Evaluation of the Head Start Safe Families-Safe Homes Training Curriculum
Supporting Statement for OMB Clearance Request
Part B
Revised November 2011
Part B
Statistical Methods (used for collection of information employing statistical methods)
This section provides supporting statements for each of the five points outlined in Part B of the OMB guidelines, in order to collect survey and phone interview data for the Evaluation of the Head Start Safe Families-Safe Homes Training Curriculum.
B1. Respondent Universe and Sampling Methods
The respondent universe for the survey includes all 250 Head Start staff who participate in the Safe Families-Safe Homes training sessions. The 250 participants are distributed across the five states selected by the Office of Head Start to participate in the initiative. Within each state, the Head Start Collaboration Directors are selecting the Head Start staff who will participate in the training sessions based on the unique contexts and staff needs within their states. Further, within each state, the 50 participants are distributed across two training sessions. One of the overall goals of this evaluation is to explore the non-random variation in the training, the participants, and the communities they serve.
The respondent universe for the phone interview includes all members of the state training teams. Each of the five states in the project has a training team led by the Head Start Collaboration Director and Domestic Violence Coalition Director; other members include representatives from relevant state agencies (e.g., child welfare, substance abuse). Two members of each of the training teams will be selected for a semi-structured phone interview, for a total sample size of 10. Non-probability sampling will be used. The goal of the purposive sampling is to interview, for each state, one training team leader and one trainer who attended the training-of-trainers event. Selected members of the state training teams will be asked about their perspectives on the key characteristics of the training, adaptations that were made to meet the needs of their states, and lessons learned about implementation of the Safe Families-Safe Homes training curriculum that might inform similar efforts elsewhere.
B2. Procedures for Collection of Information
As described in Section B1, sampling will not be utilized for the survey data collection; rather, surveys will be administered to all training participants. Also as described in Section B1, purposive sampling will be utilized for the semi-structured phone interviews of state training team members.
As described in Section A3, survey data will be collected from training participants using a web-based survey tool, and interview data will be collected from state training team members via semi-structured phone interviews.
Trainers have already been made aware of the upcoming information collection. Training participants will be notified in advance regarding the survey. They will then be notified by e-mail when the survey is ready for them to complete and will be provided instructions for linking to the survey. Responses will be tracked, and reminder e-mails will be sent via e-mail as needed.
B3. Methods to Maximize Response Rates and Deal with Nonresponse
The response rate will be calculated by dividing the number of completed surveys by the total number of training participants. We anticipate a response rate of 80% for the participant survey.
Several factors should help maximize response rates. First, the Head Start staff who will be participating in the trainings may have personal connections with the Head Start Collaboration Directors leading the state teams. The Head Start Collaboration Directors participating in the Safe Families-Safe Homes initiative have been in close contact with the Office of Head Start and the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation regarding the upcoming information collection. Second, participants will be notified in advance regarding the survey, and information will be conveyed regarding the purpose of the information collection. Third, the survey is short and straightforward. Fourth, the web-based tool further minimizes the burden for respondents. Finally, reminder e-mails will be sent via e-mail as needed.
If there are missing data for any items, the results will be reported as percentages, with frequencies shown in parentheses. Demographic and other data will be analyzed to determine if there is any response that would bias interpretation of outcome measures.
B4. Test of Procedures or Methods to be Undertaken
Many of the questions included in the survey and the semi-structured interview were adapted from other measures used in Head Start research, including the Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) Family Service Worker Interview, the Oral Health Initiative Evaluation Director Interview, and the I Am Moving, I Am Learning Implementation Evaluation Stage 1 Questionnaire.
B5. Individuals Consulted on Statistical Aspects and Individuals Collecting and/or Analyzing Data
The Office of Head Start (OHS), with assistance from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), both within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), is responsible for the study design and data collection. With HHS oversight, a consultant from Paltech will assist the OHS and OPRE with data collection, data analysis, and report preparation. Key input to the statistical aspects of the data analysis was received from the following individuals:
Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Head Start
Kiersten Beigel, Marco Beltran
Division of Family Violence Prevention, Family and Youth Services Bureau
Shawndell Dawson
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation
Kathleen Dwyer, Mary Bruce Webb
Kathleen Dwyer has overseen the design process and can be contacted at:
Kathleen Dwyer
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
370 L’Enfant Promenade, SW
Washington, DC 20447
202-401-5600
| File Type | application/msword |
| Author | Department of Health and Human Services |
| Last Modified By | bbarker |
| File Modified | 2011-11-18 |
| File Created | 2011-11-18 |