The Early Childhood Longitudinal
Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011), sponsored by
the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the
Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of
Education (ED), is a survey that focuses on children's early school
experiences beginning with kindergarten and continuing through the
fifth grade. It includes the collection of data from parents,
teachers, school administrators, and non-parental care providers,
as well as direct child assessments. Like its sister study, the
Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99
(ECLS-K), the ECLS-K:2011 is exceptionally broad in its scope and
coverage of child development, early learning, and school progress,
drawing together information from multiple sources to provide rich
data about the population of children who were kindergartners in
the 2010-11 school year. This submission requests OMB's clearance
for (1) a spring 2012 first-grade national data collection; (2) a
fall 2012 second-grade data collection with the same 30 percent
subsample for which data will be collected in the fall 2011
first-grade collection; and (3) a 60-day federal register notice
waiver for the next OMB clearance package to be submitted in June
of 2012 for the spring 2013 second-grade data collection,
recruitment for the spring 2014 third-grade data collection, and
tracking students for the spring 2014 third-grade and spring 2015
fourth-grade data collection.
The increase in the burden
requested for this collection as compared to the burden last
approved is due to the fact that the last OMB approval was for the
fall first grade data collection (with a sub-sample of the base
year) and for fall first grade through spring second grade
recruitment and tracking, while this request is for the spring
first grade data collection (with the full sample), fall second
grade data collection (with the sub-sample), and carry over of
burden for the fall first grade data collection (with a sub-sample)
plus spring first-grade through spring second-grade recruitment and
tracking.
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.