30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Education and Cultural Affairs Monitoring and Evaluation Initiative, 53899-53900 [2020-19148]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 169 (Monday, August 31, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53899-53900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19148]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 11192]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Education and 
Cultural Affairs Monitoring and Evaluation Initiative

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and submission to OMB of 
proposed collection of information.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State has submitted the information 
collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for approval. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 we 
are requesting comments on this collection from all interested 
individuals and organizations. The purpose of this Notice is to allow 
30 days for public comment.

DATES: Submit comments up to September 30, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information regarding the collection listed in this notice, including 
requests for copies of the proposed collection instrument and 
supporting documents, to Natalie Donahue, Chief of Evaluation, Bureau 
of Educational and Cultural Affairs, who may be reached at 
[email protected] or at 202-632-6193.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
     Title of Information Collection: Monitoring Data for ECA 
(MODE) Framework.
     OMB Control Number: None.
     Type of Request: New collection.
     Originating Office: Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA/
P/V).
     Form Number: No form.
     Respondents: ECA program participants, alumni, and host/
home communities.
     Estimated Number of Participant Post-Program Survey 
Respondents: 66,691.
     Estimated Number of Participant Post-Program Survey 
Responses: 50,532.
     Average Time per Participant Post-Program Survey: 8 
minutes.
     Total Estimate Participant Post-Program Survey Burden 
Time: 6,738 hours.
     Estimated Number of Alumni Survey Respondents: 13,591.
     Estimated Number of Alumni Survey Responses: 6,063.
     Average Time per Alumni Survey: 30 minutes.
     Total Estimated Alumni Survey Burden Time: 3,032 hours.
     Estimated Number of Host/Home Community Survey 
Respondents: 5,000.
     Estimated Number of Host/Home Community Survey Responses: 
500.
     Average Time per Host/Home Community Survey: 20 minutes.
     Total Estimated Host/Home Community Survey Burden Time: 
167 hours.
     Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 57,095.
     Total Estimated Burden Time: 9,937 hours annual hours.
     Frequency: For participants, once after program 
participation; for Alumni, once every one, three and five years; for 
host/home communities, once every year.
     Obligation to Respond: Voluntary
    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department.
     Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost 
burden for this proposed collection, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
     Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Please note that comments submitted in response to this Notice are 
public record. Before including any detailed personal information, you 
should be aware that your comments as submitted, including your 
personal information, will be available for public review.

Abstract of Proposed Collection

    The Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs (ECA) regularly monitors and evaluates its programs through the 
collection of data about program accomplishments in order to enable 
program staff to assess the results of its programs, where improvements 
may be necessary, and to modify/plan future programs. In order to more 
systematically assess the efficacy and impact of ECA funded-programs 
and to address the requirements of the Foreign Aid Transparency and 
Accountability Act (FATAA) and the Department of State's updated 
monitoring and evaluation guidance (18 FAM 300), ECA's Evaluation 
Division has created a robust performance monitoring framework that is 
responsive to these directives, measures programmatic goals and 
objectives, and provides a comprehensive view of overall Bureau 
activities. The Monitoring Data for ECA (MODE) Framework (https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-evaluation-division/monitoring-data-eca-mode-framework) includes a results framework with indicators designed to 
track program performance and the direction, pace, and magnitude of 
change of ECA programs--leading to strengthened feedback mechanisms 
resulting in more effective programs. Each of these indicators has 
corresponding data collection questions defined so data will be 
collected uniformly whether by the program office, the Evaluation 
Division, or an award recipient. Implementation of the MODE Framework 
will enable ECA to standardize and utilize its data in the following 
ways:

[[Page 53900]]

     Assess data and performance metrics to enhance program 
performance
     Inform strategic planning activities at the Bureau, 
division, and individual exchange program levels
     Supplement the information ECA program officers receive 
from their award recipients and exchange participants to provide a 
comprehensive view of programmatic activities
     Respond quickly and reliably to ad-hoc requests from 
Congress, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and internal 
Department of State stakeholders
    In order to collect data for the MODE Framework, the ECA Evaluation 
Division intends to conduct ongoing surveys of program participants, 
alumni, and participant host and home communities to monitor program 
performance, assess impact, and identify issues for further evaluation. 
Specifically, ECA will coordinate with award recipients to provide 
standard survey questions for both foreign national and U.S. citizen 
exchange participants immediately after completing the exchange 
(``Participant Post-Program Survey''). ECA's Evaluation Division also 
intends to administer standard surveys to foreign national and U.S. 
citizen exchange alumni roughly one year, three years and five years 
after completing their exchange experience. Conducting post-program 
surveys, particularly after three and five years, will provide 
information on the impact of ECA programs and insight into the 
achievements of participants.
    To examine multiplier effects of ECA exchange programs on foreign 
and U.S. communities and institutions that sponsor, support, or provide 
exchange programs support or services, ECA intends to administer 
standard surveys to foreign and U.S. host community members 
(individuals or institutions) where feasible.

Methodology

    In previous years, the ECA Evaluation Division surveyed foreign 
alumni from a sample of 10 ECA programs. The suggested MODE Framework 
data collections represent an expansion to include American 
participants and standardization of the data collection tools. 
Additionally, ECA has not collected these data in a systematic manner 
from U.S. and foreign host community members in the past.
    Currently, ECA award recipients administer post- program surveys to 
their participants as part of their internal program monitoring data 
collection approach. ECA intends to leverage this ongoing survey 
process by providing program awardees standard indicators (we estimate 
anywhere from 10-15 for each award) and corresponding data collection 
questions, depending on the program orientation. In many instances, 
these standard indicators and questions will supplant existing awardee 
defined comparable indicators and questions with ECA defined uniform 
data requirements. This will ensure the data ECA gathers are valid and 
reliable across the range of exchange programs.

Zachary Parker,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2020-19148 Filed 8-28-20; 8:45 am]
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