Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Stronger Connections Grant Program Annual Performance Report
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Department is proposing a revision of a currently approved information collection request (ICR).
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), Department of Education (ED).
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Department is proposing a revision of a currently approved information collection request (ICR).
DATES:
Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before August 10, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
To access and review all the documents related to the information collection listed in this notice, please use
http://www.regulations.gov
by searching the Docket ID number ED-2026-SCC-2080. Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
http://www.regulations.gov
by selecting the Docket ID number or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. If the
regulations.gov
site is not available to the public for any reason, the Department will temporarily accept comments at
ICDocketMgr@ed.gov.
Please include the docket ID number and the title of the information collection request when requesting documents or submitting comments. Please note that comments submitted after the comment period will not be accepted. Written requests for information or comments submitted by postal mail or delivery should be addressed to the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, LBJ, Room 4B213, Washington, DC 20202.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact La' Shawndra Scroggins, 202-219-1617.
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. The Department is soliciting comments on the proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. 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:
Stronger Connections Grant Program Annual Performance Report.
OMB Control Number:
1810-0788.
Type of Review:
A revision of a currently approved ICR.
Respondents/Affected Public:
State, Local, and Tribal Governments.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses:
3,051.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours:
6,270.
Abstract:
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) provided $1 billion in funding to State educational agencies (SEAs), to be distributed under Title IV, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The BSCA specified that SEAs must make competitive subgrants to high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), as determined by the SEA, for activities that support safe and healthy students under section 4108 of the ESEA. The U.S. Department of Education designated BSCA section 4108 funds as the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) program.
This is a revised information-collection request for the SCG program's performance reporting requirement. Under the Education Department's General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR, Section 75.720), grantees must submit annual performance reports unless the Secretary allows less frequent reporting. Accordingly, this information collection request removes the annual reporting requirement and replaces it with a final report.
Additionally, this revised information collection request reduces the number of proposed data items to be collected from grantees in their final report. This change decreases reporting burden by 34,366 hours and ensures that SEA grantees provide only the critical information needed, including: (1) the identification of the LEAs awarded SCG funds, and (2) how the SEA and its LEAs used SCG funds. This proposed information collection request balances reducing burden on grantees while collecting the essential information included in Attachment A for non-unitary systems and Attachment B for unitary systems.
Ross Santy,
Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development.