[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 74 (Thursday, April 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21271-21273]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-08067]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request;

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics 
(NCSES) within the National Science

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Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to request approval for a new 
collection referred to as the National Training, Education, and 
Workforce Survey (NTEWS). The NTEWS will be a new, voluntary data 
collection sponsored by NCSES and cosponsored by the National Center 
for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of 
Education. The NTEWS serves to measure and understand two research 
concepts that are of national interest: (1) The education, training, 
and career pathways of skilled technical workers, and (2) the 
prevalence and interplay of education (postsecondary degrees and 
certificates), work credentials (certifications and licenses), and work 
experience programs among American workers. NCSES intends to release 
national estimates from the NTEWS collection. Under the requirements of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, NCSES is providing an opportunity 
for public comment on this action. After obtaining and considering 
public comment, NCSES will prepare the submission requesting that OMB 
approve clearance of this collection for three years.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by June 15, 
2020 to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to the 
address below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance 
Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite 
W18200, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone (703) 292-7556; or send 
email to [email protected]. Individuals who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week, 365 days a year (including Federal holidays).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Collection: The National Training, Education, and 
Workforce Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 3145-NEW.
    Expiration Date: Not Applicable.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval for a new information 
collection.
    Abstract: The pervasiveness of science and technology in society, 
including its central role in the economy, has changed the nature of 
work for individuals at all education levels, making skilled technical 
workers increasingly important to U.S. economic competitiveness, 
national security, and scientific progress. American workers who use 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) knowledge and 
skills in their jobs, but who do not have a bachelor's degree comprise 
the skilled technical workforce (STW). While data exists to quantify 
the number of skilled technical workers, limited information exists to 
examine how individuals enter, maintain relevance, or seek advancement 
in STW occupations. As a result, the currently available survey data 
are of limited utility for policymakers and STW stakeholders 
(employers, workforce advocates, and educational trainers) who are 
seeking more detailed information to inform discussions about STW 
policies, processes, and education and training programs. In response, 
NCSES has begun a multidimensional initiative to measure and understand 
the skilled technical workforce. This effort includes outreach with STW 
stakeholders to determine information needs and current data gaps, the 
identification and assessment of viable administrative data sources to 
inform STW-related research and policy discussions, and the plans for a 
new federal survey targeting the STW--the National Training, Education, 
and Workforce Survey (NTEWS).
    The NTEWS will be a new, voluntary data collection sponsored by the 
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within 
the National Science Foundation and cosponsored by the National Center 
for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of 
Education. The NTEWS serves to measure and understand two research 
concepts that are of national interest: (1) The education, training, 
and career pathways of skilled technical workers, and (2) the 
prevalence and interplay of education (postsecondary degrees and 
certificates), work credentials (certifications and licenses), and work 
experience programs among American workers.
    The content of the initial NTEWS expands on a former federal 
survey, the 2016 Adult Training and Education Survey (ATES), which was 
sponsored by NCES. The initial NTEWS will collect information on the 
following topics to examine the relationship between credentials and 
employment outcomes:

 Credential types
 Education characteristics
 Initial work training
 Employment characteristics
 Demographic characteristics

    Given these areas of mutual interest for NCSES and NCES, the NTEWS 
will reduce public burden by fielding one cosponsored survey that meets 
the information needs for both federal agencies.
    The initial NTEWS data collection effort will serve as the first 
cycle for a planned biennial, rotating panel design. Respondents will 
have the option to complete the survey by web, paper, or computer-
assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). NCSES plans to incorporate 
methodological experiments in the initial administration to examine 
response mode and incentive options. Results from those experiments 
will be used to determine a data collection methodology that maximizes 
data quality, minimizes respondent burden, and reduces data collection 
cost in future cycles.
    NCSES will analyze the initial NTEWS data to inform and resolve any 
statistical, methodological, operational, and content issues before the 
subsequent NTEWS collection cycle in the planned biennial survey cycle 
design.
    The U.S. Census Bureau will serve as the Federal data collection 
contractor on behalf of NCSES and NCES. The NTEWS data will be 
protected under the applicable Census Bureau confidentiality statutes.
    Use of the information: NCSES and NCES intend to publish national 
estimates from the initial NTEWS, as well as use the results to inform 
the next survey cycle. It is anticipated that the NTEWS data will be 
used for the two congressionally mandated biennial reports authored by 
NCSES: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and 
Engineering and Science and Engineering Indicators. NCES plans to 
release a special-topic statistical report on the status of educational 
and professional credentials in the United States. In addition, a 
public release file of collected data, designed to protect respondent 
confidentiality, will be made available to policymakers, researchers, 
and the public on the internet.
    Established within NSF by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act 
of 2010 Sec.  [thinsp]505, codified in the NSF Act of 1950, as amended, 
NCSES serves as a central Federal clearinghouse for the collection, 
interpretation, analysis, and dissemination of objective data on 
science, engineering, technology, and research and development for use 
by practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the public. NCSES also 
provides data to support the Science and Engineering Equal 
Opportunities Act of 1980, which directs NSF to provide to Congress and 
the Executive Branch an ``accounting and comparison, by sex, race, and 
ethnic group and by discipline, of the participation of

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women and men in scientific and engineering positions.''
    NCSES has historically met these legislative mandates through its 
suite of surveys and biennial publications that measure the education, 
employment, and demographic characteristics of the nation's college-
educated scientists and engineers. However, an emerging research and 
policy interest in the STW creates a need for new data to expand and 
supplement NCSES's efforts on the college-educated science and 
engineering workforce.
    Expected Respondents: All previous respondents to the 2018 American 
Community Survey, collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, are eligible to 
be selected to participate in the initial NTEWS. Approximately 40,000 
adults, ages 16-75 and not enrolled in high school, will be selected 
for the NTEWS sample. The NTEWS sample design will meet the needs of 
both NCSES and NCES by providing coverage of the workforce-eligible 
adult population and including an oversample of adults who are in 
skilled technical occupations.
    Estimate of Burden: The expected response rate is 62.5 percent, or 
25,000 completed cases. The amount of time to complete the survey may 
vary depending on an individual's circumstances and the mode of the 
collection (web, paper, or telephone). NCSES estimates an average 
completion time of 15 minutes. NCSES estimates that the average annual 
burden for the initial NTEWS over the course of the three-year OMB 
clearance period will be no more than 2,084 hours [(25,000 completed 
cases x 15 minutes)/3 years].
    Comments: Comments are invited on (a) aspects of the data 
collection effort (including, but not limited to, the following: The 
availability of administrative and supplemental sources of data on the 
skilled technical workforce, survey content, contact strategy, and 
statistical methods); (b) whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
NCSES, including whether the information shall have practical utility; 
(c) the accuracy of the NCSES's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information; (d) ways to enhance the quality, use, and 
clarity of the information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology; and (e) 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.

    Dated: April 13, 2020.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2020-08067 Filed 4-15-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P