[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 138 (Thursday, July 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38723-38724]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15711]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Office of Child Care 
Data Collection for ACF-218: FFY 2021 Quality Progress Report (QPR)

AGENCY: Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families, 
HHS.

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Child Care (OCC) is requesting a 1-year 
extension of the form ACF-218: Quality Progress Report (QPR) (OMB 
#0970-0517, expiration 9/30/2021). There are minor changes requested to 
the form related to COVID-19 pandemic supplemental funding increases.

DATES: Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with 
the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, ACF is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects 
of the information collection described above.

ADDRESSES: The proposed collection of information will be posted at 
www.acf.hhs.gov/occ. Comments may be submitted by emailing 
[email protected]. Alternatively, a copy can also be obtained 
by emailing [email protected]. All requests should be 
identified by the title of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Description: Lead Agencies are required to spend a certain percent 
of their Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) awards on activities to 
improve the quality of child care. Lead Agencies are also required to 
invest in at least 1 of 10 allowable quality activities included in the 
Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014. In order to 
ensure that states and territories are meeting these requirements, the 
CCDBG Act and the CCDF final rule require Lead Agencies to submit an 
annual report that describes how quality funds were expended. The CCDF 
final rule named this the QPR. The report must describe how quality 
funds were expended, including what types of activities were funded and 
measures used to evaluate progress in improving the quality of child 
care programs and services. The QPR increased transparency on quality 
spending and will continue to gather detailed information on how states 
and territories are spending their quality funds, as well as more 
specific data points to reflect the requirements in the CCDBG Act and 
the CCDF final rule. The annual data provided by the QPR will be used 
to describe how lead agencies are spending a significant investment per 
year to key stakeholders, including Congress, federal, state and 
territory administrators, providers, parents, and the public.

[[Page 38724]]

    Specifically, this report will be used to:
     Ensure accountability and transparency for the use of CCDF 
quality funds, including a set-aside for quality infant and toddler 
care and the stabilization grants funded by the American Rescue Plan 
Act funding;
     Track progress toward meeting state- and territory-set 
indicators and benchmarks for improvement of child care quality based 
on goals and activities described in CCDF Plans;
     Understand efforts to progress towards all child care 
settings meeting the developmental needs of children; and
     Inform federal technical assistance efforts and decisions 
regarding strategic use of quality funds.
    Respondents: State and territory CCDF lead agencies (56).

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                                Annual  number  Average  burden
                 Instrument                    Total  number    of  responses       hours per     Annual  burden
                                              of  respondents  per  respondent      response          hours
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ACF-218: FFY 2021 QPR.......................              56                1               75            4,200
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    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. 9858.

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-15711 Filed 7-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-43-P