[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 239 (Thursday, December 12, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76409-76410]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-31260]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Proposed Projects

    Title: Head Start Impact Study.
    OMB No.: New Collection.
    Description: The Administration on Children, Youth and Families 
(ACYF), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the 
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is requesting comments 
on plans to conduct the Head Start Impact Study. This study is being 
conducted under contract with Westat, Inc. (with the Urban Institute, 
American Institutes for Research, and Decision Information Resources as 
their subcontractors) (282-00-0022) to collect information for 
determining, on a national basis, how Head Start affects the school 
readiness of children participating in the program as compared to 
children not enrolled in Head Start and to determine under which 
conditions Head Start works best and for which children.
    The Head Start Impact Study is a longitudinal study that will 
involve approximately 5,000-6,000 first time enrolled three- and four-
year old preschool children across an estimated 75 nationally 
representative grantee/delegate agencies (in communities where there 
are more eligible children and families than can be served by the 
program). The participating children will be randomly assigned to 
either a Head Start group (that receives Head Start program services) 
or a comparison group (that does not receive Head Start services but 
may enroll in other available services selected by their parents or be 
cared for at home). Data collection for the study began in fall 2002 
and extends through spring 2006 with child assessments, conducted in 
the fall and spring of the Head Start years and in the spring of the 
kindergarten and first grade years and parent interviews conducted in 
the fall and spring of each year. Interviews with teachers, care 
providers, and staff (setting interview), and quality of care 
assessments will be conducted each year. This schedule of data 
collection is necessitated by the mandate in Head Start's 1998 
reauthorization (Coats Human Services Amendments of 1998, Pub. L. 05-
285) that DHHS conduct research to determine, on a national level, the 
impact of Head Start on the children it serves.
    A field test of instruments and procedures was conducted during 
fall 2001 and spring 2002. The field test involved approximately 450 
first time enrolled three- and four-year old preschool children across 
eight grantee/delegate agencies representing different community 
contexts.
    Respondents: Individuals or households, Head Start Agencies, School 
Districts, and other child care providers.
    Annual Burden Estimates: Estimated Response Burden for Respondents 
to the Head Start Impact Study--Fall 2002, Spring 2003, Fall 2003, 
Spring 2004, Fall 2004, Spring 2005, Fall 2005, and Spring 2006.

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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
                   Instrument                        Number of     responses per     hours per     Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Year 1 (Fall 2002):
    Parent interviews...........................           5,111               1            1.00           5,111
    Child Assessments...........................           5,111               1          0.9166           4,685
Year 1 (Sprint 2003):
    Parent interviews...........................           4,599               1            1.00           4,599
    Father questionnaire........................           4,599               1            0.50           2,300
    Child assessments...........................           4,599               1          0.9166           4,216
    Teacher provider ratings....................             966               5          0.0833             403
    Center Directors/Principals Staff...........             368               1            0.25              92
    Classroom teachers..........................             736               1            0.50             368
    Other care providers........................             230               1            0.50             115
Year 2 (Fall 2003):
    Parent interviews...........................           4,139               1            1.00           4,139
    Child assessments...........................           2,287               1          0.9166           2,096
Year 2 (Spring 2004):
    Parent interviews...........................           3,910               1            1.00           3,910
    Child assessments...........................           3,910               1          0.9166           3,584
    Teach provider ratings......................             803               5          0.0833             335
    Center directors/Principals/Staff...........             349               1            0.25              87
    Classroom teachers..........................             700               1            0.50             350
    Other care providers........................             103               1            0.50              52
Year 3 (Fall 2004):
    Parent interviews...........................           3,519               1            1.00           3,519
Year 3 (Spring 2005):
    Parent interviews...........................           3,519               1            1.00           3,519
    Child assessments...........................           3,519               1          0.9166           3,226
    Teacher ratings.............................             704               5          0.0833             293
    Principals/Staff............................             352               1            0.25              88
    Classroom teachers..........................             704               1            0.50             352
Year 4 (Fall 2005):
    Parent interviews...........................           1,667               1            1.00           1,667

[[Page 76410]]

 
Year (Spring 2006):
    Parent interviews...........................           1,667               1            1.00           1,667
    Child assessments...........................           1,667               1          0.9166           1,528
    Teacher ratings.............................             333               5          0.0833             139
    Principals/Staff............................             167               1            0.25              42
    Classroom teachers..........................             333               1            0.50             167
Annualized Totals:
    Year 1......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............          21,889
    Year 2......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............          14,553
    Year 3......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............          10,997
    Year 4......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............           5,210
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours.........  ..............  ..............  ..............          13,162
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    Note: The 13,745 Total Annual Burden Hours is based on an 
average of 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 estimated burden 
hours.

    In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and 
Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the 
information collection described above. Copies of the proposed 
collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded 
by writing to the Administration for Children and Families Office of 
Information Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 
20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. All requests should be 
identified by the title of the information collection.
    The Department specifically requests comments on: (a) Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection 
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted 
within 60 days of this publication.

    Dated: December 4, 2002.
Bob Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-31260 Filed 12-11-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M