2020/25 Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS:20/25) Field Test

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
Appendix C Student Contacting Materials v20.docx Supplementary Document	2023-08-31
Appendices A-B TRP Admin Records v20.docx Supplementary Document	2023-08-31
BPS25 PartB v20.docx Supporting Statement B	2023-08-31
BPS25 PartA v20.docx Supporting Statement A	2023-08-31

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
22386	2020/25 Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS:20/25) Field Test Other-Qualitative Testing Summary	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1850-0631	ICR Reference No: 202308-1850-003
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202112-1850-001
Agency/Subagency: ED/IES	Agency Tracking No: ED-2023-SCC-0157
Title: 2020/25 Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS:20/25) Field Test
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 10/20/2023

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	02/28/2025
Responses	6,927	25,610
Time Burden (Hours)	1,279	12,544
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: The 2020/25 Beginning Postsecondary Students Full-Scale (BPS:20/25) is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, part of the Institute of Education Sciences, within the Department of Education, and is part of the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study data collection program at https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/bps/. BPS is designed to follow a cohort of students who enroll in postsecondary education for the first time during the same academic year, irrespective of the date of high school completion. The study collects data on students' persistence in and completion of postsecondary education programs; their transition to employment; demographic characteristics; and changes over time in their goals, marital status, income, and debt, among other indicators. Data from BPS are used to help researchers and policymakers better understand how financial aid influences persistence and completion, what percentages of students complete various degree programs, what are the early employment and wage outcomes for certificate and degree attainers, and why students leave school. The BPS:20/25 field test will include approximately 3,280 students who first began in the 2018-19 academic year. BPS:20/25 will be a nationally-representative sample of approximately 34,240 students who were first-time beginning students during the 2019-20 academic year. These students will be asked to complete a survey and administrative data will also be collected for them. Administrative data matching will be conducted with sources including the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), containing federal loan and grant files; the Central Processing System (CPS), which houses and processes data contained in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms; the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) which provides enrollment and degree verification; vendors of national undergraduate, graduate, and professional student admission tests; and possible other administrative data sources such as the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). These data will be obtained through file matching/downloading. This submission is designed to adequately justify the need for and overall practical utility of the full study, presenting the overarching plan for all phases of the data collection and providing as much detail about the measures to be used as is available at the time of this submission. As part of this submission, NCES will publish a notice in the Federal Register allowing first a 60- and then a 30-day public comment period. Field test materials, procedures, and results will inform the full-scale study. After completion of the field test, NCES will publish a notice in the Federal Register allowing an additional 30-day public comment period on the final details and materials of the BPS:20/25 full-scale study.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 20 USC 9573 Name of Law: Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	88 FR 60934	09/07/2023
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	88 FR 60934	09/07/2023
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
2020/25 Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS:20/25) Field Test

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	6,927	25,610	0	-18,683	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,279	12,544	0	-11,265	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Short Statement: The previous request included burden for all activities associated with the full-scale national study, while this submission requests burden only for a field test administration.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $1,691,000

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 10/20/2023

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