NonSub Change - HS2K March2022

To: Jordan Cohen

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Kathleen Dwyer, COR

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: March 24, 2022

Subject: NonSubstantive Change Request – Understanding Children’s Transitions from Head Start to Kindergarten (OMB #0970-0581)

This memo requests approval of nonsubstantive changes to the approved information collection, Understanding Children’s Transitions from Head Start to Kindergarten (OMB #0970-0581).

Background

On November 15, 2021, we received approval to conduct a comparative multi-case study for Understanding Children’s Transitions from Head Start to Kindergarten (OMB #0970-0581). The purpose of this project is to better understand how to improve children’s transitions from Head Start programs to elementary schools. Information collection includes: (1) semi-structured interviews with practitioners and (2) focus groups and a short background survey with primary caregivers of Head Start children.

The research team is currently recruiting six sites—comprising Head Start organizations and Local Education Agencies—to participate in the case studies. As activities have begun, we have identified some minor updates that are necessary to ensure respondents have all necessary information and all recruitment materials are included with the information collection materials.

Overview of Requested Changes

Change to Consent Form

The qualitative data from the case studies will be archived for future use by researchers, as described in the supporting statements approved in November 2021. The consent forms have been updated to reflect this. We have added the following language to Appendix B—Consent Language for Data Collection:

We may use the information you provide for future research studies. We will not ask for your additional informed consent for these studies. We will store the research data at a trusted repository. Before being made available to other researchers, the data will be reviewed to make sure it cannot be used to identify you in any way.

This addition was made to the following sections in Appendix B:

• B1: Consent for Virtual Family Focus Group (Verbal Consent)

• B2: Consent for In-Person Family Focus Group (Written Consent)

• B3: Consent for Interviews with Administrators, Practitioners, Community Partners, and Former Head Start Families (Verbal Consent)

There are no other changes to the consent forms.

Parent/Caregiver Focus Group Recruitment Letter

The focus group recruitment letter for parents/caregivers was inadvertently omitted from the recruitment materials submitted to OMB in July 2021. Please see additions as section E10 in Appendix E—Recruitment Materials.

Parent/Caregiver Focus Group Recruitment Flyer

The language for a focus group flyer to be shared with parents/caregivers was inadvertently omitted from the recruitment materials submitted to OMB in July 2021. Please see additions as section E11 in Appendix E—Recruitment Materials.

Time Sensitivities

We are currently recruiting sites to participate in the case studies. Some sites are ready to move forward and we are establishing timeframes and procedures for beginning data collection. The case studies must occur no later than April–May 2022 to accommodate Head Start and elementary schools’ academic year.