[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 14 (Monday, January 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3284-3286]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1226]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Comment Request for Information Collection for the H-1B Technical
Skills Training (H-1B) and the H-1B Jobs and Innovation Accelerator
Challenge (JIAC) Grant Programs, New Collection
AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance
consultation program to provide the general public and federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format,
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized,
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.
Currently, the Employment and Training Administration is soliciting
comments concerning the collection of data about H-1B Technical Skills
Training (H-1B) [SGA/DFA PY-10-13] and H-1B Jobs and Innovation
Accelerator Challenge (JIAC) [SGA/DFA PY-10-15] grant programs. A copy
of the proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) can be obtained by
contacting the office listed below in the addresses section of this
notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
addresses section below on or before March 23, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Employment and Training
Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room C-4518, Washington,
DC 20210, Attention: Sarah Sunderlin. Telephone number: (202) 693-3949
(this is not a toll-free number). Fax: (202) 693-3890. Email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
In applying for both H-1B grant programs, grantees agree to submit
participant-level data and quarterly aggregate reports for individuals
who receive services through H-1B programs and their partnerships with
business-related nonprofit organizations, education and training
providers, including community colleges and other community-based
organizations, entities involved in administering the workforce
investment system established under Title I of WIA, and economic
development agencies, among others. The reports include aggregate data
on demographic characteristics, types of services received, placements,
outcomes, and follow-up status. Specifically, they summarize data on
participants who received employment and training services, placement
services, and other services essential to
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successful unsubsidized employment through H-1B programs.
This document requests approval for a new information collection to
meet the (1) reporting, (2) recordkeeping and (3) program evaluation
requirements of both H-1B grant programs through an ETA-provided, Web-
based Management Information System (MIS).
Three outcome measures will be used to measure success in the H-1B
grants: Entered employment rate, employment retention rate (this
includes incumbent workers who retain their positions or advance into
new positions and get wage gains after the program), and the average
six-month post-program earnings. All of these conform to the common
performance measures implemented across Federal job training programs
as of July 1, 2005. By standardizing the reporting and performance
requirements of different programs, the common measures give ETA the
ability to compare across programs the core goals of the workforce
system--how many people entered jobs; how many stay employed; and how
many successfully completed an educational or vocational training
program. In addition to the three outcome measures, grantees will
report on a number of leading indicators that serve as predictors of
success. These include placement into unsubsidized jobs, attainment of
degrees or certificates, placement into post-secondary education or
vocational training, on-the-job training (OJT), classroom occupational
training, contextualized learning, distance learning, and customized
training, including incumbent worker training, and placement into high-
growth industries and occupations.
Although the common measures are an integral part of ETA's
performance accountability system, these measures provide only part of
the information necessary to effectively oversee the workforce
investment system. ETA also collects data from H-1B grantees on program
activities, participants, and outcomes that are necessary for effective
program management and conveying full and accurate information on the
performance of H-1B programs to policymakers and stakeholders.
This information collection maintains a reporting and recordkeeping
system for a minimum level of information collection that is necessary
to comply with Equal Opportunity requirements, to hold H-1B grantees
appropriately accountable for the Federal funds they receive, including
common performance measures, and to allow the Department to fulfill its
oversight and management responsibilities.
The information collection for program evaluation includes setting
up a Participant Tracking System (PTS) through the MIS with baseline
information similar to the quarterly reports but at the individual
participant level. The baseline data covered by this clearance will
enable the evaluation to describe the characteristics of study
participants at the time they are randomly assigned to a treatment or
control group, ensure that random assignment was conducted properly,
create subgroups for the analysis, provide contact information to
locate individuals for follow-up surveys, and improve the precision of
the impact estimates. Such data will be collected on the basis that the
evaluation will consist of an experimental design employing random
assignment of participants into treatment and control groups. A Web-
based PTS will execute the random assignment procedures and compile
baseline data on study sample members. This PTS will assure that
participant data will be in a consistent format across sites.
A rigorous program evaluation also requires clear and specific
documentation of the services provided to treatment group members in
each of the grantee sites and the services available to control group
members. This qualitative information will enable the evaluation to
describe the program design and operations in each site, interpret the
impact analysis results, and identify lessons learned for purposes of
program replication. The process study site visits will include semi-
structured interviews and focus group discussions with various program
stakeholders.
II. Review Focus
The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments
which:
* Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
* Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
* Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and
* Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who
are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submissions of responses.
III. Current Actions
Type of Review: New collection.
Title: H-1B Technical Skills Training and H-1B Jobs and Innovation
Accelerator Challenge grant programs.
OMB Number: OMB Control Number 1205-0NEW.
Estimated Total Burden Hours
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Hourly rate
Estimated total Total annual Average time Total annual for data Total annual
Form/activity respondents Frequency response per response burden hours entry person burden cost
(hours) ($) ($)
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Participant Data Collection 85 Grantees, Continual.......... 12,000 2.66 31,920 14.37 458,690.4
(including baseline data for 12,000
evaluation). participants.
Quarterly Narrative Progress 85 Grantees, Quarterly.......... 340 10 3400 14.37 48,858
Report. 12,000
participants.
Quarterly Performance Report... 85 Grantees, Quarterly.......... 340 10 3400 14.37 48,858
12,000
participants.
Site Visit Data Collection..... 150 total staff... Twice.............. 300 1 hour 300 18.76 5,628
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Totals..................... .................. ................... 12,980 23.66 39,020 .............. 562,034.4
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Affected Public: H-1B Grantees and program participants.
Form(s): Total Annual Respondents: 85 grantees.
Annual Frequency: Quarterly.
Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be
summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and
Budget approval of the information collection request; they will also
become a matter of public record.
Dated: Signed in Washington, DC, on this 17th day of January
2012.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-1226 Filed 1-20-12; 8:45 am]
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