83 FR 54786 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; Education and Human Resources Program Monitoring Clearance

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 211 (October 31, 2018)

Page Range		54786-54787
FR Document		2018-23784

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to renew this collection. In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are providing opportunity for public comment on this action. After obtaining and considering public comment, NSF will prepare the submission requesting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of this collection for no longer than 3 years.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 211 (Wednesday, October 31, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 31, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54786-54787]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-23784]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; 
Education and Human Resources Program Monitoring Clearance

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to 
renew this collection. In accordance with the requirements of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are providing opportunity for 
public comment on this action. After obtaining and considering public 
comment, NSF will prepare the submission requesting Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of this collection for no longer 
than 3 years.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by December 31, 
2018 to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to address 
below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance 
Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite 
W18253, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone (703) 292-7556; or send 
email to splimpto@nsf.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week, 365 days a year (including Federal holidays).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Comments: Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the NCSES, including whether the information will have 
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the NCSES's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.
    Title of Collection: Education and Human Resources Program 
Monitoring Clearance.
    OMB Approval Number: 3145-0226.
    Expiration Date of Approval: April 30, 2019.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek renewal of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The National Science Foundation (NSF) requests re-
clearance of program accountability data collections that describe and 
track the impact of NSF funding that focuses on the Nation's science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and STEM 
workforce. NSF funds grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to 
colleges, universities, and other eligible institutions, and provides 
graduate research fellowships to individuals in all parts of the United 
States and internationally.
    The Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), a unit 
within NSF, promotes rigor and vitality within the Nation's STEM 
education enterprise to further the development of the 21st century's 
STEM workforce and public scientific literacy. EHR does this through 
diverse projects and programs that support research, extension, 
outreach, and hands-on activities that service STEM learning and 
research at all institutional (e.g., pre-school through postdoctoral) 
levels in formal and informal settings; and individuals of all ages 
(birth and beyond). EHR also focuses on broadening participation in 
STEM learning and careers among United States citizens, permanent 
residents, and nationals, particularly those individuals traditionally 
underemployed in the STEM research workforce, including but not limited 
to women, persons with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minorities.
    The scope of this information collection request will primarily 
cover descriptive information gathered from education and training 
(E&T) projects that are funded by NSF. NSF will primarily use the data 
from this collection for program planning, management, and audit 
purposes to respond to queries from the Congress, the public, NSF's 
external merit reviewers who serve as advisors, including Committees of 
Visitors (COVs), the NSF's Office of the Inspector General, and as a 
basis for either internal or third-party evaluations of individual 
programs.
    The collections will generally include three categories of 
descriptive data: (1) Staff and project participants (data that are 
also necessary to determine individual-level treatment and control 
groups for future third-party study or for internal evaluation); (2) 
project implementation characteristics (also necessary for future use 
to identify well-matched comparison groups); and (3) project outputs 
(necessary to measure baseline for pre- and post- NSF-funding-level 
impacts).
    Use of the Information: This information is required for effective 
administration, communication, program and project monitoring and 
evaluation, and for measuring attainment of NSF's program, project, and 
strategic goals, and as identified by the President's Accountability in 
Government Initiative; GPRA, and the NSF's Strategic Plan. The 
Foundation's FY 2014-2018 Strategic Plan may be found at: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14043/nsf14043.pdf.
    Since this collection will primarily be used for accountability and 
evaluation purposes, including responding to queries from COVs and 
other scientific experts, a census rather than sampling design 
typically is necessary. At the individual project level funding can be 
adjusted based on individual project's responses to some of the 
surveys. Some data collected under this collection will serve as 
baseline data for separate research and evaluation studies.
    NSF-funded contract or grantee researchers and internal or external 
evaluators in part may identify control, comparison, or treatment 
groups for NSF's E&T portfolio using some of the descriptive data 
gathered through this collection to conduct well-designed, rigorous 
research and portfolio evaluation studies.
    Respondents: Individuals or households, not-for-profit 
institutions, business or other for profit, and Federal, State, local 
or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 2,160.
    Burden on the Public: NSF estimates that a total reporting and 
recordkeeping burden of 39,802 hours will result from activities to 
monitor EHR STEM education programs. The calculation is shown in table 
1.

[[Page 54787]]



 Table 1--Anticipated Programs That Will Collect Data on Project Progress and Outcomes Along With the Number of
                              Respondents and Burden Hours per Collection per Year
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of       Number of      Annual hour
                        Collection title                            respondents      responses        burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST)              30              30           1,650
 and Historically Black Colleges and Universities Research
 Infrastructure for Science and Engineering (HBCU-RISE)
 Monitoring System..............................................
Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program               35              35           1,890
 (IGERT) Monitoring System......................................
Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP)                    602             602          13,846
 Monitoring System..............................................
Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation Bridge to the               56              56           2,128
 Doctorate (LSAMP-BD) Monitoring System.........................
Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce) Monitoring                  460             460           6,440
 System.........................................................
Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and                        700           1,750           4,200
 Mathematics (S-STEM) Monitoring System.........................
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent                     277             277           6,648
 Expansion Program (STEP) Monitoring System.....................
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           2,160           3,210          39,802
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: October 26, 2018.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2018-23784 Filed 10-30-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P

