| Publication Date: March 2004 FRPart: |
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| RegPartsAffected: | |
Page Numbers: 11846-11847
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Posted on 03-12-2004
[Federal Register: March 12, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 49)]
[Notices]
[Page 11846-11847]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12mr04-44]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
AGENCY: Department of Education.
SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education requests comments on the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that the Secretary proposes
to use for the 2005-2006 award year. The FAFSA is completed by students
and their families and the information submitted on the form is used to
determine the students' eligibility and financial need for financial
aid under the student financial assistance programs authorized under
Title IV of
[[Page 11847]]
the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, (Title IV, HEA Programs).
The Secretary also requests comments on changes under consideration for
the 2005-2006 award year FAFSA.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
May 11, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests for copies of the proposed
information collection requests should be addressed to Joseph Schubart,
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4050, Regional
Office Building 3, Washington, DC 20202-4651.
In addition, interested persons can access this document on the
Internet:
(1) Go to IFAP at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://ifap.ed.gov;
(2) Scroll down to ``Publications'';
(3) Click on ``FAFSAs and Renewal FAFSAs'';
(4) Click on ``By 2005-2006 Award Year'';
(5) Click on ``Draft FAFSA Form/Instructions''.
Please note that the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software, version
4.0 or greater, is necessary to view this file. This software can be
downloaded for free from Adobe's Web site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.adobe.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Schubart (202) 708-9266.
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., eastern time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 483 of the Higher Education Act of
1965, as amended (HEA), requires the Secretary, ``in cooperation with
agencies and organizations involved in providing student financial
assistance,'' to ``produce, distribute and process free of charge a
common financial reporting form to be used to determine the need and
eligibility of a student under'' the Title IV, HEA Programs. This form
is the FAFSA. In addition, section 483 authorizes the Secretary to
include non-financial data items that assist States in awarding State
student financial assistance.
The draft 2005-2006 FAFSA (posted to the IFAP Web site)
incorporates four new data elements in preparation for a potential
match with IRS data. These new data elements are on page 3 of the form,
questions 18-21. To allow room for these new data elements we are
recommending the number of schools an applicant lists on the FAFSA be
reduced from six to four. This recommendation is based on comments
received during the previous clearance cycle. Other suggestions to fit
these additional questions included removing some of the instructions
on the form. The Secretary requests comments on ways to further
simplify the application for students, parents, and schools, as well as
suggestions for incorporating these new data elements.
The Secretary is publishing this request for comment under the
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S. C. 3501 et
seq. Under that Act, ED must obtain the review and approval of the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) before it may use a form to
collect information. However, under procedure for obtaining approval
from OMB, ED must first obtain public comment of the proposed form, and
to obtain that comment, ED must publish this notice in the Federal
Register.
In addition to comments requested above, to accommodate the
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Secretary is
interested in receiving comments with regard to the following matters:
(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.
Dated: March 8, 2004.
Angela C. Arrington,
Leader, Regulatory Information Management Group, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
Federal Student Aid
Type of Review: Revision.
Title: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Frequency: Annually.
Affected Public: Individuals or household.
Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:
Responses: 14,762,847.
Burden Hours: 7,624,153.
Abstract: The FAFSA collects identifying and financial information
about a student applying for Title IV, HEA program funds. This
information is used to calculate the student's expected family
contribution, which is used to determine a student's financial need.
The information is also used for determining a student's eligibility
for State and institutional financial aid programs.
Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request
may be accessed from http://edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the ``Browse
Pending Collections'' link and by clicking on link number 2465. When
you access the information collection, click on ``Download
attachments'' to view. Written requests for information should be
addressed to Vivian Reese, Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Room 4050, Regional Office Building 3, Washington, DC
20202-4651 or to the e-mail address Vivian.Reese@ed.gov. Requests may
also be electronically mailed to the Internet address OCIO_RIMG@ed.gov or faxed to (202) 708-9346.
Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request. [FR Doc. 04-5586 Filed 3-11-04; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4001-01-P