Department of Education Proposes New Loan Repayment Information Collection

Detected March 19th, 2026

Summary

The Department of Education has published a notice proposing a new information collection request (ICR) under the Paperwork Reduction Act. This collection, titled 'Shaping the Future of Loan Repayment,' aims to gather data through interviews with federal student loan borrowers to understand enrollment and repayment behaviors in income-driven repayment plans.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

The Department of Education, through the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), is seeking public comment on a new information collection request (ICR) related to federal student loan repayment plans. The proposed collection, identified by OMB Control Number 1850-NEW, involves telephone/virtual interviews with federal student loan borrowers to study participation and repayment progress in income-driven repayment (IDR) plans. The Department is particularly interested in understanding borrower decisions regarding IDR enrollment, repayment behaviors, and associated household finance outcomes.

This notice serves as a consultation period, with comments due by May 18, 2026. Regulated entities, primarily educational institutions that advise borrowers, and potentially borrowers themselves, should review the proposed collection to assess its necessity, accuracy, and potential burden. The Department is soliciting feedback on how to enhance the quality and utility of the data collected and minimize respondent burden. This initiative is part of the Department's ongoing efforts to assess and improve its information collection requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act.

What to do next

Review the proposed information collection request for 'Shaping the Future of Loan Repayment'.
Submit comments on the necessity, accuracy, and burden of the collection by May 18, 2026.
Consider suggestions for improving data quality and minimizing respondent burden.

Source document (simplified)

Content

ACTION:

Notice.

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 May 18, 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-0562. 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 National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
     Ave. SW, LBJ, Room 5C133, Washington, DC 20202-1200.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Matt Soldner, 202-453-7441.

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: Shaping the Future of Loan Repayment.

OMB Control Number: 1850-NEW.

Type of Review: A new ICR.

Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and Households.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 60.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 30.

Abstract: The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) within the U.S. Department of Education (ED) requests clearance from the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct new data collection activities for the Shaping the Future of Loan Repayment: Participation
and Repayment Progress in Federal Student Loan Plans study. This request covers telephone/virtual interviews with federal
student loan borrowers in repayment.

IES seeks to understand which borrowers do and do not enroll in IDR plans, why they do so, how long they stay in their plans,
their repayment behaviors, and other household finance and life course outcomes, as feasible. IES also seeks to understand
the feasibility of rigorous investigation with potential to expand knowledge about student loan repayment plans. The data
collected for this study will update what is known about borrowers' repayment plan knowledge and decision making. Findings
will be disseminated via a report describing borrowers' understanding and awareness of repayment plans and features, as well
as the reasons driving their plan choice.

This is the first and only request for the collection of data for this study.

Ross Santy, Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development. [FR Doc. 2026-05418 Filed 3-18-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P