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OMB Control No: 1840-0788	ICR Reference No: 202211-1840-001
Status: Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 202002-1840-001
Agency/Subagency: ED/OPE	Agency Tracking No: ED-2022-SCC-0142
Title: The Recognition Process for Accrediting Agencies, State Approval Agencies; Evaluation of Foreign Medical, and Foreign Veterinary Accrediting Agencies(e-Recognition)
Type of Information Collection: Extension without change of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 02/27/2023
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 01/25/2023
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	02/28/2026	36 Months From Approved	02/28/2023
Responses	17	0	53
Time Burden (Hours)	18,351	0	10,550
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: The authority for collecting this information is contained in the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended § 496 (HEA), and implementing regulations at 34 CFR § 602. The data is required in order for recognized accrediting agencies to demonstrate compliance with 34 CFR § 602. The Secretary will use these criteria in determining whether an accrediting agency is a reliable authority as to the quality of education or training provided by institutions of higher education they accredit. The data is required for State Agencies for the approval of Vocational Education to demonstrate compliance with 34 CFR § 603. The Secretary will use these criterial to determine whether a State Agency for the Approval of Vocational Education is a reliable authority as to the quality of education or training provided by the vocational institutions of higher education they accredit. The data is also required in order for State approval Agencies for Nurse Education to demonstrate compliance with the criteria and procedures for recognition of State Agencies for Approval of Nurse Education published in the January 16, 1969 Federal Register. The Secretary will use these criteria in determining whether a state agency is a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered by schools of nursing. In addition, and in accordance with 34 CFR §600.55, the Secretary is also required to collect information, review, and determine whether the accreditation standards used by foreign countries to accredit medical education programs are comparable to the standards used to accredit medical education programs in the U.S.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 20 USC 1099b Name of Law: Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	87 FR 68476	11/15/2022
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	88 FR 4819	01/25/2023
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate
Annual Number of Responses	17	53	-36
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	18,351	10,550	7,801
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The annual burden hours for this collection are now determined to be 18,351. There is an increase of 7,801 hours. Proposed responses for this collection are 17 responses (based on the average number of agencies that will submit their applications annually into the e-recognition system. This is a decrease of 36 responses. There are several reasons for the burden hour increase. The expiring collection did not consider the continuous burden which would be the amount of time it takes accrediting agencies, and state agencies (to renew their recognition as a nationally recognized accrediting agency), and foreign countries to collect all information and documentation, write a narrative response to all of the criteria required to submit an application to renew their status with the Department. In addition, the expiring collection only considered 53 recognized accrediting agencies which were the only accrediting agencies affected by the new regulations. However, there are actually 84 accrediting agency’s that are required to renew their recognition and submit information and documentation to demonstrate compliance with all applicable regulations. All of these factors combined have contributed to the increase in burden hours for each group of accrediting agencies/organizations required to submit information to the Department. "The program change comes to 0 due to removing an IC and adding it to another IC."

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $450,000

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Herman Bounds 202 453-6128

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