[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62555-62556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19665]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2023-SCC-0124]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Evaluation of the Toolkit To Support Evidence-Based Algebra 
Instruction in Middle and High School--Recruitment Activities

AGENCY: Institute of Education Sciences (IES), Department of Education 
(ED).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
the Department is proposing a new information collection request (ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
October 12, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for proposed 
information collection requests should be submitted within 30 days of 
publication of this notice. Click on this link www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain to access the site. Find this information collection request 
(ICR) by selecting ``Department of Education'' under ``Currently Under 
Review,'' then check the ``Only Show ICR for Public Comment'' checkbox. 
Reginfo.gov provides two links to view documents related to this 
information collection request. Information collection forms and 
instructions may be found by clicking on the ``View Information 
Collection (IC) List'' link. Supporting statements and other supporting 
documentation may be found by clicking on the ``View Supporting 
Statement and Other Documents'' link.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Amy Johnson, 303-844-4490.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department is especially interested in 
public comment addressing the following issues: (1) is this collection 
necessary to the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this 
information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the 
estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
(5) how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on 
the respondents, including through the use of information technology. 
Please note that written comments received in response to this notice 
will be considered public records.
    Title of Collection: Evaluation of the Toolkit to Support Evidence-
Based Algebra Instruction in Middle and High School--Recruitment 
Activities.
    OMB Control Number: 1850-NEW.
    Type of Review: A new ICR.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 30.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 30.
    Abstract: The current authorization for the Regional Educational 
Laboratories (REL) program is under the Education Sciences Reform Act 
of 2002, part D, section 174, (20 U.S.C. 9564), administered by the 
Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES), 
National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance 
(NCEE). The central mission and primary function of the RELs is to 
support applied research and provide technical assistance to state and 
local education agencies within their region (ESRA, Part D, section 
174[f]). The REL program's goal is to partner with educators and 
policymakers to conduct work that is change-oriented and supports 
meaningful local, regional, or state decisions about education 
policies, programs, and practices to improve outcomes for students.
    IES requests clearance for activities to support the recruitment of 
school districts to participate in an efficacy study of a Toolkit to 
Support Evidence-Based Algebra Instruction in Middle and High School as 
part of the REL

[[Page 62556]]

Central contract. A second OMB package, which will be submitted later 
this year, will request clearance for data collection instruments and 
the collection of district administrative data.
    Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Algebra I proved challenging 
for many students because of the extensive abstract thinking it 
requires (Katz, 2007; Susa et al., 2014). To help students succeed in 
Algebra I, REL Central is developing a toolkit of professional learning 
supports to help Algebra I teachers learn about, make sense of, plan 
for, and implement three evidence-based Algebra I teaching practices 
that were identified in the related What Work Clearinghouse (WWC) 
Practice Guide, ``Teaching Strategies for Improving Algebra Knowledge 
in Middle and High School Students.'' The toolkit contains the 
following three parts: (1) Initial Diagnostic and On-going Monitoring 
Instruments, (2) Professional Development Resources, and (3) Steps for 
Institutionalizing Supports for Evidence-Based Practice.
    This study will assess whether implementing the toolkit improves 
teacher and student outcomes and will describe the implementation of 
the toolkit in study schools that use it. Using a school-level 
randomized controlled trial during the 2024-2025 school year, the study 
will estimate the impact of the toolkit on teachers' self-efficacy and 
their understanding and use of the promising practices, as well as on 
students' algebraic content knowledge, self-efficacy, and mathematical 
mindsets. To provide context for the impact estimates and inform future 
use of the toolkit, the study will also describe the implementation of 
the toolkit. The study plans to include 20 schools from three 
districts. To disseminate these findings, REL Central will produce a 
report for school leaders and teachers who are potential users of the 
toolkit.

    Dated: September 7, 2023.
Stephanie Valentine,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 2023-19665 Filed 9-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P