[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 117 (Monday, June 20, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35460-35461]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12094]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the 
following information collection requirement to OMB for review and 
clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13. 
This is the second notice for the public comment; the first was 
published in the Federal Register at 70 FR 18430, and one comment was 
received. NSF is forwarding the proposed renewal submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with 
the publication of this second notice. Comments regarding (a) whether 
the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance 
of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of 
burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information 
to be collected; (d) 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 should 
be addressed to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, 
Attention: Desk Officer for National Science Foundation, 725--17th 
Street, NW., Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, and to Suzanne H. 
Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 
Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295, Arlington, Virginia 22230 or send e-mail 
to [email protected]. Comments regarding these information collections 
are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days 
of this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by 
calling 703-292-7556.
    NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless 
the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control 
number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to 
the collection of information that such persons are not required to 
respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Comment: On April 11, 2005, we published in the Federal Register 
(70 FR 18430) a 60-day notice of our intent to request renewal of this 
information collection authority from OMB. In that notice, we solicited 
public comments for 60 days ending June 10, 2005. On comment was 
received from the public notice. The comment came from B. Sachau of 
Floram Park, NJ, via e-mail on April 18, 2005. Ms. Sachau objected to 
the information collection. Ms. Sachau suggested that NSF discontinue 
funding education-related projects and leave education to the state and 
local authorities and possibly to the Department of Education. Ms. 
Sachau had no specific suggestions for altering the data collection 
plans other than to discontinue or ``sunset'' them entirely.
    Response: We responded to Ms. Sachau on April 27, 2005, stating 
that we could not comment on the political issues raised in her e-mail. 
We described the program and noted that NSF takes seriously its mission 
as

[[Page 35461]]

directed by Congress and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to 
monitor and evaluate awards made under the Math and Science Partnership 
(MSP) program. On April 28, 2005 we received a reply from Ms. Sachau 
requesting her ``comments stand for the public record. NSF believes 
that because the comment does not pertain to the collection of 
information on the required forms for which NSF is seeking OMB 
approval, NSF is preceding with the clearance request.
    Title: The Evaluation of NSF's Math and Science Partnerships (MSP) 
Program.
    OMB Control Number: 3145-0199.

Abstract

    This document has been prepared to support the clearance of data 
collection instruments to be used in the evaluation of the Math and 
Science Partnership (MSP) Program. The goals for the program are to (1) 
ensure that all K-12 students have access to, are prepared for, and are 
encouraged to participate and succeed in challenging curricula and 
advanced mathematics and science courses; (2) enhance the quality, 
quantity, and diversity of the K-12 mathematics and science teacher 
workforce; and (3) develop evidence-based outcomes that contribute to 
our understanding of how students effectively learn mathematics and 
science. The motivational force for realizing these goals is the 
formation of partnerships between institutions of higher education 
(IHEs) and K-12 school districts. The role of IHE content faculty is 
the cornerstone of this intervention. In fact, it is the rigorous 
involvement of science, mathematics, and engineering faculty--and the 
expectation that both IHEs and K-12 school systems will be 
transformed--that distinguishes MSP from other education reform 
efforts.
    The components of the overall MSP portfolio include active projects 
whose initial awards were made in prior MSP competitions, as well as 
those to be awarded in the current MSP competition: (1) Comprehensive 
Partnerships that implement change in mathematics and/or science 
educational practices in both higher education institutions and in 
schools and school districts, resulting in improved student achievement 
across the K-12 continuum; (2) Targeted Partnerships that focus on 
improved K-12 student achievement in a narrower grade range or 
disciplinary focus within mathematics or science; (3) Institute 
Partnerships: Teacher Institutes for the 21st Century that focus on the 
development of mathematics and science teachers as school-and district-
based intellectual leaders and master teachers; and (4) Research, 
Evaluation and Technical Assistance (RETA) projects that build and 
enhance large-scale research and evaluation capacity for all MSP 
awardees and provide them with tools and assistance in the 
implementation and evaluation of their work.
    The MSP online monitoring system, comprised of four web-based 
surveys, will collect a common core of data about each component of 
MSP. The web application for MSP will be developed with a modular 
design that incorporates templates and self-contained code modules for 
rapid development and ease of modification. A downloadable version will 
also be available for respondents who prefer a paper version that they 
can mail or fax to Westat. Information from the system will be used to 
document the Partnerships' annual progress toward meeting the Key 
features of MSP projects, such as developing partnerships between IHEs 
and local school districts, increasing teacher quality, quantity, and 
diversity, providing challenging courses and curricula, utilizing 
evidence-based design and outcome measures, and implementing 
institutional change and sustainability.

Expected Respondents

    The expected respondents are principal investigators of all 
projects; STEM and education faculty members and administrators who 
participated in MSP; school districts and IHEs that are partners in an 
MSP project.

Burden on the Public

    We estimate that the total number of annual respondents will be 
1,848. The estimated annual response burden is 34,382.

    Dated: June 15, 2005.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 05-12094 Filed 6-17-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M