NonSub Change Request - Edits to Directions and Rubric formatting

To: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA); Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

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

Date: August 23, 2017

Subject: Assessing the Implementation and Cost of High Quality Early Care and Education: Comparative Multi-Case Study, Phase 2 (OMB: 0970-0499)

In preparation for Phase 2 data collection this fall, we conducted a usability test of the implementation data collection tools that are organized into a series of rubrics, with three early care and education center directors that serve children from birth to age five. Interviews were conducted with only these three individuals. The usability tests were completed in June and July 2017. Based on the findings, we made revisions to the directions given to respondents and format of the rubrics to address issues that would better facilitate data collection. We are submitting the following revisions as a non-substantive change request:

• Revised the introduction to implementation rubrics.

• Separated ‘directions’ pages from the rubric document to increase ease of reference to directions during data collection.

• Incorporated information from the ‘directions’ pages into each rubric, including select one, select all that apply, and write-in _____. This will reduce the amount of back and forth data collectors will need to do between the directions and the rubrics during data collection.

• Clarified wording of questions throughout based on feedback from respondents during usability tests.

• Included ‘Write in’ answer categories in some categories, based on responses we received during the usability tests that we determined did not align with the current answer categories.

• Added specific response categories to a few questions in which respondents in the usability tests provided similar answers in write-in sections; we expect these answers may have frequently been captured in write-ins.

• Developed or enhanced definitions of the following, based on feedback from respondents during usability testing:

  • Center resources

  • Staffing structure

  • Administration over center operations

  • Administration over educational program

  • Child and family support services (and what it means to track receipt of these services)

  • Children with special needs

• Revised or separated answer categories within the rubrics:

  • B. Child and Family Support, separated ‘Trained teacher/specialist’ into two cells, ‘Trained teacher’ and ‘Trained specialist (on staff)’

  • In several rubrics we expanded ‘Center director’ to include ‘Center director/assistant director,’ based on center leadership structure in two of usability test centers

• Changed the order of questions in a couple rubrics to improve alignment with a clearer line of questioning.