60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) Evaluation
| Published date | 17 August 2021 |
| Citation | 86 FR 46064 |
| Record Number | 2021-17627 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | State Department |
Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 156 (Tuesday, August 17, 2021)
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46064-46066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17627]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice: 11502]
60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Congress-
Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) Evaluation
ACTION: Notice of request for public comment.
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SUMMARY: The Department of State is seeking Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) approval for the information collection described below.
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 60 days for
public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
DATES: The Department will accept comments from the public up to
October 18, 2021.
[[Page 46065]]
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by the following method:
Web: Persons with access to the internet may comment on
this notice by going to www.Regulations.gov. You can search for the
document by entering ``Docket Number: DOS-2021-0025'' in the Search
field. Then click the ``Comment Now'' button and complete the comment
form.
You must include the DS form number (if applicable), information
collection title, and the OMB control number in any correspondence.
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, may be sent to Natalie Donahue, Chief of
Evaluation, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 2200 C Street
NW, Washington, DC 20037 who may be reached at (202) 632-6193 or
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title of Information Collection: CBYX Evaluation.
OMB Control Number: None.
Type of Request: New collection.
Originating Office: Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs (ECA).
Form Number: No form.
Respondents: American CBYX program alumni and American
community members (host families, host schools, family and friends of
alumni, community service hosts, host institution employee).
Estimated Number of Alumni Survey Respondents: 8,400.
Estimated Number of Alumni Survey Responses: 8,400.
Average Time per Alumni Survey: 15 minutes.
Total Estimated Alumni Survey Burden Time: 2,100 hours.
Estimated Number of Community Member Survey Respondents:
840.
Estimated Number of Community Member Survey Responses:
840.
Average Time per Community Member Survey: 15 minutes.
Total Estimated Community Member Survey Burden Time: 210
hours.
Estimated Number of Alumni In-depth Interview Respondents:
44.
Average Time per Alumni In-depth Interview: 60 minutes.
Total Estimated Alumni Burden Time: 44 hours.
Estimated Number of Community Member In-depth Interview
Respondents: 36.
Average Time per Community Member In-depth Interview: 60
minutes.
Total Estimated Community Member Burden Time: 36 hours.
Estimated Number of Alumni Focus Group Respondents: 96.
Average Time per Alumni Focus Group: 60 minutes.
Total Estimated Alumni Focus Group Burden Time: 96 hours.
Estimated Number of Community Member Focus Group
Respondents: 48.
Average Time per Community Member Focus Group: 60 minutes.
Total Estimated Alumni Focus Group Burden Time: 48 hours.
Total Estimated Burden Time: 2,534 hours.
Frequency: Once.
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 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 Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program is managed by
the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The Congress-
Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program was inaugurated in 1983 through
a bilateral agreement between the U.S. Congress and the German
Bundestag. The program supports the exchange of American and German
young people to sustain and strengthen the American-German friendship.
Currently, six U.S implementing partners are connected with German
implementing partners to administer three components of the program:
(1) Secondary School, (2) Vocational Studies, and (3) Young
Professionals. Program activities in Germany for American participants
are paid for and managed by the German government. Program activities
for Germans that take place in the United States are paid for and
managed by the U.S. government.
The purpose of this evaluation is to assess short- and long-term
outcomes for American CBYX participants across the three components of
the program, and the effect of the program on American communities
which hosted German participants. The evaluation will provide evidence
to ECA's CBYX Program Team, who will be the primary user of the
evaluation results, to inform programmatic decision-making on the
design and implementation of the CBYX program for future participants.
In order to do so, ECA has contracted DCG Communications to conduct
surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus groups with American alumni and
with American community stakeholders.
Methodology
This evaluation will use a mixed methods design, integrating both
quantitative and qualitative data collection and analyses. It will
analyze the experiences of both American CBYX program alumni and
community members using three principal methods: (1) An online survey,
(2) in-depth interviews, and (3) focus groups. Due to ongoing COVID-19
restrictions and the geographic spread of potential respondents, all
data collection will occur remotely (i.e., via email, over the phone,
etc.).
The survey and the qualitative research will happen simultaneously.
Therefore, the Evaluation Team will be able to review the quantitative
results as they come in, allowing for the interviewer and moderator to
understand any potential contradictions in the findings and explore the
data from the quantitative results in following interviews and focus
groups. In addition, the interviewer and Evaluation Firm will learn
from, and build off of, the insights gained from the first interviews
to be able to gain even greater understanding, detail and nuance from
each subsequent interview.
This evaluation will draw from alumni from the inaugural program in
1983 through the 2019 cohorts, from a universe of approximately 14,000
American alumni, as well other key stakeholders. ECA has set an
ambitious target of 60 percent response rate for the survey portion of
the evaluation, or approximately 8,400 alumni respondents. ECA will
also survey key stakeholders. Based on estimates of response rates from
similar previous ECA evaluations, the evaluation will survey 840
community member respondents.
The qualitative portion of the evaluation will include 80 in-depth
interviews (44 with alumni and 36 with community members), 18 focus
groups
[[Page 46066]]
(12 with alumni and 6 with community members). With up to eight
participants per focus group, there will be roughly 144 focus group
participants maximum in addition to the 80 interview participants, with
a total of approximately 224 qualitative participants. Recruitment will
ensure representation across cohort years as well as implementing
partners and will attempt to have broad geographic coverage.
Nini J. Forino,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2021-17627 Filed 8-16-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P
