[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 106 (Tuesday, June 3, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30332-30333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14415]


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DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Early Head Start Evaluation

    OMB No.: 0970-0143.
    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. ACYF awarded grants to an addition 
75 local programs in September 1996.
    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's 
Center for Young Children and Families. The 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 second 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 surveys and assessments will be conducted through 
computer-assisted telephone and personal 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 and child 
care providers for Early Head Start families and control group 
families.
    Annual Burden Estimates:

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                                                                           Number of                            
                                                              Number of    responses      Average       Total   
                         Instrument                          respondents      per      burden hours     burden  
                                                                           respondent  per response     hours   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24-Month Parent Interview, Child Assessment, and                                                                
 Videotaping Protocol......................................        1,412            1          2.5         3,530
Parent Services Follow-Up Interview:                                                                            
    12-Month Follow-Up.....................................        1,475            1          1           1,475
    18-Month Follow-Up.....................................        1,412            1          1           1,412
    24-Month Follow-Up.....................................        1,365            1          1           1,365
    36-Month Follow-Up.....................................        1,334            1          1           1,334
Child Care Provider Interview:                                                                                  
    Child Care Centers:                                                                                         
        Center Directors...................................          408            1           .25          102
        Direct Provider....................................          408            1           .17           69
        Classroom Staff....................................          408            1           .17           69
    Family child Care providers............................          119            1           .5            60
        Family Provider Assistants.........................           26            1           .17            4
    Relative Care Providers................................          172            1           .5            86
        Relative Provider Assistants.......................           38            1           .17            6
Child Care Provider Observation Protocol:                                                                       
    Child Care Centers.....................................          408            1          2             816
    Family Child Care Providers............................          119            1          2             238
    Relative Care Providers................................          172            1          2             344
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 10,910.                                                                    
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    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, SW., Washington, DC 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

[[Page 30333]]

Reduction Project, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attn: 
Ms. Wendy Taylor.

    Dated: May 28, 1997.
Bob Sargis,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-14415 Filed 6-2-97; 8:45 am]
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