[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 70 (Friday, April 11, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 17815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-9086]



[[Page 17815]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

    Proposed Projects: Title: Implementation of the Head Start National 
Reporting System on Child Outcomes.
    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 implement the Head Start National Reporting System on Child 
Outcomes. This implementation is being conducted to collect child 
outcomes information that will be used to enhance Head Start program 
quality and accountability.
    The Head Start National Reporting System (HSNRS) has three major 
goals. First, the HSNRS will provide teachers and local programs with 
additional information regarding child progress by reporting on how 
children are doing at the beginning and end of the program in a limited 
number of areas. Second, the HSNRS will create a new national system of 
data on child outcomes from every local Head Start agency for use in 
planning targeted training and technical assistance services to 
strengthen program effectiveness. Third, the HSNRS child outcomes 
information will be used within Head Start Bureau monitoring of local 
Head Start agencies, to strengthen program accountability for outcomes.
    This effort will ensure that every Head Start program will assess 
in a consistent fashion the progress made by every child in a limited 
set of early literacy, language, and numeracy skills. All Head Start 
children who are 4 years old or older will be administered a direct 
child assessment twice a year, the data analyzed, and the findings 
reported to the Head Start Bureau, ACF Regional Offices and local Head 
Start agencies. The HSNRS assessment is designed to create aggregate 
data on the progress of groups of children at the center and program 
levels. It is not designed to report on the school readiness of 
individual Head Start children.
    Respondents: Head Start children and Head Start staff.
    Annual Burden Estimates: Estimated Response Burden for Respondents 
to the Full National Implementation of the Head Start National 
Reporting System on Child Outcomes.

 Estimated Annual Response Burden for Respondents To Implement the Head Start National Reporting System on Child
                                                    Outcomes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of    Average burden
           Respondents and activities                Number of     responses per     hours per     Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Head Start Children: Complete Direct Assessments         500,000               2           \1/3\         333,333
Head Start Staff: Administer Direct Assessments.          36,000            17x2           \1/3\         408,000
Head Start Staff: Enter Child Demographic                 36,000              17          \1/30\          20,400
 Information....................................
Head Start Staff: Enter Teacher Background                36,000               1          \1/60\             600
 Information....................................
Head Start Staff: Participating in Summer                  3,000               1              24          72,000
 Training.......................................
Head Start Staff: Training Local Assessors for             3,000               1              20          60,000
 the Direct Child Assessment....................
Head Start Staff: Receiving Training for the              36,000               1               8         288,000
 Direct Child Assesssments......................
Head Start Local Training Staff: Fall                      3,000               2          \1/12\             500
 Implementation Evaluation Form.................
Head Start Local Program Staff: Focus Groups....             600               2               1           1,200
Head Start Local Program Staff: Interview.......             180               2               1             360
Spring Refresher Training (Home Study): Trainers           3,000               1               8          24,000
Spring Refresher Training (Home Study):                   36,000               1               4         144,000
 Assessors......................................
                                                 -----------------
    Totals Annualized...........................  ..............  ..............  ..............       1,352,393
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    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, Head Start 
Bureau, 330 C Street, SW., Room 2010, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 
20447, Attn: Tom Schultz, by e-mail to [email protected], or by 
telephone at 202-205-8323. 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: April 8, 2003.
Bob Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-9086 Filed 4-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M