[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 59 (Monday, March 27, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16189-16190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7393]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service 
(hereinafter the ``Corporation''), as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirement on respondents can be properly assessed. 
Currently, the Corporation is soliciting comments concerning its 
request for approval of a new information collection from 
representatives of communities served by organizations that conduct 
community service activities under the sponsorship of Corporation 
grants. This information will be used by the Corporation to evaluate 
the nature and effectiveness of its national service programs.
    Copies of the proposed information collection request may be 
obtained by contacting the office listed below in the ADDRESSES section 
of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
ADDRESSES section by May 26, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Corporation for National and Community 
Service Attn: Marcia Scott, Office of Evaluation, 1201 New York Avenue, 
N.W., 9th floor, Washington, D.C. 20525.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marcia Scott, (202) 606-5000, ext. 
100.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    The Corporation is particularly interested in comments which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Corporation, including whether the information will have practical 
utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Propose ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and
     Propose ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submissions of responses.

Background

    The Corporation for National Service has the responsibility to 
evaluate the effectiveness of its programs. The Corporation's major 
initiative is AmeriCorps, the national service program funded at $435 
million annually. While the primary emphasis of AmeriCorps is on 
providing services to communities and other beneficiaries, of key 
importance is participant development. AmeriCorps includes the State/
National program and the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) 
program. The objectives of this study are to describe the outcomes that 
are associated with participating and document changes in those 
outcomes over time; to identify factors explaining variation in 
outcomes at different stages of time; and to identify relationships 
between selected program features and member outcomes. Outcome domains 
will include civic engagement, educational skill aspiration and 
achievements, employment skill aspiration and achievements, and life 
skills.
    To meet these objectives, the study has selected a nationally 
representative sample of 2,500 incoming AmeriCorps members from over 
100 programs to ensure generalizability to the overall population. The 
Corporation is conducting a study to collect baseline data from a self-
report survey measuring a variety of life outcomes for AmeriCorps 
members of State/National and NCCC programs as well as individual 
background characteristics. To fully understand the impacts that cause 
change in outcomes, the Corporation has selected a comparison group for 
both programs and is in the process of collecting baseline information 
on those individuals.

Current Action

    The Corporation seeks approval to continue to study the impact of 
AmeriCorp*State/National and AmeriCorps*NCCC on members over time. The 
initial round of data collection for this study was authorized under 
OMB approval 3045-0060 which expires September 30, 2002. This is a 
request to conduct two additional rounds of data collection on the 
study: (1) Surveys of treatment and comparsion group members at two 
time points: ten months and two years after baseline; and (2) a survey 
of AmeriCorps program administrators at the end of the 1999-2000 
program year.
    Type of Review: New approval.
    Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service.
    Title: Long-term Study of Member Outcomes.
    OMB Number: None.
    Agency Number: None.

[[Page 16190]]

    Affected Public: AmeriCorps members, comparison group individuals, 
AmeriCorps program administrators.
    Total Respondents: 4613.
     2,500 AmeriCorps members (2,000 State/National and 500 
NCCC).
     2,000 individuals in the comparison groups (1,500 
individuals who inquired about AmeriCorps through the CNS inquiry line 
for the State/National comparison group; 500 individuals from the NCCC 
program's wait list for the NCCC comparison group).
     113 AmeriCorps program administrators.

Frequency:

     AmeriCorps members at post-program (eight months after 
baseline).
     Comparison group individuals eight months after baseline.
     Program characteristics from AmeriCorps administrators.
     AmeriCorps member and comparison group follow-up at three 
years after baseline (approximately two years after the post-program 
survey).

Average Time Per Response:

     The Post-program survey of members will require an average 
of 45 minutes per respondent.
     The initial follow-up survey of individuals in the 
comparison groups will take an average of 30 minutes per respondent.
     The survey of AmeriCorps program administrators will take 
an average of 30 minutes per program.
     Follow-up surveys of AmeriCorps members and individuals in 
the comparison group at three years after baseline will take an average 
of 30 minutes per respondent.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 5,182 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): None.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): None.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated: March 21, 2000.
Thomasenia P. Duncan,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 00-7393 Filed 3-24-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-U