[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 142 (Wednesday, July 24, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35704-35706]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15664]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 10820]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: National 
Security Language Initiative for Youth Evaluation

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and submission to OMB of 
proposed collection of information.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State has submitted the information 
collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for approval. In accordance with the

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Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 we are requesting comments on this 
collection from all interested individuals and organizations. The 
purpose of this Notice is to allow 30 days for public comment.

DATES: Submit comments directly to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) up to August 23, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Direct comments to the Department of State Desk Officer in 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). You may submit comments by the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. You must include the 
DS form number, information collection title, and the OMB control 
number in the subject line of your message.
     Fax: 202-395-5806. Attention: Desk Officer for Department 
of State.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information regarding the collection listed in this notice, including 
requests for copies of the proposed collection instrument and 
supporting documents, may be sent to Natalie Donahue, Chief of 
Evaluation, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 2200 C St NW, 
Washington, DC 20037, who may be reached at (202) 632-6193 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
     Title of Information Collection: NSLI-Y Evaluation.
     OMB Control Number: None.
     Type of Request: New collection.
     Originating Office: Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA/
P/V).
     Form Number: No form.
     Respondents: NSLI-Y program alumni, their parents, local 
program coordinators or resident directors, and a small sample of U.S. 
high school teachers and administrators.
     Estimated Number of Alumni Survey Respondents: 5,390.
     Estimated Number of Alumni Survey Responses: 1,797.
     Average Time per Alumni Survey: 11.3 minutes.
     Total Estimated Alumni Survey Burden Time: 338.4 hours.
     Estimated Number of Parent Survey Respondents: 10,780.
     Estimated Number of Parent Survey Responses: 701.
     Average Time per Parent Survey: 8.6 minutes.
     Total Estimated Parent Survey Burden Time: 100.5 hours.
     Estimated Number of Alumni Focus Group Participants: 135.
     Average Time per Alumni Focus Group: 1.5 hours.
     Total Estimated Alumni Focus Group Burden Time: 202.5 
hours.
     Estimated Number of Parent Focus Group Participants: 108.
     Average Time per Parent Focus Group: 1.5 hours.
     Total Estimated Parent Focus Group Burden Time: 162 hours.
     Estimated Number of Local Coordinator/Resident Director 
Key Informant Interviews: 35.
     Average Time per Local Coordinator/Resident Director Key 
Informant: 60 minutes.
     Total Estimated Local Coordinator/Resident Director Key 
Informant Burden Time: 35 hours.
     Estimated Number of High School Teacher/Administrator Key 
Informant Interviews: 25.
     Average Time per High School Teacher/Administrator Key 
Informant: 35 minutes.
     Total Estimated High School Teacher/Administrator Key 
Informant Burden Time: 14.6 hours.
     Total Estimated Burden Time: 853 annual hours.
     Frequency: Once.
     Obligation to Respond: Voluntary.
    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department.
     Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost 
burden for this proposed collection, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
     Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Please note that comments submitted in response to this Notice are 
public record. Before including any detailed personal information, you 
should be aware that your comments as submitted, including your 
personal information, will be available for public review.

Abstract of Proposed Collection

    The National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) is a 
scholarship program to enable American students aged 15-18 to study 
less commonly taught languages (Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, 
Korean, Persian, Russian, and Turkish) in summer or academic-year long 
programs in a variety of countries. In addition to increased language 
proficiency, participants gain understanding of their host country and 
its culture. This program is funded pursuant to the Mutual Educational 
and Cultural Exchanges Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451-2464).
    In order to assess the efficacy and impact of NSLI-Y, the U.S. 
Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) 
intends to conduct an evaluation of the program, which will include 
collection of data from program alumni between 2008 and 2017, their 
parents, a small sample of U.S. high school teachers and 
administrators, and local program coordinators and resident directors. 
As the NSLI-Y program has been run for more 10 years, ECA is conducting 
this evaluation to determine the extent to which the program is 
achieving its long-term goals. In order to do so, ECA has contracted 
Dexis Consulting Group to conduct surveys and focus groups with alumni 
and their parents and in-depth interviews with local program 
coordinators/resident directors and the sample of U.S. high school 
teachers and administrators.

Methodology

    As baseline information is limited to the participants' language 
proficiency tests, it is necessary to collect information directly from 
program alumni to assess the impact of the NSLI-Y experience beyond 
language proficiency. As one source of information is potentially 
biased and limited, additional perspectives will be sought from their 
parents, who in most cases will have observed any changes in their 
children after program participation. As some information is easily 
collected via survey, both of these groups will receive online surveys, 
but a small number will also be invited to participate in focus groups 
in 6 cities to be selected (based on where the greatest concentrations 
of alumni currently reside) to explore key issues in greater depth. 
Local program coordinators/resident directors will also have identified 
changes in students over the period of their participation, and 
therefore, we propose to conduct individual interviews with them. 
Finally, the Department wishes to understand better the challenges for 
students in applying for and accepting scholarships, particularly 
related to participants' ability to obtain high school credit for their 
academic experience overseas. As these individuals' perspectives and 
state and district regulations may differ and to minimize the burden on 
these

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respondents, individual interviews will be conducted.

Aleisha Woodward,
Deputy Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-15664 Filed 7-23-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4710-05-P