[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 53 (Friday, March 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13305-13306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-6026]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Comment Request for Information Collection for Evaluation of the 
Technology-Based Learning Grants: New Collection

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden conducts a preclearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. 
Currently, the Employment and Training Administration is soliciting 
comments concerning a new data collection effort for the Technology-
Based Learning Grants Evaluation.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section 
of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee's section below on or before May 18, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Jonathan Simonetta, Room N-5641, 
Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20210. Telephone number: 202-693-3911 (this is not a 
toll-free number). Fax: 202-693-2766. E-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Evaluation of the Technology-Based Learning (TBL) Grants is a 
two-year evaluation of grantees funded under the Employment and 
Training Administration's (ETA) TBL Initiative (73 FR 35155 (June 20, 
2008)) to implement TBL programs that increase worker access to 
training in a timely and effective manner, while simultaneously 
stimulating the development of new and innovative models and uses for 
TBL in the public workforce system. The evaluation will document and 
assess learners' experiences and outcomes related to participating in 
such a program, and the implications for the public workforce system.
    As a key part of the TBL evaluation, ETA's contractor will collect 
administrative data from grantees and administer a customer survey. The 
customer survey will provide information on customer satisfaction and 
participant outcomes, and thus inform future TBL projects. Since 
grantees are presently reporting only limited data about TBL 
participants to ETA, reasons for participation, challenges to 
participation, other workforce services received, and, of particular 
importance, satisfaction with TBL training and services would not 
otherwise be available in the absence of the survey. Thus, in order to 
more thoroughly evaluate the TBL program, participation, outcomes and 
satisfaction data will be gathered from both the limited administrative 
data and the customer survey.
    The survey will be conducted online and will provide basic 
demographic, programmatic, and outcome information on participants in 
TBL programs, and supply participants' contact information for survey 
administration.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
    * Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;

[[Page 13306]]

    * Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    * Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    * 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, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses.

III. Current Actions

    Type of Review: New collection.
    Title: Evaluation of the Technology-Based Learning Grants.
    OMB Number: 1205-0NEW.
    Affected Public: Individuals.
    Form(s): n/a.
    Total Respondents: 1,500.
    Frequency: One-time survey.
    Total Responses: 1,050.
    Average Time per Response: 20 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 350 (see table 1, below).
    Total Burden Cost for Respondents: $17,991.

                                                             Table 1--Estimated Burden Hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                             Time per
                 Activity                    Sample size    Response rate     Number of              Frequency               response      Total burden
                                                                             respondents                                     (minutes)         hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monthly Administrative Data Requests.....  ..............  ..............              20  7............................             120             280
Final Administrative Data Request........  ..............  ..............              20  Once.........................             240              80
Customer Survey..........................           1,500             70%           1,050  Once.........................              20             350
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be 
summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and 
Budget approval of the information collection request; they will also 
become a matter of public record.

    Dated: March 15, 2010.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-6026 Filed 3-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FN-P