[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 50 (Friday, March 14, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12359-12360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-6151]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    Title: Head Start Impact Study.
    OMB No.: 0970-0229.
    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 first time enrolled three- and four-year 
old preschool children across an estimated 90 nationally representative 
grantee/delegate agencies (in communities where there are more eligible 
children and families than can be served by the program). Data 
collection for the full-scale 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/surveys with program staff/care 
providers, and quality of care assessments will be conducted in the 
spring of 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, spring 2005, fall 2005, and spring 2006.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                           Number of
                                                              Number of    responses      Average       Total
                         Instrument                          respondents      per      burden hours     burden
                                                                           respondent  per 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 (spring 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        0.833           403
    Center Directors/Principals............................          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
    Teacher/Provider Ratings...............................          803            5        0.833           335
    Center Directors/Principals............................          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

[[Page 12360]]

 
    Teacher Ratings........................................          704            5        0.0833          293
    Principals.............................................          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
Year 4 (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.............................................          167            1        0.25             42
    Classroom Teachers.....................................          333            1        0.50            167
                                                            ==============
      Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours..................  ...........  ...........  ............       13,162
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: The 13,745 Total Annual Burden Hours is based on an average of 2003-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, and 2005-06
  estimated burden hours.

Additional Information

    Copies of the proposed collection may be obtained 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.

OMB Comment

    OMB is required to make a decision concerning the collection of 
information between 30 and 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 175th Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attn: Desk Officer for ACF.

    March 10, 2003.
Bob Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-6151 Filed 3-13-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M