[Federal Register: August 7, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 152)] [Notices] [Page 42403-42404] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr07au98-117] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children and Families Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Title: Early Head Start Evaluation. OMB No: 0970-0143. 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) designed the Early Head Start (EHS) program. In September 1995, ACYF awarded grants to 68 local programs to serve families with infants and toddlers. ACYF has subsequently awarded grants to an additional 107 local programs, for a total of 175 EHS programs. EHS programs are designed to produce outcomes in four domains: (1) child development, (2) family development, (3) staff development, and (4) community development. The Reauthorization required that this new initiative be evaluated. To study the effect of the initiative, ACYF awarded a contract through a competitive procurement to Mathematical Policy Research, Inc. (MPR) with a subcontract to Columbia University's Center for Young Children and Families. The evaluation will be carried out from October 1, 1995 through September 30, 2000. Data collection activities that are the subject of this Federal Register notice are intended for the third and final phase of the EHS evaluation. The sample for the child and family assessments will be approximately 3,000 families who include a pregnant woman or a child under 12 months of age, in 17 EHS study sites. Each family will be randomly assigned to a treatment group or a control group. The sample for the child care assessments will include the primary child care provider for the focal child in each of the 3,000 study sample families. The surveys and assessments will be conducted through computer-assisted telephone and personal interviewing, pencil and paper self-administered questionnaires, structured observations and videotaping. All data collection instruments have been designed to minimize the burden on respondents by minimizing interviewing and assessment time. Participation in the study is voluntary and confidential. The information will be used by government managers, Congress and others to identify the features and evaluate the effectiveness of the EHS program. Respondents: Applicants to the Early Head Start program and child care providers for Early Head Start families and control group families. Annual Burden Estimates: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Average burden Instrument Number of responses per hours per Total burden respondents respondent response hours ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 36-Month Parent Interview, Child Assessment, and Videotaping Protocol........................... 576 1 2.0 1,152 Child Care Provider Interview: Child Care Centers-- Center Directors........................ 161 1 .25 40 Direct Provider......................... 161 1 .17 27 Classroom Staff......................... 161 1 .17 27 Family Child Care Providers................. 40 1 .5 20 Family Provider Assistants.............. 9 1 .17 1 Relative Care Providers..................... 113 1 .5 57 Relative Provider Assistants............ 25 1 .17 4 Child Care Provider Observation Protocol: Child Care Centers-- Family Child Care Providers............. 161 1 2 321 Relative Care Providers................. 40 1 2 79 [[Page 42404]] ...................................... 113 1 2 227 Staff Questionnaire............................. 190 1 1 190 --------------------------------------------------------------- Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:...... .............. .............. .............. 2,146 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Additional Information: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be obtained by writing to The Administration for Children and Families, Office of Information Services, Division of Information Resource management, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Washington, DC 20047, Attn.: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. OMB Comment: OMB is required to make a decision concerning the collection of information between 30 to 60 days after publication of this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, a comment is best assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent directly to the following: Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attn: Ms. Wendy Taylor. Dated: August 3, 1998. Bob Sargis, Acting Reports Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 98-21111 Filed 8-6-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4184-01-M