[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 16, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14373-14374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-6116]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Census In Schools Focus Groups.
    Form Number(s): None.
    OMB Control Number: None.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Burden Hours: 135.
    Number of Respondents: 90.
    Average Hours per Response: 1.5 hours.
    Needs and Uses: For the 2010 Census, among the many other outreach 
efforts, the U.S. Census Bureau implemented the Census in Schools (CIS) 
Program with three primary objectives: (1) To increase the mail-back 
response rate of Census forms; (2) to improve accuracy and reduce 
differential undercount; and (3) to increase cooperation with 
enumerators in the field during the Census data collection period.
    The CIS Program educated primary and secondary school students 
about the Census; the students, in turn, could inform their parents 
about the importance of returning the 2010 Census forms. The Census 
Bureau distributed materials, including promotional brochures, take-
home materials, fact sheets, lesson plans, maps, quick start teaching 
guides, and other aids aimed at increasing the mail-back response and 
participation rates. The Census Bureau distributed these materials to 
over 118,000 schools representing grades kindergarten through 12th 
grade. Some of these materials were in the form of printed copies. 
Hundreds of thousands of additional copies were downloaded in 
electronic form from the 2010 Census in Schools Web site.
    The purpose of the CIS Program research described in this document 
is three-fold: (1) To identify the types, content, and design of 
materials that schools prefer in preparation for the 2020 Census and in 
the years leading up to the 2020 Census; (2) to assess the barriers to 
use of the materials, so that the Census Bureau can address how to 
eliminate or minimize the barriers; and (3) to identify improvements in 
the CIS program that can be implemented in the near-, mid-, and long-
term, including the needs of executive-level educators.
    The Census Bureau needs to collect and analyze qualitative data to 
address the following research questions:
    (a) How can the CIS program targeting kindergarten through high 
school level students, teachers, and administrators be improved for the 
2020 Census?
    (b) What new methods can the Census Bureau use in going forward 
during the intercensal years to reach out to educators and students 
from kindergarten to the college levels in order to maintain strong 
relationships with the education community?
    (c) What are the needs of executive-level educators regarding 
statistical literacy and the types of materials Federal statistical 
agencies could provide to be most helpful with regards to statistics 
education, from the most basic level (kindergarten) to the most 
advanced (graduate studies)?
    (d) What metrics can be used to monitor and assess the impact of 
the CIS program in the future?
    Essentially, the research for which data collection approval is 
being sought seeks to inform the future direction, composition, and 
maintenance of this outreach program for the next eight or nine years, 
in preparation for the 2020 Census.
    The Census Bureau proposes to collect qualitative data via six 
focus groups among CIS school administrators and teachers. The Census 
Bureau intends to ask CIS program participants about ways the program 
can be improved, and ways in which their own participation can be 
enhanced in future years. The resulting qualitative data will be used 
by Census Bureau management staff to create recommendations for program 
redesign in order to improve the CIS program in the years leading up to 
and including the next Census.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local or 
Tribal governments.
    Frequency: One time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 141 and 193.
    OMB Desk Officer: Brian Harris-Kojetin, (202) 395-7314.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Brian Harris-Kojetin, OMB

[[Page 14374]]

Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) or e-mail 
([email protected]).

    Dated: March 11, 2011.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-6116 Filed 3-15-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P