E9-13498. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Department of Education.

SUMMARY:

The Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management invites comments on the submission for OMB review as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before July 9, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments should be addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Education Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10222, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503, be faxed to [phone] or send e-mail to [e-mail].

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 IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, 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.

Dated: June 4, 2009.

Angela C. Arrington,

IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management.

Institute of Education Sciences

Type of Review: Reinstatement.

Title: National Household Education Survey (NHES): 2009 Pilot Test.

Frequency: Once.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:

Responses: 9,994.

Burden Hours: 1,360.

Abstract: The National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES) collects data directly from households on early childhood care and education, children's readiness for school, parent perceptions of school safety and discipline, before- and after-school activities of school-age children, participation in adult and continuing education, parent involvement in education, school choice, homeschooling, and civic involvement. NHES surveys have been conducted approximately every other year from 1991 through 2007 using random digit dial (RDD) sampling and telephone data collection from landline telephones only. Each survey collection included the administration of household screening questions (Screener) and two or three topical surveys. Like virtually all RDD surveys, NHES Screener response rates have declined (from about 80% in early 1990s to 53% in 2007) and the decline in the percentage of households without landline telephones (from about 93% in early 2004 to about 80% in the first half of 2008; mostly due to conversion to cellular-only coverage) raises issues about population coverage. While studies examining possible biases in the NHES survey estimates have not identified nonresponse bias, some indications of possible coverage bias were detected in a special bias study conducted in 2007. As a result, NCES is redesigning the NHES program to develop and assess approaches to collecting data with improved response and population coverage. The Pilot Test will be conducted in the fall of 2009 to examine proposed methods on a smaller and more economical scale prior to a large-scale Field Test planned for 2011. The NHES: 2009 Pilot Test will use a reduced sample (approximately 10% of the anticipated 2011 Field Test sample size) and involve screening of approximately 11,800 households to identify those with eligible children and youth. Parents or guardians of sampled children will be ECPP), and the Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey (PFI). The PFI Survey has been divided into two questionnaire forms for ease of self-administration: one focuses on children enrolled in school for kindergarten through 12th grade and one focuses on children who are homeschooled.

Requests for copies of the information collection submission for OMB review may be accessed from http://edicsweb.ed.gov,, by selecting the “Browse Pending Collections” link and by clicking on link number 3997. When you access the information collection, click on “Download Attachments ” to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., LBJ, Washington, DC 20202-4537. Requests may also be electronically mailed to the Internet address [e-mail] or faxed to 202-401-0920. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request.

Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be electronically mailed to [e-mail]. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.