Title II of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 mandates a National Assessment
of Adult Education. As part of the assessment, ED is conducting a
feasibility study to determine whether specific adult education
approaches could be rigorously evaluated at this time. If such
approaches are identified, ED may elect to conduct effectiveness
studies in a subsequent phase of the national assessment. The
feasibility study, which is the focus of this clearance package,
will draw on interviews with directors of WIOA-funded adult
education programs that currently implement, or that could
implement, one of a number of approaches that ED has prioritized.
If any of the proposed studies proceed, revised clearance packages
will be submitted for data collections not covered under this
request.
The set of interviews conducted
thus far included conversations with program directors of
approximately 20 IET programs, with the remaining interviews
focusing on one or more of the other strategies. Interviews with a
larger number of program directors whose sites provide IET programs
are needed in order to determine whether a sufficient number of IET
programs and program applicants exist to support the sample size
needed for an impact study, and to be better understand potential
variation in services across programs. This results in an increase
in burden and response of 50 responses and 25 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.