Att_Supporting Statement for Teacher Shortage- Final

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

Targeted Teacher Shortage Areas

1. JUSTIFICATION

1. This request is for approval of record-keeping and reporting requirements that are contained in the FFELP regulations which address the targeted teacher deferment provision of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended by the Higher Education Amendment of 1986, sections 427(a)(2)(C)(vi), 428 (b)(1)(M)(vi), and 428 (b)(4)(A), which provide for the targeted teacher deferment.

The FFELP, Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program, and Federal Perkins Loan Program regulations contain information collection requirements. The Chief State School Officers of each state provide the Secretary annually with a list of proposed teacher shortage areas for that state. Individual borrowers/scholars must provide a certification from the school principal to support their request for deferment/reduction in teaching obligation. A borrower under the Federal Perkins Loan program must also provide certification from the school principal to support their request for cancellation for full-time teaching in fields of expertise of up to 100% of their debt under the Federal Perkins Loan Program.

In 34 CFR 682.210(q), concerning the targeted teacher deferment, a borrower seeking loan deferment is required to provide the lender with certification that the position being held is a full-time teaching position in a designated teacher shortage area. In addition, the Chief State School Officer must provide the Secretary annually with a list of proposed teacher shortage areas for that state.

In 34 CFR 674.53(c), concerning loan cancellation, a borrower seeking loan cancellation is also required to provide the lender with certification that the position being held is a full-time teaching position in a designated teacher shortage area.

2. The information collected is necessary for a state to support its annual request for designation of teacher shortage areas within the state. The collection of certification documentation by the borrower/scholar is necessary to support his/her request for a deferment/reduction in teaching obligation or cancellation of their loan debt.

3. State education agencies are encouraged to use computer technology when feasible and cost effective.

4. A single designated agency in each state is responsible for providing the targeted teacher deferment/teacher shortage area proposal. There is no duplication of records that the state agencies must maintain.

State education agencies use of electronic media for the retention of records for scholars under the Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program is approved under the provisions of EDGAR, section 80.42.

5. The information collection has no significant impact on small businesses or the small entities. State education agencies and ministries of Education were the only grant recipients of the Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program.

6. Loan borrowers and Douglas scholars will not be able to receive either the loan deferments, a reduction in teaching obligation, or cancellation of their loan debt if the teacher shortage area information is not collected from the state and designated by the Department.

7. There are no special circumstances.

8. We will publish the required 60 and 30 day Federal Register Notices inviting public comment.

9. Non-applicable.

10. The information is not of a personal and confidential nature, and no assurance of confidentially is provided. The purpose of the collection is to designate teacher shortage areas and to distribute that information to loan administrative officials in the State Education Agencies.

11. There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

12. There are a total of 57 respondents to this annual information collection. As indicated above, the burden estimate for this information collection is 80.0 hours per respondent. Therefore the total annual burden is calculated as follows:

80.0 hours x 57 respondents = 4,560

The hourly estimate includes identifying and collecting the relevant information, formatting and preparing the report response, securing appropriate signatures, and maintaining records.

The total annual cost burden to respondents is calculated as follows:

Professional Staff (80.0 hours@$15.00/hr)-------------- $1,200.00

Support Staff ($10.00/hr x 4.0 hours) $40.00

Estimated annual total cost for computer usage--------- $50.00

$1,290.00

13. No additional costs to the states are involved.

14. The annual cost to the Federal Government for the State Teacher Shortage Area (TSA) proposals is estimated to be $14,300.00. This cost includes staff time in (1) preparing, printing, and mailing the solicitation for proposals; (2) reviewing the submission by the States; (3) recording and analyzing the information and methods used to determine the TSA. This step is necessary to ensure state compliance with the program statute and regulations; and (4) preparation and posting of the updated nationwide listing of TSA on the Office of Postsecondary Education web pages.

The annual costs to the Federal government are calculated as follows:

Professional Staff (300 hrs x $40.00)----------------------- $12,000.00

Support Staff (100 hrs x $12.00/hr)------------------------ $ 1,200.00

Computer time, Miscellaneous (Printing of document

& mailing) $ 500.00

World Wide Web preparation and posting----------------- $ 600.00

(One Professional Staff x 20 hrs x $30.00/hr)

Total estimated cost to the Federal Government----------- $14,300.00

15. There are no changes.

16. Results are not intended for statistical use.

Letters to the Chief State School Officer designating federal teacher shortage areas are insured, with copies distributed to several state contacts. Thereafter, a nationwide list of teacher shortage areas is published by the Department and distributed to TSA contacts in each state, state Douglas program officers, and CEOs of the state guarantee agencies as well as posted on the Department of Education website.

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

18. There are none.

2. COLLECTION OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

This collection of information does not employ statistical methods.

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