Notice2025-15721

Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 84.421F Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) Evidence Building Support (EBS)

Primary source

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Published
August 19, 2025

Issuing agencies

Education Department

Abstract

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Department is proposing a new information collection request (ICR).

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 158 (Tuesday, August 19, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 158 (Tuesday, August 19, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40342-40343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-15721]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Docket No.: ED-2025-SCC-0349]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
84.421F Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) Evidence Building Support 
(EBS)

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 
(OSERS), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
the Department is proposing a new information collection request (ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
October 20, 2025.

ADDRESSES: To access and review all the documents related to the 
information collection listed in this notice, please use <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> by searching the Docket ID number ED-

[[Page 40343]]

2025-SCC-0349. Comments submitted in response to this notice should be 
submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> by selecting the Docket ID number or via 
postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. If the 
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> site is not available to the public for any reason, the 
Department will temporarily accept comments at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#155c56517a767e70615872675570713b727a63"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2f666c6b404c444a5b62485d6f4a4b01484059">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. 
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 Director of the 
Training and Service Programs Division, U.S. Department of Education, 
400 Maryland Ave. SW, LBJ, Room 4B103, Washington, DC 20202-1200.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Diandrea Bailey, 202-987-0126.

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: 84.421F Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) 
Evidence Building Support (EBS).
    OMB Control Number: 1820-NEW.
    Type of Review: A new ICR.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 24.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 36.
    Abstract: The U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation 
Services Administration (RSA) requests clearance for a new data 
collection activity to support the 84.421F Disability Innovation Fund 
(DIF) Evidence-Building Support (EBS) project. The purpose of the DIF, 
as provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-
328), is to support innovative activities aimed at increasing 
competitive integrated employment (CIE) as defined in section 7 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act) (29 U.S.C. 705(5)) for 
children, youth, and other individuals with disabilities. RSA is 
investing a total of $251,934,086 in grant funding to the 27 State 
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), other State agencies, Public, Private 
and Nonprofit Entities, including Indian Tribes and Institutions of 
Higher Education through the 84.421F DIF program.
    This request covers the following single primary data collection 
for the EBS:
    <bullet> Annual interviews with 84.421F DIF project directors.
    In September 2024, RSA awarded five-year cooperative agreements to 
27 State VR, other State agencies, Public, Private and Nonprofit 
Entities, including Indian Tribes and Institutions of Higher Education 
to implement model demonstration projects. The projects vary across the 
27 grants but they share the same purpose, which is to develop, 
implement, refine, assess, and disseminate innovative or substantially 
improved strategies or programs geared toward increasing CIE for 
individuals with disabilities. RSA is conducting evaluation and 
technical assistance (TA) activities and will report on implementation 
and evaluation progress across all grantees in Annual Evidence Reports. 
This report will also document findings that RSA can use to coordinate 
ongoing activities and communicate with outside agencies and 
congressional staff. To supplement the existing data sources, RSA will 
conduct one annual semi-structured interviews with the individual 
grantee project directors in grant Years 2, 3, 4 and 5 (Calendar Year 
(CY) 2025-CY 2029). These interviews will provide valuable qualitative 
insights into overall project goals, implementation progress, and the 
barriers and facilitators encountered--information that is not captured 
through administrative data reporting alone. This richer understanding 
will help fill critical gaps and will support the development of the 
Annual Evidence Report, inform evaluations, coordination, and 
evaluation technical assistance efforts.

Ross Santy,
Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy 
Development.
[FR Doc. 2025-15721 Filed 8-18-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P


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