2018-02869. Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Title: 2019 National Survey of Early Care and Education.

OMB No.: 0970-0391.

Description: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is proposing a data collection activity as part of the 2019 National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) to be conducted October 2018 through August 2019. The objective of the 2019 NSECE is to document the nation's current supply of early care and education services (that is, home-based providers, center-based providers, and the center-based provider workforce). The 2019 NSECE will collect information on child care and early education providers that serve families with children from birth to 13 years in the country, as well as the early care and education (ECE) workforce providing these services. The proposed collection will consist of three coordinated nationally representative surveys:

1. A survey of individuals providing care for children under the age of 13 in a residential setting (Home-based Provider Interview),

2. A survey of providers of care to children ages 0 through 5 years of age (not yet in kindergarten) in a non-residential setting (Center-based Provider Interview), and

3. A survey conducted with individuals employed in center-based child care programs working directly with children in classrooms (Workforce Interview).

Both the home-based and center-based provider surveys will require a screener to determine eligibility for the main survey.

The 2019 NSECE data collection efforts will provide urgently needed information about the supply of child care and early education available to families across all income levels, including providers serving low-income families of various racial, ethnic, language, and cultural backgrounds, in diverse geographic areas. The provider data will include programs that do or do not participate in the child care subsidy program, are regulated, registered, or otherwise appear in state or national lists and are home-based providers or, center-based programs (e.g., private, community-based child care, Head Start, and state or local Pre-K). Accurate data on the availability and characteristics of early care and education programs are essential to assess the current and changing landscape of child care and early education programs since the 2012 NSECE data collection, and to provide insights to advance policy and initiatives in the ECE field.

Respondents: Home-based providers serving children under 13 years, center-based child care providers (including public schools) serving children ages 0 through 5 years of age (not yet in kindergarten), and selected instructional staff members from these center-based child care providers.

Annual Burden Hours

Instrument	Annual number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Estimated annual burden hours
Home-Based Provider Interview, including Screener	4,000	1	.67	2,680
Home-based Provider Screener, no interview	2,015	1	.03	60
Center-Based Provider Interview, including Screener	7,800	1	.8	6,240
Center-based Provider Screener, no interview	7,640	1	.1	764
Workforce Provider Interview	5,600	1	.33	1,848
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours				11,592

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 Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Switzer Building, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201, Attn: OPRE Reports Clearance Officer. Email address: [e-mail]. All requests should be identified by the title of the information collection.

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.

Mary Jones,

ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.