Monitoring GenIC - OHS Background Checks Survey

Request for Approval under the clearance of the “Generic for ACF Program Office Monitoring Activities” Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number: 0970-0558

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Office of Head Start Survey on Background Checks and Staffing

PURPOSE: Head Start grantees are responsible for completing comprehensive background checks on all prospective employees as set forth in the Head Start Program Performance Standards under §1302.90(b) (OMB #: 0970-0148). Grantees have reported anecdotally on workforce challenges related to recruitment and retention of staff and with complying with comprehensive background check requirements within the timeframe allotted under the Head Start Performance Standards. Processing of background checks is further complicated for many Head Start grantees by the additional background check requirements under OMB #: 0970-0148. The background check systems are often led by state law enforcement agencies and accessed by the lead agency for the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program and cannot be directly accessed by Head Start grantees. The Office of Head Start seeks to learn more about the specific experiences grantees are having in accessing the background check systems in their states as well as experiences with recruiting and retaining staff generally. With this information, the Office of Head Start will develop technical assistance supports and materials to assist grant recipients in navigating state background check systems and in staff recruitment and retention efforts. Data will also be used to inform possible policy changes and monitoring practices that can support recipients as they strive to hire, onboard and retain qualified staff to serve in Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

This information collection aligns with the overarching generic for monitoring activities, which specifically states that ACF will collect the information for:

• monitoring of compliance with federal practice, guidelines and requirements,

• quick understanding of and remediation to national, regional, and/or site-specific issues,

• provision of support as needed,

• documentation of promising practice, innovative services, and program strengths

The proposed uses of the data also align with the overarching generic clearance, which specifies that program offices will use information collected under this generic clearance to monitor the efficiency and efficacy of funding recipient activities and to provide support or take appropriate action, as needed. Specifically, these data will be used to

• Inform oversight and evaluation of grantee performance and compliance, and

• Determine if additional actions/support (e.g., T/TA) are needed to increase the potential for success or to protect federal interests (e.g., enforcement actions).

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS: (e.g., states, grantees, or type of non-profit)

The survey will be distributed to a random sample of 200 Head Start grant recipients. We anticipate about 150 respondents.

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is in compliance with U.S. Health and Human Services regulations.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

Name: Beth Caron, Office of Head Start State Systems Specialist ____________

To assist OMB review of your request, please provide answers to the following question:

PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [X] No

2. If Yes, will any information that is collected be included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [ ] No

3. If Yes, has an up-to-date System of Records Notice been published? [ ] Yes [ ] No

BURDEN HOURS

The survey will be distributed to a random sample of 200 Head Start grant recipients and we anticipate one response from each funding recipient that responds (estimated to be 150). To estimate the average time per response, we received feedback from OHS regional program offices and conducted a small pilot with 7 respondents. Based on these efforts, the average estimated time per response is 12 minutes.

Information Collection	Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	No. of Responses per Respondent per year	Burden per Response	Annual Burden
Background Check Survey	Private Sector (Head Start Grantees)	150	1	12 min	30 hours

The cost per respondent is expected to be consistent across respondents. Our estimate is based on Labor Statistics data from 2021 for Education and Childcare Administrators

(job code 11-9031; https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes119031.htm). The mean national hourly wage for this occupation is $25.87. To account for benefits and overhead the rate is multiplied by two which is $51.74.  The estimate of burden cost to respondents is $51.74 multiplied by 30 hours of burden, which is $1552.20.

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal Government is $1,000.00 .

TYPE OF COLLECTION:

How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[x] Web-based

[ ] E-mail

[ ] Paper mail

[ ] Other, Explain

Please make sure to submit all instruments, instructions, and scripts with the request.

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