[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 239 (Wednesday, December 14, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76469-76470]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-27108]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2022-SCC-0097]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS 
2023) Main Study Questionnaire Revision

AGENCY: Institute of Education Sciences (IES), Department of Education 
(ED).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
the Department is proposing a revision of a currently approved 
information collection request (ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
January 13, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for proposed 
information collection requests should be submitted within 30 days of 
publication of this notice. Click on this link www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain to access the site. Find this information collection request 
(ICR) by selecting ``Department of Education'' under ``Currently Under 
Review,'' then check the ``Only Show ICR for Public Comment'' checkbox. 
Reginfo.gov provides two links to view documents related to this 
information collection request. Information collection forms and 
instructions may be found by clicking on the ``View Information 
Collection (IC) List'' link. Supporting statements and other supporting 
documentation may be found by clicking on the ``View Supporting 
Statement and Other Documents'' link.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department 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 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: International Computer and Information 
Literacy Study (ICILS 2023) Main Study Questionnaire Revision.
    OMB Control Number: 1850-0929.
    Type of Review: A revision of a currently approved ICR.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 9,860.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 5,055.
    Abstract: The International Computer and Information Literacy Study 
(ICILS) is a computer-based international assessment of eighth-grade 
students' computer and information literacy (CIL) skills. ICILS was 
first administered internationally in 2013 in 21 education systems and 
again in 2018, when the United States participated for the first time. 
Our participation in this study has provided data on students' skills 
and experience using technology to investigate, create, and 
communicate, and provided a comparison of U.S. student performance and 
technology access and use with those of the international peers. The 
next administration of ICILS will be in 2023. The 2023 study will allow 
the U.S. to begin monitoring the progress of its students compared to 
that of other nations and to provide data on factors that may influence 
student computer and information literacy skills. The data collected 
through ICILS will provide valuable information with which to 
understand the nature and extent of the ``digital divide'' and has the 
potential to inform understanding of the relationship between 
technology skills

[[Page 76470]]

and experience and student performance in other core subject areas. 
ICILS is conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation 
of Educational Achievement (IEA), an international collective of 
research organizations and government agencies that create the 
assessment framework, assessment, and background questionnaires. The 
IEA decides and agrees upon a common set of standards and procedures 
for collecting and reporting ICILS data, and defines the study 
timeline, all of which must be followed by all participating countries. 
As a result, ICILS is able to provide a reliable and comparable measure 
of student skills in participating countries. In the U.S., the National 
Center for Education Statistics (NCES) conducts this study and works 
with the IEA and RTI International to ensure proper implementation of 
the study and adoption of practices in adherence to the IEA's 
standards. Participation in ICILS will allow NCES to meet its mandate 
of acquiring and disseminating data on educational activities and 
student achievement in the United States compared with foreign nations 
[The Educational Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002) 20 U.S.C. 
9543]. The U.S. ICILS main study will be conducted from March through 
May 2023 and will involve a nationally-representative sample of at 
least 3,000 eighth-grade students from a minimum of 150 schools. 
Because ICILS is a collaborative effort among many parties, the United 
States must adhere to the international schedule set forth by the IEA, 
including the availability of final field test and main study plans as 
well as draft and final questionnaires. In order to meet the 
international data collection schedule and to align with recruitment 
for other NCES studies (e.g., TIMSS), approval for the main study 
sampling, recruitment, and data collection activities was approved in 
April 2022 (OMB# 1850-0929 v9). A 30D public comment period accompanied 
a set of revisions to the study timeline, study portal, main study 
contact materials, and the addition of COVID-related items in the 
questionnaires; those revisions were approved in October 2022 (OMB# 
1850-0929 v10). This request is for approval of (1) updated 
descriptions of data collection plans; (2) updated burden estimates 
related to main study questionnaire changes; and (3) changes to the 
final adapted main study questionnaires based on review by IEA. This 
request is accompanied by 30 days of public comment. Changes are 
described below and are included in the supporting documentation.

    Dated: December 9, 2022.
Juliana Pearson,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 2022-27108 Filed 12-13-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P