    [Federal Register Volume 90, Number 84 (Friday, May 2, 2025)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 18872-18873]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 2025-07675]

    [[Page 18872]]

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    NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

    Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; NSF's
    Evaluation of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program

    AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

    ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.

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    SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the
    following information collection requirement to OMB for review and
    clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This is the second
    notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal
    Register, and no comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed
    submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance
    simultaneously with the publication of this second notice.

    DATES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
    information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
    this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAmain. Find this particular
    information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
    Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance
    Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue,
    Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone (703) 292-7556; or send email to
    splimpto@nsf.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for
    the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at
    1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365
    days a year (including Federal holidays).

    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
        Comments: Comments regarding (a) whether the proposed collection of
    information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
    the NSF, including whether the information shall have practical
    utility; (b) the accuracy of the NSF's estimate of the burden of the
    proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
    use, and clarity of the information on respondents; and (d) ways to
    minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are
    to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
    electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
    other forms of information technology should be addressed to the points
    of contact in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
        Copies of the submission may be obtained by calling 703-292-7556.
    NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the
    collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control
    number, and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to
    the collection of information that such persons are not required to
    respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently
    valid OMB control number.
        Title of Collection: NSF's Evaluation of the Robert Noyce Teacher
    Scholarship Program.
        OMB Control No.: 3145-New.
        Abstract: The National Science Foundation (NSF) Robert Noyce
    Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce) aims to address the critical need
    for highly effective elementary and secondary mathematics and science
    teachers in high-need school districts. The program supports the
    recruitment, preparation, and retention of STEM (science, technology,
    engineering, and mathematics) undergraduate majors and professionals to
    become K-12 STEM teachers, as well as experienced teachers to become
    teacher leaders. Noyce offers four program tracks:
        1. Scholarships and Stipends: Supports undergraduate STEM majors
    and professionals with financial assistance and stipends to become K-12
    STEM teachers in high-need school districts. Requires a teaching
    commitment of 2 years for each year of scholarship support.
        2. Teaching Fellowships: Provides support to STEM professionals to
    become K-12 STEM teachers in high-need districts. Requires a 4-year
    teaching commitment.
        3. Master Teaching Fellowships: Supports experienced K-12 STEM
    teachers to become teacher leaders in high-need districts. Requires a
    5-year teaching commitment.
        4. Noyce Research: Funds research projects focused on the
    effectiveness and retention of K-12 STEM teachers in high-need
    districts.
        Additionally, the program accepts Capacity Building proposals from
    those preparing to submit proposals in any of the program's tracks and
    supports conference proposals aimed at improving STEM teacher
    preparation. The program also invites proposals for authentic Research
    Experiences in STEM Settings (RESS) for both Noyce and non-Noyce pre-
    service and in-service STEM teachers.
        The NSF Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) Division of
    Undergraduate Education (DUE) requires evaluation and technical
    services for the Noyce program. Noyce has a 20-year history of
    responding to the critical need for highly effective K-12 STEM teachers
    in high-need school districts by recruiting and preparing talented
    undergraduate STEM majors and STEM professionals to pursue teaching
    careers in elementary and secondary schools. Since its inception, the
    program has commissioned three program evaluations, the most recent in
    2017. In 2023 Noyce sought contractor support to evaluate Noyce
    outcomes and processes to determine the effectiveness of program
    components in meeting established goals within the last 10 years. SRI
    was selected to complete this work.
        The evaluation of Noyce focuses on three evaluation questions:
        1. What are the goals of Noyce awards and what activities do
    teacher preparation programs use to diversify, recruit, select,
    prepare, empower, and support Noyce recipients?
        2. What are the relationships between the types of support,
    activities, and training that Noyce recipients receive; the types of
    Noyce recipients; and the recipients' plans to go into and stay in
    teaching and leadership roles?
        3. What is the impact of Noyce on teacher certification in STEM
    fields and employment in high-need schools?
        The NSF EDU Directorate requests the Office of Management and
    Budget (OMB) approval of this clearance to initiate new data
    collections to be conducted as part of an external evaluation of the
    Noyce program. These collections, to be conducted by the evaluation
    contractor, include:
        Qualitative data collection. The qualitative data collection
    includes interviews and focus groups that will support the development
    of case studies, network analysis. We plan to conduct case studies with
    up to 12 Noyce hub grantees. The case studies will include the awardee
    institution, its partner organizations, Noyce project staff, project
    participants, and partner schools. Our primary method of data
    collection will be through interviews with key stakeholders. These
    stakeholders will include the Noyce project Principal Investigator
    (PI), co-PI(s), program staff, and teachers. This data will also be
    used to support Noyce network analysis to understand how Noyce-funded
    individuals and organizations are connected and the quality of their
    interactions. In addition, we plan to conduct an additional 20
    interviews with Noyce principal investigators, scholars, and teachers,
    along with 10 focus groups.

    [[Page 18873]]

        Use of the Information: Noyce anticipates using the results of this
    evaluation to:
        1. Identify ``Noyce best, emerging, or promising practices'' that
    can make the program more effective and efficient to sustain and grow
    impacts of Noyce on diversifying, recruiting, selecting, preparing,
    empowering, and supporting K-12 STEM teachers.
        2. Inform Noyce on sustainability mechanisms and goals appropriate
    for Noyce Principal Investigators (PIs) to maintain their successful
    outcomes.
        3. To understand and disseminate how Noyce is impacting the field.
        4. Provide insights into potential barriers PIs face that inhibit
    success.
        5. Identify strategies Noyce projects can implement to optimize
    goal attainment, effectiveness, and efficiencies.
        Expected Respondents: Data collection will primarily involve
    interviews with key stakeholders including the Noyce project Principal
    Investigator (PI), co-PI(s), program staff, and teachers.
        Estimate of Burden:
        Estimates of Annualized Cost to Respondents for the Hour Burdens:
    The overall annualized cost to the respondents is estimated to be
    $8,435. The following table shows the estimated burden and costs to
    respondents. The estimated hourly rates are based on a report from the
    Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wages, May
    2023).\1\
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        \1\ https://www.bls.gov/oes/.

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                                                       Burden hours
            Collection title           Total number         per         Total hour        Average        Estimated
                                      of respondents    respondent        burden        hourly rate     annual cost
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    Noyce PIs, program staff for                  60               1              60          $48.87       $2,932.20
     case studies...................
    Noyce-funded teachers for case                60               1              60           35.48        2,128.80
     studies........................
    Noyce PIs, program staff........              10               1              10           48.87          488.70
    Noyce teacher interviews........              10               1              10           35.48          354.80
    Noyce PIs, program staff focus                30               1              30           48.87        1,466.10
     groups.........................
     Noyce teacher focus groups.....              30               1              30           35.48        1,064.40
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        Total.......................             200  ..............             200  ..............        8,435.00
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        Estimated Number of Responses per Report: Data collection is
    estimated to involve a total number of 200 respondents.

        Dated: April 29, 2025.
    Suzanne H. Plimpton,
    Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
    [FR Doc. 2025-07675 Filed 5-1-25; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 7555-01-P