be possible to obligate these funds on a timely and responsible basis due to several factors. The extraordinary and unpredictable circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedented obstacles students, educators, and schools are facing during the 2020-2021 school year has delayed expenditures. Additionally, the welcome influx of additional Federal funds (e.g., ESSER I, ESSER II, and the American Rescue Plan (ARP)) to address unique needs created by COVID-19 have, in some cases, delayed the expenditures of funds from programs that are part of each State’s consolidated State plan because those additional Federal funds may be used generally for activities that are allowable under the programs in the State plan.

The Department will publish 60- and 30-day Federal Register notices as required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection.

8. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees with meaningful justification.

No payments or gifts are involved in this information collection.

8. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy. If personally identifiable information (PII) is being collected, a Privacy Act statement should be included on the instrument. Please provide a citation for the Systems of Record Notice and the date a Privacy Impact Assessment was completed as indicated on the IC Data Form. A confidentiality statement with a legal citation that authorizes the pledge of confidentiality should be provided.¹ If the collection is subject to the Privacy Act, the Privacy Act statement is deemed sufficient with respect to confidentiality. If there is no expectation of confidentiality, simply state that the Department makes no pledge about the confidentiality of the data. If no PII will be collected, state that no assurance of confidentiality is provided to respondents. If the Paperwork Burden Statement is not included physically on a form, you may include it here. Please ensure that your response per respondent matches the estimate provided in number 12.

There is no assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents with regard to required information. We do not request any Personally Identifiable Information.

8. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. The justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

This collection does not ask questions of a sensitive nature.

8. Provide estimates of the hour burden for this current information collection request. The statement should:

• Provide an explanation of how the burden was estimated, including identification of burden type: recordkeeping, reporting or third party disclosure. Address changes in burden due to the use of technology (if applicable). Generally, estimates should not include burden hours for customary and usual business practices.

• Please do not include increases in burden and respondents numerically in this table. Explain these changes in number 15.

• Indicate the number of respondents by affected public type (federal government, individuals or households, private sector – businesses or other for-profit, private sector – not-for-profit institutions, farms, state, local or tribal governments), frequency of response, annual hour burden. Unless directed to do so, agencies should not conduct special surveys to obtain information on which to base hour burden estimates. Consultation with a sample (fewer than 10) of potential respondents is desirable.

• If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form and aggregate the hour burden in the table below.

• Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents of the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories. Use this site to research the appropriate wage rate. The cost of contracting out or paying outside parties for information collection activities should not be included here. Instead, this cost should be included in Item 14. If there is no cost to respondents, indicate by entering 0 in the chart below and/or provide a statement.

Provide a descriptive narrative here in addition to completing the table below with burden hour estimates.

The burden estimate is based on the time SEA staff will take to read the letter and templates prepared by the Department and obviate then respond. The average respondent burden for receiving, reading, filling out and emailing the waiver template is estimated at 1 hour. This includes reading the instructions, collecting the information needed, attaching the form to the email and emailing it to the [email protected] mailbox. The estimated salary for SEA staff is $50 per hour. The total burden is estimated as follows:

53 SEA Staff x 1 hours per SEA = 53 hours per year

Total SEA Staff Hours = 53 hours

x $50 per hour

Total SEA Staff Cost = $2,650

The number respondents equals the number of SEAs that participate in Title I, Part A. The SEAs are those in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Bureau of Indian Education. The Department expects all 53 SEAs to request a waiver.

Estimated One-Time Burden and Respondent Costs Table

Information Activity or IC (with type of respondent)	Number of Respondents	Number of Responses	Average Burden Hours per Response	Total Annual Burden Hours	Estimated Respondent Average Hourly Wage	Total Annual Costs (hourly wage x total burden hours)
SEA Fiscal Waiver Request	53	53	1	53	$50	$2,650
Annualized Totals	53	53		53		$2,650

Please ensure the annual total burden, respondents and response match those entered in IC Data Parts 1 and 2, and the response per respondent matches the Paperwork Burden Statement that must be included on all forms.

8. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in Items 12 and 14.)

