NonSub Change Request - FACES 2019 COVID-19 Adjustments

To: Josh Brammer,

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Nina Hetzner and Meryl Barofsky

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: April 1, 2020

Subject: NonSubstantive Change Request – Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES 2019) (OMB #0970-0151)

Background

This memo requests approval of nonsubstantive changes to 10 instruments in the approved information collection, Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES 2019) (OMB #0970-0151). Spring 2020 data collection for these instruments began in late February, just before Head Start centers nationwide began closing due to concerns around the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Overview of Requested Changes

Because respondents’ responses to survey items could be influenced by the program closures or reduced services, we propose minor changes to the study instruments. These changes are in the following:

• FACES Parent Survey (Attachment 8),

• AI/AN FACES Parent Survey (Attachment 17),

• FACES Teacher Child Report (Attachment 10),

• AI/AN FACES Teacher Child Report (Attachment 19),

• FACES Teacher Survey (Attachment 11),

• AI/AN FACES Teacher Survey (Attachment 20),

• FACES Program Director Survey (Attachment 12),

• AI/AN FACES Program Director Survey (Attachment 21),

• FACES Center Director Survey (Attachment 13), and

• AI/AN FACES Center Director Survey (Attachment 22).

Across all instruments, we would like to add introductory text to frame respondents’ reference periods when answering questions about activities that may be impacted by COVID-19.

In addition to the global changes noted above, we propose the following changes to specific items in individual instruments.

FACES and AI/AN FACES Parent Survey (Attachments 8 & 17)

• Question SC2c_2_w: Add new response option to indicate that child’s Head Start is closed due to coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

FACES and AI/AN FACES Teacher Child Report (Attachments 10 & 19)

• Question A2: Add response option indicating that the Head Start center is closed due to coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

• Question F6: Add instructions so respondents answer this question thinking about the child’s attendance prior to any changes in program operations that might have occurred as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns.

Time Sensitivities

Due to the active data collection of the instruments above and that a large majority of Head Start centers nationwide are currently closed, we would appreciate an expeditious review and approval of the above-mentioned items.