[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 138 (Thursday, July 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38722-38723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15594]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; The Study of Disability 
Services Coordinators and Inclusion in Head Start (New Collection)

AGENCY: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration 
for Children and Families, HHS.

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: This is a new request for data collection for the Study of 
Disability Services Coordinators and Inclusion in Head Start. The study 
aims to provide a nationally representative picture of the Early Head 
Start (EHS) and Head Start (HS) Disability Services Coordinator (DSC) 
workforce, as well as services provided to children with disabilities 
and their families within these programs and how EHS/HS collaborates 
with services in the community, including health providers, Local 
Education Agencies, and Part C. This is the first study of the HS/EHS 
DSC workforce and will contain three waves of data collection using 
surveys and qualitative interviews.

DATES: Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with 
the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is soliciting public 
comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described 
above.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained and comments may be forwarded by emailing 
[email protected]. Alternatively, copies can also be 
obtained by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, 
Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, 330 C Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20201, Attn: OPRE Reports Clearance Officer. All 
requests, emailed or written, should be identified by the title of the 
information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Description: The Study of DSCs and Inclusion in Head Start will 
support ACF in better understanding the implementation of EHS/HS 
policies and practices for delivering disability services. This study 
aims to present a nationally representative description of the 
characteristics and work of DSCs and related staff in EHS/HS programs 
and how EHS/HS serves children with

[[Page 38723]]

disabilities and their families. The study will not allow for 
statistical generalization beyond EHS/HS and their service populations.
    The study will report on inclusive practices, staffing, 
professional development, and collaboration with local education 
agencies, early intervention programs, health providers, and other 
community stakeholders who serve young children with disabilities and 
their families.
    ACF aims to address the research questions through a national 
survey of EHS/HS program directors (Wave 1), a survey with DSCs 
identified by the directors (Wave 2), and a one-time qualitative 
interview with a subset of DSCs who respond to the web-based survey 
(Wave 3). There are no data regarding the population of the DSC 
workforce and subgroups, preventing the team from setting a frame for 
selecting a nationally representative sample. Given the lack of 
administrative data and contact information about DSCs, it is essential 
that a national survey of EHS/HS directors (Wave 1) be conducted to 
identify DSC respondents. A purposive sample of DSCs who completed the 
Wave 2 survey will be asked to participate in a semi-structured, 
qualitative interview.
    Data collection activities will occur over 15 months, shortly after 
OMB approval. The three waves of data collection will occur 
concurrently--the Wave 1 survey will be fielded for approximately 8 
months; the Wave 2 survey will be fielded for approximately 12 months; 
and the Wave 3 interviews will be conducted over 4 months.
    Respondents: Head Start Directors, Head Start Disability Services 
Coordinators.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                     Number of
                                     Number of     responses per
                                    respondents     respondent    Average burden   Total burden    Annual burden
           Instrument               (total over     (total over    per response     (in hours)      (in hours)
                                      request         request       (in hours)
                                      period)         period)
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Survey of EHS/HS Program                   1,600               1            0.42             672             336
 Directors (Wave 1).............
Survey of EHS/HS DSCs (Wave 2)..           1,200               1            0.75             900             450
DSC Interview (Wave 3)..........              36               1            0.75              27            13.5
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 799.5.
    Comments: The Department specifically requests comments on (a) 
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection 
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted 
within 60 days of this publication.
    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 9835; 42 U.S.C. 9844.

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-15594 Filed 7-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-22-P