• The cost estimate should be split into two components: (a) a total capital and start-up cost component (annualized over its expected useful life); and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of services component. The estimates should take into account costs associated with generating, maintaining, and disclosing or providing the information. Include descriptions of methods used to estimate major cost factors including system and technology acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, the discount rate(s), and the time period over which costs will be incurred. Capital and start-up costs include, among other items, preparations for collecting information such as purchasing computers and software; monitoring, sampling, drilling and testing equipment; and acquiring and maintaining record storage facilities.

• If cost estimates are expected to vary widely, agencies should present ranges of cost burdens and explain the reasons for the variance. The cost of contracting out information collection services should be a part of this cost burden estimate. In developing cost burden estimates, agencies may consult with a sample of respondents (fewer than 10), utilize the 60-day pre-OMB submission public comment process and use existing economic or regulatory impact analysis associated with the rulemaking containing the information collection, as appropriate.

• Generally, estimates should not include purchases of equipment or services, or portions thereof, made: (1) prior to October 1, 1995, (2) to achieve regulatory compliance with requirements not associated with the information collection, (3) for reasons other than to provide information or keep records for the government or (4) as part of customary and usual business or private practices. Also, these estimates should not include the hourly costs (i.e., the monetization of the hours) captured above in Item 12.

Total Annualized Capital/Startup Cost :

Total Annual Costs (O&M) :____________________

Total Annualized Costs Requested :

This information collection does not require the use of capital, start-up, operation and maintenance, or purchase costs.

8. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information. Agencies also may aggregate cost estimates from Items 12, 13, and 14 in a single table.

Tasks for review:

• Review the submitted State requests for the waiver:

• 53 State requests @ 1 per .25 hours = 13.25 hours

• 5 staff @ $45/hour = $225/hour

• Total = $2,981.25

8. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments. Generally, adjustments in burden result from re-estimating burden and/or from economic phenomenon outside of an agency’s control (e.g., correcting a burden estimate or an organic increase in the size of the reporting universe). Program changes result from a deliberate action that materially changes a collection of information and generally are result of new statute or an agency action (e.g., changing a form, revising regulations, redefining the respondent universe, etc.). Burden changes should be disaggregated by type of change (i.e., adjustment, program change due to new statute, and/or program change due to agency discretion), type of collection (new, revision, extension, reinstatement with change, reinstatement without change) and include totals for changes in burden hours, responses and costs (if applicable).

Provide a descriptive narrative for the reasons of any change in addition to completing the table with the burden hour change(s) here.

This is a new information collection to collect waiver requests using a streamlined process from each State education agency (SEA) wishing to use the waiver templates. These are optional templates and the Department has made this change due to agency discretion in order to allow SEAs and their subgrantees more time to maintain their immediate focus on obligating Federal funds and supporting students’ social, emotional, and academic development.

	Program Change Due to New Statute	Program Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Agency Estimate
Total Burden		53 hours
Total Responses		53
Total Costs (if applicable)		$2,650

8. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

The results of the information collection will not be published. However, the Department will publicly announce waivers granted as a result of this information collection.

Section 8401(g) of the ESEA requires the Secretary to publish, in the Federal Register, and disseminate to interested parties, a notice of the Secretary's decision to grant a waiver under section 8401(a) of the ESEA. Moreover, we recognize the significant public interest in waivers related to COVID-19.

In addition to posting waivers granted on the Federal Register, the Department also intends to publicly post these on the oese.ed.gov website.

8. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

The expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection will be displayed.

8. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in the Certification of Paperwork Reduction Act.

We do not propose any exceptions to the certification statements identified in the Certification of Paperwork Reduction Act.

1 Requests for this information are in accordance with the following ED and OMB policies: Privacy Act of 1974, OMB Circular A-108 – Privacy Act Implementation – Guidelines and Responsibilities, OMB Circular A-130 Appendix I – Federal Agency Responsibilities for Maintaining Records About Individuals, OMB M-03-22 – OMB Guidance for Implementing the Privacy Provisions of the E-Government Act of 2002, OMB M-06-15 – Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information, OM:6-104 – Privacy Act of 1974 (Collection, Use and Protection of Personally Identifiable Information)

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