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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 241 (Monday, December 16, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 101595-101596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-29563]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2024-SCC-0110]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Regional Educational Laboratory Midwest: Teacher Preparation 
Program Completion: What Factors Play a Role?

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 
January 15, 2025.

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 Christopher Boccanfuso, (202) 
219-0373.

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: Regional Educational Laboratory Midwest: 
Teacher Preparation Program Completion: What Factors Play a Role?
    OMB Control Number: 1850-NEW.
    Type of Review: New ICR.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 421.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 220.
    Abstract: The U.S. Department of Education seeks clearance for the 
recruitment and data collection protocols for the Regional Educational

[[Page 101596]]

Laboratory (REL) Midwest research study, Teacher Preparation Program 
Completion: What Factors Play a Role? The study, scheduled for the 
2024/25 school year, will focus on understanding factors influencing 
the completion of traditional undergraduate teacher preparation 
programs. This is crucial as traditional teacher preparation programs 
are the main sources of new teachers, yet the number of bachelor's 
degrees in education has declined by 18 percent between 2010 and 2020.
    This study aims to address two main research questions: (1) How do 
the demographic and academic characteristics of students in traditional 
undergraduate teacher preparation programs differ between completers 
and noncompleters? and (2) How do personal and contextual factors 
relate to students' completion of traditional teacher preparation 
programs?
    The study will collect quantitative survey data and qualitative 
interview data from students who completed and did not complete 
traditional undergraduate teacher preparation programs, supplemented by 
administrative data from teacher preparation programs. This approach 
will allow the study to gather information on personal and contextual 
factors not captured in administrative data, such as the ability to 
complete unpaid student teaching, perceptions of the teaching 
profession, and other intrinsic motivations and external conditions 
that influence completion.
    The urgency to improve teacher candidate retention and graduation 
rates is driven by long-standing teacher shortages and a desire to 
increase racial/ethnic and gender diversity in the teacher workforce to 
mirror the composition of K-12 students in the United States. Findings 
from this study aim to inform program and policy-level solutions to 
support teaching candidates, particularly those from diverse 
backgrounds, ensuring they persist through their teacher preparation 
programs.

    Dated: December 11, 2024.
Juliana Pearson,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 2024-29563 Filed 12-13-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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