[Federal Register: June 23, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 120)]
[Notices]
[Page 35040]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23jn04-74]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
Proposed Projects
Title: Survey of Early Head Start Programs.
OMB No.: New Collection.
Description: The Head Start Reauthorization Act of 1994 established
a special initiative creating funding for services for families with
infants and toddlers. In response, the Administration on Children,
Youth and Families (ACYF) within the Administration for Children and
Families (ACF) developed the Early Head Start program. Early Head Start
programs are designed to produce outcomes in four domains: (1) Child
development, (2) family development, (3) staff development, and (4)
community development. As a requirement of the Reauthorization Act,
ACYF funded a rigorous randomized trial to study the effectiveness of
Early Head Start programs, sampling from 17 programs funded in the
initial years. That research found positive effects of the program
overall in a variety of areas, as well as effects for different program
types and levels of implementation, and among study participants with
different characteristics.
The aim of the current research is to obtain a national picture of
Early Head Start. This initiative will begin a process of describing
how the Early Head Start initiative has grown over time, how programs
are currently implementing services, and who is being served. The study
will be conducted between September 2004 and May 2005.
The data will consist of a survey of all Early Head Start programs
in October 2004 and site visits to a selected sample of 25 programs in
early 2005. All data collection instruments have been designed to
minimize the burden on respondents by minimizing the time required to
respond. Participation in the study is voluntary.
The results of the research will be used by the Head Start Bureau
and ACF to gain a better understanding of changes in program processes
and services over time, to identify areas of strength and weakness in
order to target training and technical assistance or further research
efforts, and finally, to provide a broader context for lessons learned
from the impact study.
Respondents: Early Head Start directors, Early Head Start
coordinators and specialists, teachers, home visitors, and parents of
Early Head Start children.
Annual Burden Estimates
Estimated Response Burden for Respondents to the Survey of Early
Head Start Programs
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Number of Average burden
Instrument Number of responses per hours per Annual burden
respondents respondent response hours
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Survey of Programs (2004)....................... \a\ 595 1 3.0 1,785.0
Site Visit Protocol (2005):
Director Protocol........................... 25 1 3.0 75.0
Coordinator/Specialist Protocol: \b\
Community Partnership....................... 25 1 1.0 25.0
Disabilities................................ 25 1 1.0 25.0
Early Childhood............................. 25 1 1.0 25.0
Family Partnership.......................... 25 1 1.0 25.0
Home Visiting............................... 25 1 1.0 25.0
Teacher Protocol \c\............................ 125 1 1.5 187.5
Home Visitor Protocol \c\....................... 125 1 1.5 187.5
Parent Protocol \c\............................. 125 1 1.5 187.5
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Total for Site Visits....................... 525 .............. .............. 762.5
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\a\ Assumes 85 percent response rate for the survey.
\b\ Not all programs will have staff in each position, therefore, burden estimates for some programs may be
overstated.
\c\ Assumes group interviews with up to five individuals per site. Assumes that all sites have both home
visitors and teachers, although when that is not the case, the burden estimates will be overstated.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,547.5.
In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and
Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the
information collection described above. Copies of the proposed
collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded
by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of
Information Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC
20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. All requests should be
identified by the title of the information collection. E-mail address:
grjohnson@acf.hhs.gov.
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.
Dated: June 16, 2004.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-14169 Filed 6-22-04; 8:45 am]
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