04-9362. Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY:

Department of Education.

SUMMARY:

The Leader, Regulatory Information Management Group, Office of the Chief Information Officer, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before June 25, 2004.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. OMB may amend or waive the requirement for public consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency's ability to perform its statutory obligations. The Leader, Regulatory Information Management Group, Office of the Chief Information Officer, publishes that notice containing proposed information collection requests prior to submission of these requests to OMB. Each proposed information collection, grouped by office, contains the following: (1) Type of review requested, e.g., new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement; (2) Title; (3) Summary of the collection; (4) Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information; (5) Respondents and frequency of collection; and (6) Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment. The Department of Education 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.

Dated: April 20, 2004.

Angela C. Arrington,

Leader, Regulatory Information Management Group, Office of the Chief Information Officer.

Institute of Education Sciences

Type of Review: New.

Title: Early Reading First (ERF) National Evaluation.

Frequency: On Occasion; one time—consent forms.

Affected Public: Individuals or household; Businesses or other for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions.

Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:

Responses: 5,685.

Burden Hours: 2,256.

Abstract: The proposed data collection is necessary to complete the national evaluation of Early Reading First. The ERF national evaluation will use a regression discontinuity design, including a baseline and two follow-up assessment points, to determine the extent to which the additional funds and technical assistance given to ERF grantees change the instructional content and children's outcomes compared to the content and outcomes in the absence of ERF. The evaluation will also explore the extent to which variations in program quality and implementation are associated with differences in participant outcomes. The respondents for this research initiative include children, parents, teachers and preschool directors. The evaluation results will be used by policymakers to document ERF's effectiveness, understand best practices, and inform decisions about expansion.

Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request may be accessed from http://edicsweb.ed.gov,, by selecting the “Browse Pending Collections” link and by clicking on link number 2531. When you access the information collection, click on “Download Attachments” to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center South, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-4700. Requests may also be electronically mailed to the Internet address [e-mail] or faxed to 202-245-6623. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request.

Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be directed to Kathy Axt at 540-776-7742. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.