This request is for the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to conduct the 2016/20
Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B:16/20) full-scale study panel
maintenance activities. 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:16/20 is the second 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. NPSA:16 is the base year for B&B:16 follow-up
interviews in 2017, 2020, and 2026 (anticipated). 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:16/20 full-scale study student interview data collection is
scheduled to take place from July 2020 through March 2021, and the
panel maintenance activity requested in this submission is
scheduled to take place from October 2019 through February
2020.
US Code:
20
USC 9573 Name of Law: Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002
The apparent decrease in
response burden is due to the fact that the previous approval was
for the B&B:16/17 full-scale study, while this request is for
the B&B:16/20 full-scale panel maintenance only.
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.
Appendix A-B BB 2016-2020 FS TRP & Records Matching.docx
2016/20 Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B:16/20) Full-Scale Study Panel Maintenance