What Works Clearinghouse Formative Feedback

OMB Control No: 1850-0788	ICR Reference No: 201504-1850-005
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201206-1850-001
Agency/Subagency: ED/IES	Agency Tracking No:
Title: What Works Clearinghouse Formative Feedback
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 09/02/2015
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 07/06/2015
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	09/30/2018	36 Months From Approved	09/30/2015
Responses	85,210	0	580
Time Burden (Hours)	1,892	0	163
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

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Abstract: The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) within the U.S. Department of Education is proposing data collection activity as part of the What Works Clearinghouse Feedback Task. The task and its associated efforts are being undertaken by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES), and is being conducted by Mathematica Policy Research. The intended purpose of the Department of Education (ED), Institute of Education Sciences (IES) WWC feedback task is to collect feedback from users on the relevance, timeliness, quality, and ease of use of the products associated with the What Works Clearinghouse website. The results of the data collection will be used to inform improvements in ED program products and services for its customers. The WWC provides educators, policymakers, and the public with a central and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education. The WWC aims to make findings from education research easy and accessible through its searchable online repository of intervention reports, single study reviews, and practice guides. There are thousands of empirical studies that claim to identify effective instructional approaches, many using complicated research methods and statistical analyses. This research often yields conflicting results, leaving educators wondering which approach to take. Given the large volume of education research and significant variation in quality, principals and other educators need help identifying reliable research and interpreting findings. Using systematic review processes and evidence standards, the WWC reviews all the research on a topic to identify the most rigorous studies and synthesize the findings from high-quality education research. The WWC has developed three new products that focus on utilizing the WWC and the WWC resources when making key decisions in education. First, the WWC will produce and is developing several videos that describe the purpose of the WWC or how to understand specific materials on the website. For example, the WWC has already released a video that addresses how to select a mathematics curriculum. The WWC also developed practice guide summaries which consolidate the information from practice guides into an 8–10 page summary that presents expert recommendations from the field, along with tips on implementing the recommendations. The WWC has already released two of these summaries – Teaching Math to Young Children and Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers. Finally, topical blasts consolidate WWC content relevant to a specific education topic. E-mails direct users to a dedicated landing page containing links to the relevant content. Findings from the case studies of these topics will be used to improve these and other WWC products going forward. The WWC feedback task will include the following data collection methods: focus groups with WWC users, user feedback web surveys, and data analytics.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 50 USC 171(b) Name of Law: Education Sciences Research Act of 2002

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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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:
	80 FR 24907	05/01/2015
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	80 FR 38182	07/02/2015
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 6

IC Title Form No. Form Name Contact Us Forms Registry of Evaluation Researchers Registry of Evaluation Researchers Update Registry of Randomized Controlled Trials Form Registry of Randomized Controlled Trials Update What Works Clearinghouse Formative Feedback

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	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	85,210	580	0	84,630	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,892	163	0	1,729	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

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

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: There is an increase of hours (program change) due to the number of responses have increased from the previous collection, mainly due the web survey, and the addition of new formative feedback instruments.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $116,548

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

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? 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? Uncollected

Agency Contact: Joy Lesnick 202 219-2013 [email protected]

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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: 07/06/2015

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