This request is for the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to conduct the 2016/17
Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:16/17). The
B&B studies of the education, work, financial, and personal
experiences of individuals who have completed a bachelor’s degree
at a given point in time are a series of longitudinal studies.
Every 8 years, students are identified as bachelor’s degree
recipients through the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study
(NPSAS). B&B:16/17 is the first follow-up of a panel of
baccalaureate degree recipients identified in the 2015–16 NPSAS,
and part of the fourth cohort (B&B:16) of the B&B series.
B&B cohorts prior to B&B:16 were approved under OMB#
1850-0729. The B&B:16 cohort is submitted and reviewed under
OMB# 1850-0926. The primary purposes of the B&B studies are to
describe the post-baccalaureate paths of new college graduates,
with a focus on their experiences in the labor market and
post-baccalaureate education, and their education-related debt.
B&B also focuses on the continuing education paths of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates, as well
as the experiences of those who have begun careers in education of
students through the 12th grade. Since graduating from college in
2014-15 for the field test, and 2015-16 for the full-scale study,
members of this B&B:16 cohort will begin moving into and out of
the workforce, enrolling in additional undergraduate and graduate
education, forming families, and repaying undergraduate
education-related debt. Documenting these choices and pathways,
along with individual, institutional, and employment
characteristics that may be related to those choices, provides
critical information on the costs and benefits of a bachelor’s
degree in today’s workforce. B&B studies include both
traditional-age and non-traditional-age college graduates, whose
education options and choices often diverge considerably, and allow
study of the paths taken by these different graduates.
B&B:16/17 main study data collection is scheduled to take place
from July 2017 through March 2018.
US Code:
20
USC 9573 Name of Law: Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002
The apparent increase in burden
is due to the fact that the previous approval was for the
B&B:16/17 field test, while this request is for the
B&B:16/17 main study recruitment and data collection, and for
B&B:16/20 field test panel maintenance.
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.
B&B 2016-2017 Main Study Response to 30-day Public Comment.docx
2016-17 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:16/17) Main Study