NCES is requesting a 3 year generic
system clearance for the National Assessment of Education Progress
(NAEP) to be administered in the 2014-2016 timeframe (OMB
#1850-0790). The primary reason for the system clearance request is
that it enables NAEP to meet its large and complex assessment
reporting schedules and deliverables through a more efficient
clearance process. NAEP is a federally authorized survey of student
achievement at grades 4, 8, and 12 in various subject areas, such
as mathematics, reading, writing, science, U.S. history, civics,
geography, economics, technology and engineering literacy (TEL),
and the arts. The National Assessment of Educational Progress
Authorization Act (Public Law 107-279 Title III, section 303)
requires the assessment to collect data on specified student groups
and characteristics, including information organized by
race/ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, disability, and
limited English proficiency. It requires fair and accurate
presentation of achievement data and permits the collection of
background, noncognitive, or descriptive information that is
related to academic achievement and aids in fair reporting of
results. The intent of the law is to provide representative sample
data on student achievement for the nation, the states, and
subpopulations of students and to monitor progress over time. The
nature of NAEP is that burden alternates from a relatively low
burden in national-level administration years to a substantial
burden increase in state-level administration years when the sample
has to allow for estimates for individual states and some of the
large urban districts. Consequently, the estimated respondent
burden is substantially lower for the 2014 and 2016 versus the 2015
administration of NAEP. The NAEP results will be reported to the
public through the Nations Report Card as well as other online NAEP
tools.
PL:
Pub.L. 107 - 279 303 Name of Law: National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act
The nature of NAEP is that
burden alternates from a relatively low burden in national-level
administration years (i.e., even years) to a substantial burden
increase in state-level administration years that include one or
more assessments that support national, state-by-state, and certain
urban districts reporting (i.e., odd years). In state/district
assessment years, NAEP samples approximately 1,000,000 students,
while in national-only assessment years, approximately 100,000
students. In 2015, NAEP will conduct state/district assessments,
and in 2014 and 2016, national-level assessments. The previous
System Clearance included burden for two state/district assessments
(2011 and 2013) and only one national-level assessment (2012),
therefore the overall number of respondents and responses is lower
in this clearance request than in the previous one. However,
because we have adjusted the estimated respondent time for students
and the pre-assessment visit, the overall time burden estimate is
slightly higher for this versus the previous System Clearance.
Previously, only the time spent responding to the noncognitive
questionnaires was included in the total burden calculation for the
students, but now we also include the time for instructions and
booklet distribution, which increases the per-student burden
estimate by an additional 10 minutes for paper-and-pencil
assessments and by 15 minutes for computer-delivered assessments.
Finally, recent reports from the field staff have indicated that
the pre-assessment visits require two hours, rather than the one
hour previously estimated. Therefore, we have adjusted the burden
estimate for pre-assessment visit to two hours.
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.
Part B NAEP System Clearance 2014-2016.docx
Att_60-Day FR Notice 1850-0790.pdf
Appendix A NAEP System Clearance 2014-2016.doc