PREP Eval - Non-substantive change request - 12 17-13

To: Brenda Aguilar, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

From: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: December 19, 2013

Subject: Nonsubstantive Change – Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) Multi-component Evaluation

The PREP Multi-Component Evaluation includes random assignment impact evaluations in four sites. Since we received OMB approval for the baseline and follow-up surveys to be used in these sites, we have learned more about the population of youth in each site.

We are requesting approval - as a non-substantive change - to create a streamlined and slightly modified version of the baseline and follow-up surveys to be used in one of the four sites, in order to be responsive to the characteristics of the study sample in this site. The specific changes we are requesting are outlined below.

Background. In March 2013, OMB approved a data collection package for the PREP Evaluation that included the baseline survey for participants in the impact evaluation portion of the study. In November 2013, OMB approved an additional data collection package for the PREP Evaluation, which included the follow-up survey for participants in the impact evaluation.

New York City site. Since OMB approval, a site in New York City has been selected to participate in the impact evaluation. The youth in this site have been referred to alternative schools because of special needs. Many of the youth in this site have a low literacy level, and the vast majority of the youth (approximately 80%) are sexually active. Approximately 40% of the youth in the sample are in foster care.

Request. We are requesting that you approve the following minor modifications, as a non-substantive change, so that we may streamline the survey and ensure that it is appropriate for the population in the New York City site:

• Consolidating the three parts of the survey, to streamline the survey. The current (approved) version of the baseline and follow-up surveys has three parts: Part A, Part B1, and Part B2. All participants complete Part A. At the end of part A, they are then asked to complete either Part B1 (for the youth who identify as sexually active) or Part B2 (for the youth who do not identify as sexually active). In the New York site, we want to create one streamlined version of the survey, to reduce the length and complexity of the survey and make it easier for participants to complete. Instead of receiving three packets of paper – Part A, Part B1, and Part B2 – and then determining whether to complete Part B1 or B2 based on their response to the last question in Part A, survey takers will simply receive one survey packet, and will follow a skip pattern within the streamlined survey in order to answer the questions that are appropriate for them.

• Eliminating several questions in the survey, to simplify the survey. Several questions, as well as some of the question prompts, have been dropped in order to shorten the survey, to make it easier for participants with lower reading levels to complete. The original burden requested, however, is not anticipated to change due to the participants lower reading levels.

• Modifying several questions to be appropriate for a foster youth population. Several of the response choices have been altered slightly in order to match the characteristics of the current population. For example, many of the participants may not have a mother or father. Therefore, for questions regarding a mother-figure, a response option has been added to reflect the fact that participants may not have a mother-figure in their life.

These modified surveys are titled “PREP NY Baseline Survey” and “PREP NY Follow-up Survey.” In the revised surveys, the black text is the original, and the red reflects the changes made to the original surveys that previously received OMB approval. Supporting statement A and B has been revised to reflect these updates.