[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57105-57106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18053]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2023-SCC-0097]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Efficacy Evaluation of the Mathematics Intervention Toolkit 
for the Elementary Grades

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 new information collection request (ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
September 21, 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 Janelle Sands, 202-245-6786.

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: Efficacy Evaluation of the Mathematics 
Intervention Toolkit for the Elementary Grades.
    OMB Control Number: 1850-NEW.
    Type of Review: A new ICR.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 9,630.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 3,106.
    Abstract: The U.S. Department of Education (ED) requests OMB 
clearance for data collection related to the Regional Educational 
Laboratory (REL) program. ED, in consultation with REL Northeast and 
the Islands (REL-NEI) under contract 91990022C0013 has planned a study 
of the efficacy of a professional development (PD) course for fourth 
and fifth grade math intervention teachers in the state of 
Massachusetts. Researchers at WestEd will carry out a school-level 
randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the efficacy of the PD 
course and investigate how and whether the PD course is helping 
teachers improve their practices and boost student learning. OMB 
approval is being requested for REL-NEI's data collection for this 
project, including pre and post measures of student skills and 
attitudes, and teacher knowledge, beliefs, and feedback regarding 
instructional practice and implementation of the PD course.
    Elementary math achievement is a topic of national concern. 
Students who leave elementary school with a strong foundation in 
mathematics, particularly fractions, are better prepared to succeed in 
middle school mathematics and algebra. Algebra is a well-documented 
gatekeeper to advanced high school math coursework, which is 
consistently linked to increased post-secondary opportunities and 
earnings. On the 2019 NAEP report card, only 41% of grade 4 students 
scored Proficient or above in math, and these numbers are lower for 
students from marginalized backgrounds. These opportunity gaps persist 
at the secondary level, so need to be addressed as soon as they appear.
    Given this need, district leaders in Massachusetts are seeking ways 
to bolster learning for students who struggle with mathematics. Some of 
these approaches adopted by districts target core instruction, but 
districts are also interested in strengthening their approaches to 
intervention. Together with the Massachusetts Partnership to Support 
Student Learning Through Math Intervention, REL-NEI is designing a 
toolkit PD course to build educators' knowledge of and ability to 
implement the recommendations of a new What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)

[[Page 57106]]

Practice Guide, Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: 
Intervention in the Elementary Grades. By using the PD course's 
extensive resources, districts will be able to provide teachers with 
in-depth PD on the recommendations and how to implement them by using 
specific instructional practices. Teachers will learn to use these 
practices effectively, helping them to optimize intervention time to 
improve student learning. Their students will be actively engaged in 
doing math, communicating their ideas, and progressing toward clear 
learning goals with feedback and support.

    Dated: August 17, 2023.
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. 2023-18053 Filed 8-21-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P