Generic Template - Common Practices Feedback Survey

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 1880-0542)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Reform Support Network Stakeholder Communications and Engagement Community of Practice Website Feedback: Promising Communications Practices

PURPOSE: This submission is a request for approval of a data collection activity that will support the improvement of resources provided to Race to the Top states collected and described on the ED website by the Reform Support Network (the Network) under contract to the U.S. Department of Education (ED). These resources are provided as examples of promising communications efforts that States can replicate and tailor to their unique needs, as well as to identify clear gaps and common areas of need where States might work together to create new tools.

In this package, we are requesting approval to administer a survey to participants on an ongoing basis, with the goals of ascertaining the overall helpfulness of the resources.

There is no existing data collection that can provide us with information on the helpfulness of providing promising communications practices to Race to the Top grantees. This data collection effort is essential for (a) determining whether the information is perceived as helpful to its intended audience, (b) determining how development of other resources might be improved, and (c) collecting ideas from states about other types of additional information and/or tools would be helpful for states in communicating/engaging with stakeholders in education reforms.

The information collected will provide useful data to ED about how to more effectively target and meet the needs of Race to the Top grantees through providing resources to them through electronic means. The survey data will allow ED to provide targeted follow-up support to Race to the Top grantees.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

The target population of this survey is state/local government employees from Race to the Top grantee states, as well as staff from communications firms and institutions of higher education who partner with state/local government employees, who work on communicating and engaging stakeholders in education reforms. The populations will consist of approximately 76 individuals. A 75 percent response rate is expected.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [X] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software) [ ] Small Discussion Group

[ ] Focus Group [ ] Other: ______________________

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name:__Tate Gould______________________________________________

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [X] No

2. If Yes, is the information that will be collected included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [ ] No

3. If Applicable, has a System or Records Notice been published? [ ] Yes [ ] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [ ] Yes [ X] No

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
State/Local Government Employees	29	5 minutes	2 hours
Staff from Communications Firms	14	5 minutes	1 hour
Staff from Institutions of Higher Education	14	5 minutes	1 hour
Totals	57	5 minutes (.08 hours)	4 hours

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is _0___________

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [ ] Yes [ X] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[ X ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[ ] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [ ] Yes [X ] No

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