ACF's request to
modify the Massachusetts study is approved as a non-substantive
change. However, authorization is not provided for the changes to
the Illinois study at this time. OMB understands that ACF never
intended to seek approval for the Illinois component through this
request.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
02/28/2011
36 Months From Approved
07/31/2009
23,556
0
23,556
3,693
0
3,693
0
0
0
Recognizing the need for rigorous,
random assignment experiments to test aspects of subsidy policy,
these three State studies will provide Federal, State, and local
policymakers with information about the role of child care subsidy
policies in helping low-income families achieve self-sufficiency
and help determine how differences in subsidy policies or
quality-improvement efforts are related to parent, child, and child
care provider outcomes. In Massachusetts, respondents are family
child care providers and low-income children in their care. The
Massachusetts study tests the effects of LearningGames, a
developmental curriculum, in family child care homes using a random
assignment design. The original plan called for using the PLS-4 as
the tool for evaluating impacts of LearningGames on child
development for all children, regardless of age. The requested the
change in assessment substitutes one subtest of the PLS-4 with the
Bracken because of the experiences of another project funded
through a grant from the Child Care Bureau. We wanted our data
collection measures to conform with those used by this grant-funded
project in order to maximize the information available for
policymakers about a range of potential interventions in family
child care homes. For the Massachusetts experiment, the
intervention period ended in December 2007 and therefore we are
awaiting feedback about whether we will be able to substitute these
measures before doing our final data collection. We will need to
complete the final data collection for Massachusetts by the end of
February 2008. Therefore, if we do receive clearance to substitute
these measures by February 8, 2008, we will be forced to omit the
Bracken assessment. This will greatly hamper our ability to detect
child outcomes and will limit the usefulness of the study and its
comparability to other research on the effects of quality
improvements in family child care homes.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.