[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 184 (Tuesday, September 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59516-59517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20895]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2020-SCC-0155]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Early 
Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2022-23 (ECLS-
K:2023) Kindergarten and First-Grade Field Test Data Collection, 
National Sampling, and National Recruitment

AGENCY: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Department of 
Education (ED).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is 
proposing a revision of a currently approved information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
November 23, 2020.

ADDRESSES: To access and review all the documents related to the 
information collection listed in this notice, please use http://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED-2020-SCC-0155. 
Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted 
electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number or via postal 
mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov 
site is not available to the public for any reason, ED will temporarily 
accept comments at [email protected]. Please include the docket ID 
number and the title of the information collection request when 
requesting documents or submitting comments. Please note that comments 
submitted by fax or email and those submitted after the comment period 
will not be accepted. Written requests for information or comments 
submitted by postal mail or delivery should be addressed to the 
Director of the Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and 
Strategy Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, 
LBJ, Room 6W208B, Washington, DC 20202-8240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Carrie Clarady, 202-245-6347.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Education (ED), in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with 
an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing 
collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact 
of its information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department's 
information collection requirements and provide the requested data in 
the desired format. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) that is described below. The 
Department of Education is especially interested in public comment 
addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection necessary to 
the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this information be

[[Page 59517]]

processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden 
accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the 
Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, 
including through the use of information technology. Please note that 
written comments received in response to this notice will be considered 
public records.
    Title of Collection: Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, 
Kindergarten Class of 2022-23 (ECLS-K:2023) Kindergarten and First-
Grade Field Test Data Collection, National Sampling, and National 
Recruitment.
    OMB Control Number: 1850-0750.
    Type of Review: A revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 20,895.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 15,510.
    Abstract: The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS) program, 
conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within 
the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of 
Education (ED), draws together information from multiple sources to 
provide rich, descriptive data on child development, early learning, 
and school progress. The ECLS program studies deliver national data on 
children's status at birth and at various points thereafter; children's 
transitions to nonparental care, early care and education programs, and 
school; and children's experiences and growth through the elementary 
grades. The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 
2022-23 (ECLS-K:2023) is the fourth cohort in the series of early 
childhood longitudinal studies. The study will advance research in 
child development and early learning by providing a detailed and 
comprehensive source of current information on children's early 
learning and development, transitions into kindergarten and beyond, and 
progress through school. The ECLS-K:2023 will provide data about the 
population of children who will be kindergartners in the 2022-23 school 
year, and will go beyond its predecessor kindergarten cohort studies by 
adding a round of data collection in the spring prior to children's 
kindergarten year, known as the ``preschool round.'' Collecting parent 
data beginning in preschool will enable the study to measure influences 
on children's development before entry into formal schooling, including 
children's home environments and access to early care and education. 
The ECLS-K:2023 will focus on children's early school experiences 
continuing through the fifth grade, and will include collection of data 
from parents, teachers, and school administrators, as well as direct 
child assessments. A previous request to conduct a field test of the 
ECLS-K:2023 preschool data collection activities from January through 
October 2020, to field test the preschool data collection materials and 
procedures, was approved in November 2019, with updates in January and 
July 2020. This ECLS-K:2023 preschool field test will be followed by 
the kindergarten-first grade field test (planned for August-December 
2021), the spring preschool national data collection (January-June 
2022), and the fall (August-December 2022) and spring (March-July 2023) 
kindergarten national data collections. In this package, burden is 
requested for several new parts of the project, including K-1 Field 
Test Recruitment, K-1 Field Test Data Collection, and the beginning of 
the National Study Recruitment.

    Dated: September 17, 2020.
Stephanie Valentine,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 2020-20895 Filed 9-21-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P