54786 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 211 / Wednesday, October 31, 2018 / Notices

to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt technology; and (d) ways to minimize including Committees of Visitors
Presidential Library. the burden of the collection of (COVs), the NSF’s Office of the
information on those who are to Inspector General, and as a basis for
Laurence Brewer,
respond, including through the use of either internal or third-party evaluations
Chief Records Officer for the U.S.
Government.
appropriate automated collection of individual programs.
techniques or other forms of information The collections will generally include
[FR Doc. 2018–23760 Filed 10–30–18; 8:45 am]
technology. three categories of descriptive data: (1)
BILLING CODE 7515–01–P
Title of Collection: Education and Staff and project participants (data that
Human Resources Program Monitoring are also necessary to determine
Clearance. individual-level treatment and control
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION OMB Approval Number: 3145–0226. groups for future third-party study or for
Expiration Date of Approval: April 30, internal evaluation); (2) project
Agency Information Collection
2019. implementation characteristics (also
Activities: Comment Request;
Type of Request: Intent to seek necessary for future use to identify well-
Education and Human Resources
renewal of an information collection. matched comparison groups); and (3)
Program Monitoring Clearance
Abstract: The National Science project outputs (necessary to measure
AGENCY: National Science Foundation. Foundation (NSF) requests re-clearance baseline for pre- and post- NSF-funding-
ACTION: Notice. of program accountability data level impacts).
collections that describe and track the Use of the Information: This
SUMMARY: The National Science impact of NSF funding that focuses on
Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans information is required for effective
the Nation’s science, technology, administration, communication,
to renew this collection. In accordance engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
with the requirements of the Paperwork program and project monitoring and
education and STEM workforce. NSF evaluation, and for measuring
Reduction Act of 1995, we are providing funds grants, contracts, and cooperative
opportunity for public comment on this attainment of NSF’s program, project,
agreements to colleges, universities, and and strategic goals, and as identified by
action. After obtaining and considering other eligible institutions, and provides
public comment, NSF will prepare the the President’s Accountability in
graduate research fellowships to Government Initiative; GPRA, and the
submission requesting Office of individuals in all parts of the United
Management and Budget (OMB) NSF’s Strategic Plan. The Foundation’s
States and internationally. FY 2014–2018 Strategic Plan may be
clearance of this collection for no longer The Directorate for Education and
than 3 years. found at: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/
Human Resources (EHR), a unit within 2014/nsf14043/nsf14043.pdf.
DATES: Written comments on this notice NSF, promotes rigor and vitality within
must be received by December 31, 2018 Since this collection will primarily be
the Nation’s STEM education enterprise
to be assured consideration. Comments used for accountability and evaluation
to further the development of the 21st
received after that date will be purposes, including responding to
century’s STEM workforce and public
considered to the extent practicable. queries from COVs and other scientific
scientific literacy. EHR does this
Send comments to address below. experts, a census rather than sampling
through diverse projects and programs
design typically is necessary. At the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: that support research, extension,
individual project level funding can be
Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance outreach, and hands-on activities that
adjusted based on individual project’s
Officer, National Science Foundation, service STEM learning and research at
responses to some of the surveys. Some
2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite all institutional (e.g., pre-school through
data collected under this collection will
W18253, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; postdoctoral) levels in formal and
serve as baseline data for separate
telephone (703) 292–7556; or send email informal settings; and individuals of all
research and evaluation studies.
to splimpto@nsf.gov. Individuals who ages (birth and beyond). EHR also
use a telecommunications device for the focuses on broadening participation in NSF-funded contract or grantee
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal STEM learning and careers among researchers and internal or external
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1– United States citizens, permanent evaluators in part may identify control,
800–877–8339, which is accessible 24 residents, and nationals, particularly comparison, or treatment groups for
hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a those individuals traditionally NSF’s E&T portfolio using some of the
year (including Federal holidays). underemployed in the STEM research descriptive data gathered through this
workforce, including but not limited to collection to conduct well-designed,
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments: Comments are invited on women, persons with disabilities, and rigorous research and portfolio
(a) whether the proposed collection of racial and ethnic minorities. evaluation studies.
information is necessary for the proper The scope of this information Respondents: Individuals or
performance of the functions of the collection request will primarily cover households, not-for-profit institutions,
NCSES, including whether the descriptive information gathered from business or other for profit, and Federal,
information will have practical utility; education and training (E&T) projects State, local or tribal government.
(b) the accuracy of the NCSES’s estimate that are funded by NSF. NSF will Number of Respondents: 2,160.
of the burden of the proposed collection primarily use the data from this Burden on the Public: NSF estimates
of information; (c) ways to enhance the collection for program planning, that a total reporting and recordkeeping
quality, utility, and clarity of the management, and audit purposes to burden of 39,802 hours will result from
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1

information to be collected, including respond to queries from the Congress, activities to monitor EHR STEM
through the use of automated collection the public, NSF’s external merit education programs. The calculation is
techniques or other forms of information reviewers who serve as advisors, shown in table 1.

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Document Created: 2018-10-31 00:33:43
Document Modified: 2018-10-31 00:33:43

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice.
Dates		Written comments on this notice must be received by December 31, 2018 to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date
Contact		Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite W18253, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone (703) 292-7556; or send email to [email protected] Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (including Federal holidays).
FR Citation		83 FR 54786