[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 151 (Monday, August 5, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40647-40648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19809]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------


DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    Title: Early Head Start Evaluation.
    OMB No.: New Request.
    Description: The Head Start Reauthorization Act of 1994 established 
a special initiative creating funding for services for families with 
infants and toddlers. In response the Administration on Children, Youth 
and Families (ACYF) designed the Early Head Start (EHS) program. In 
September, 1995, ACYF awarded grants to 68 local programs to serve 
families with infants and toddlers.
    EHS programs are designed to produce outcomes in four domains: (1) 
Child development, (2) family development, (3) staff development and 
(4) community development. The Reauthorization required that this new 
initiative be evaluated. To study the effect of the initiative ACYF 
awarded a contract through a competitive procurement to Mathematica 
Policy Research, Inc. (MPR) with a subcontract to Columbia University 
Center for Young Children and Families. Evaluation will be carried out 
from October 1, 1995, through September 30, 2000. Data collection 
activities that are the subject of this Federal Register notice are 
intended for the first phase of the EHS evaluation.
    The sample for the child and family assessments will be 
approximately 3,400 families who include a pregnant woman or a child 
under 12 months of age, in 17 EHS study sites. Each family will be 
randomly assigned to a treatment group or a control group. The sample 
for the child care assessments will include the primary child care 
provider for the focal child in each of the 3,400 study sample 
families. The sample for the staff assessments will be all EHS staff 
who have contact with the study children and families. The surveys and 
assessments will be conducted through computer assisted telephone 
interviewing, pencil and paper self-administered questionnaires, 
structured observations and videotaping. All data collection 
instruments have been designed to minimize the burden on respondents by 
minimizing interviewing and assessment time. Participation in the study 
is voluntary and confidential.
    The information will be used by government managers, Congress and 
others to identify the features and evaluate the effectiveness of the 
EHS program.
    Respondents: Applicants to the Early Head Start Program, child care 
providers for Early Head Start families and Early Head Start staff.

[[Page 40648]]



                                             Annual Burden Estimates                                            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Number of   Average            
                                                                    Number of    responses    burden     Total  
                           Instruments                             respondents      per     hours per    burden 
                                                                                respondent   response    hours  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 Month Parent Interview, Child Assessment Protocol and Video-                                                 
 taping Protocol.................................................       3,230            1        2.5      8,075
Parent Services Follow-Up Interview--HSFIS.......................       3,400            1        1.2      4,080
Parent Services Follow-Up Interview--Primary Caregiver...........       3,298            1        .83      2,737
Child Care Provider Interview--Child Care Centers................         478            1        .25        120
Child Care Provider Interview--Family Day Care & Relative                                                       
 Providers.......................................................       1,022            1         .5        511
Child Care Observation Protocol..................................       1,261            1          2      2,522
Staff Questionnaire..............................................         170            1         .5         85
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 18,130 hours.
    Additional Information: Copies of the proposed collection may be 
obtained by writing to The Administration for Children and Families, 
Office of Information Services, Division of Information Resource 
Management Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Washington, D.C. 
20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer.
    OMB Comment: OMB is required to make a decision concerning the 
collection of information between 30 to 60 days after publication of 
this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, a comment is best 
assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of 
publication. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent directly to the following: Office 
of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, 725 17th Street, 
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20503, Attn: Ms. Wendy Taylor.

    Dated: July 30, 1996.
Bob Sargis,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-19809 Filed 8-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M