Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Upward Bound (UB) Upward Bound Math Science (UBMS) Annual Performance Report

AGENCY:

Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is proposing an extension without change of a currently approved collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before December 8, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for proposed information collection requests should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. 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 Kathy Morgan, 202-453-7589.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Department, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department's information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described below. The Department is especially interested in public comments 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 record.

Title of Collection: Upward Bound (UB) Upward Bound Math Science (UBMS) Annual Performance Report.

OMB Control Number: 1840-0831.

Type of Review: An extension without change of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments; Private Sector.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 1,178.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 20,026.

Abstract: The purpose of the Upward Bound (UB) and Upward Bound Math Science (UBMS) Program is to generate in the program's participants the skills and motivation necessary to complete a program of secondary education and to enter and succeed in a program of postsecondary education.

Authority for this program is contained in Title IV, Part A, Subpart 2, Chapter 1, Section 402C of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, public or private agencies, or organizations, including community-based organizations with experience in serving disadvantaged youth, secondary schools, and combinations of institutions, agencies, organizations and secondary schools.

The UB and UBMS Program's participants must be potential first-generation college students, low-income individuals, or individuals who have high risk of academic failure and have a need for academic support in order to pursue successfully a program of education beyond high school. Required services of the UB-UBMS Program include: (1) academic tutoring; (2) advice and assistance in secondary and postsecondary course selection; (3) preparation for college entrance exams and completing college admission applications; (4) information on federal student financial aid programs including (a) Federal Pell grant awards, (b) loan forgiveness, and (c) scholarships; (5) assistance completing financial aid applications; (6) guidance and assistance in: (a) secondary school reentry, (b) alternative programs for secondary school drop outs that lead to the receipt of a regular secondary school diploma, (c) entry into general educational development (GED) programs or (d) entry into postsecondary education; and (7) education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of students or the students' parents, including financial planning for postsecondary education. (8) Also, projects funded for at least two years under the program must provide instruction in mathematics through pre-calculus; laboratory science; foreign language; composition; and literature.