Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) Program Evaluation

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment Program Evaluation Form	New
Survey revisions table 9.25.24.xlsx Supplementary Document	2024-09-25
Supporting Statement Part B CLEAN 10.3.24.docx Supporting Statement B	2024-10-07
Supporting Statement Part A CLEAN 10.3.24.docx Supporting Statement A	2024-10-07

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
267353	Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment Program Evaluation Form	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No:	ICR Reference No: 202404-1820-002
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: ED/OSERS	Agency Tracking No: ED-2024-SCC-0068
Title: Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) Program Evaluation
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 10/11/2024

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved
Responses	4,866	0
Time Burden (Hours)	2,224	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: The U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) requests clearance for new data collection activities to support the evaluation of the evaluation of the Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) program. The aim of this project is to increase transitions to competitive integrated employment (CIE) among people working in subminimum wage employment (SWE)—or considering doing so—through innovative activities to build systemwide alternatives to subminimum wage employment. Advocacy, policy and practice have evolved in recent decades toward a shift to CIE, as reflected in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and most recently in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which provides funding for DIF. This request covers primary data collection activities, including survey data, administrative data, site visits, and focus groups. In September 2022, the RSA awarded five-year grants for the 84.421D DIF. The grants provide 14 state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies with funding to implement SWTCIE Innovative Model Demonstration projects to decrease SWE and increase CIE among people with disabilities currently employed in or contemplating SWE. To achieve this purpose, the projects will create innovative models for dissemination and replication to (1) identify strategies for addressing barriers associated with accessing CIE, (2) provide integrated services that support CIE, (3) support integration into the community through CIE, (4) identify and coordinate wraparound services for project participants who obtain CIE, (5) develop and disseminate evidence-based practices, and (6) provide entities holding section 14(c) certificates with readily accessible transformative business models for adoption. The intervention models vary across the SWTCIE projects, but all of them will work with employers that hold 14(c) certificates, other employers, service providers, and additional community partners to empower transition-age youth and working-age adults with disabilities to pursue CIE. In addition, each project will use part of its funds for an independent evaluator to conduct a project-specific evaluation of its activities and outcomes. This data collection for the RSA DIF is critical as the evaluation is intended to make information more actionable for practitioners and policymakers and ensure the DIF program outcomes are duplicatable for VR agencies and partners. The evaluation will (1) describe the implementation and costs of the federally-funded program and strategies; (2) improve the identification of DIF program models and strategies related to the state VR programs, intended to improve outcomes for individuals with disabilities in CIE, including but not limited to accommodations and services for individuals with disabilities, utilization of technology, and supports; (3) interconnect the projects to evaluate the effectiveness of particular strategies in the context of how commonly that strategy is used across the projects; (4) analyze trends in CIE outcomes and potential impacts of federal grants; and (5) examine the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of the program and strategies that support CIE and reduce SWE.

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Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 116 - 260 134 Name of Law: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: PL: Pub.L. 116 - 260 134 Name of Law: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 38112	05/07/2024
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 82597	10/11/2024
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment Program Evaluation	NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA	Site Visit Participant Interviews ,   Site Visit Caregiver Focus Group ,   Site Visit Implementation Partners ,   Site Visit Staff Focus Group ,   Site Visit CIE Employers ,   Site Visit 14c Certificate Holders ,   Consent Form ,   Baseline Survey ,   Participant Follow up Survey ,   DIF Staff Records ,   Project Cost and Data Collection Guide

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	4,866	0	0	4,866	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	2,224	0	2,005	0	219	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a new data collection.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $806,139

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 10/11/2024

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