90 FR 84 pgs. 18872-18873 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; NSF's Evaluation of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program
Type: NOTICEVolume: 90Number: 84Pages: 18872 - 18873
Pages: 18872, 18873FR document: [FR Doc. 2025-07675 Filed 5-1-25; 8:45 am]
Agency: National Science Foundation
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; NSF's Evaluation of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program
AGENCY:
National Science Foundation.
ACTION:
Submission for OMB review; comment request.
SUMMARY:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the following information collection requirement to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This is the second notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal Register , and no comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of this second notice.
DATES:
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:
Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone (703) 292-7556; or send email to splimpto@nsf.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (including Federal holidays).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments: Comments regarding (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the NSF, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the NSF's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, use, and clarity of the information on respondents; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology should be addressed to the points of contact in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
Copies of the submission may be obtained by calling 703-292-7556. NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number, and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Title of Collection: NSF's Evaluation of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.
OMB Control No.: 3145-New.
Abstract: The National Science Foundation (NSF) Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce) aims to address the critical need for highly effective elementary and secondary mathematics and science teachers in high-need school districts. The program supports the recruitment, preparation, and retention of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) undergraduate majors and professionals to become K-12 STEM teachers, as well as experienced teachers to become teacher leaders. Noyce offers four program tracks:
1. Scholarships and Stipends: Supports undergraduate STEM majors and professionals with financial assistance and stipends to become K-12 STEM teachers in high-need school districts. Requires a teaching commitment of 2 years for each year of scholarship support.
2. Teaching Fellowships: Provides support to STEM professionals to become K-12 STEM teachers in high-need districts. Requires a 4-year teaching commitment.
3. Master Teaching Fellowships: Supports experienced K-12 STEM teachers to become teacher leaders in high-need districts. Requires a 5-year teaching commitment.
4. Noyce Research: Funds research projects focused on the effectiveness and retention of K-12 STEM teachers in high-need districts.
Additionally, the program accepts Capacity Building proposals from those preparing to submit proposals in any of the program's tracks and supports conference proposals aimed at improving STEM teacher preparation. The program also invites proposals for authentic Research Experiences in STEM Settings (RESS) for both Noyce and non-Noyce pre-service and in-service STEM teachers.
The NSF Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) requires evaluation and technical services for the Noyce program. Noyce has a 20-year history of responding to the critical need for highly effective K-12 STEM teachers in high-need school districts by recruiting and preparing talented undergraduate STEM majors and STEM professionals to pursue teaching careers in elementary and secondary schools. Since its inception, the program has commissioned three program evaluations, the most recent in 2017. In 2023 Noyce sought contractor support to evaluate Noyce outcomes and processes to determine the effectiveness of program components in meeting established goals within the last 10 years. SRI was selected to complete this work.
The evaluation of Noyce focuses on three evaluation questions:
1. What are the goals of Noyce awards and what activities do teacher preparation programs use to diversify, recruit, select, prepare, empower, and support Noyce recipients?
2. What are the relationships between the types of support, activities, and training that Noyce recipients receive; the types of Noyce recipients; and the recipients' plans to go into and stay in teaching and leadership roles?
3. What is the impact of Noyce on teacher certification in STEM fields and employment in high-need schools?
The NSF EDU Directorate requests the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of this clearance to initiate new data collections to be conducted as part of an external evaluation of the Noyce program. These collections, to be conducted by the evaluation contractor, include:
[top] Qualitative data collection. The qualitative data collection includes interviews and focus groups that will support the development of case studies, network analysis. We plan to conduct case studies with up to 12 Noyce hub grantees. The case studies will include the awardee institution, its partner organizations, Noyce project staff, project participants, and partner schools. Our primary method of data collection will be through interviews with key stakeholders. These stakeholders will include the Noyce project Principal Investigator (PI), co-PI(s), program staff, and teachers. This data will also be used to support Noyce network analysis to understand how Noyce-funded individuals and organizations are connected and the quality of their interactions. In addition, we plan to conduct an additional 20 interviews with Noyce principal investigators, scholars, and teachers, along with 10 focus groups.
Use of the Information: Noyce anticipates using the results of this evaluation to:
1. Identify "Noyce best, emerging, or promising practices" that can make the program more effective and efficient to sustain and grow impacts of Noyce on diversifying, recruiting, selecting, preparing, empowering, and supporting K-12 STEM teachers.
2. Inform Noyce on sustainability mechanisms and goals appropriate for Noyce Principal Investigators (PIs) to maintain their successful outcomes.
3. To understand and disseminate how Noyce is impacting the field.
4. Provide insights into potential barriers PIs face that inhibit success.
5. Identify strategies Noyce projects can implement to optimize goal attainment, effectiveness, and efficiencies.
Expected Respondents: Data collection will primarily involve interviews with key stakeholders including the Noyce project Principal Investigator (PI), co-PI(s), program staff, and teachers.
Estimate of Burden:
Estimates of Annualized Cost to Respondents for the Hour Burdens: The overall annualized cost to the respondents is estimated to be $8,435. The following table shows the estimated burden and costs to respondents. The estimated hourly rates are based on a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023). 1
Footnotes:
1 ? https://www.bls.gov/oes/ .
| Collection title | Total number of respondents | Burden hours per respondent | Total hour burden | Average hourly rate | Estimated annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noyce PIs, program staff for case studies | 60 | 1 | 60 | $48.87 | $2,932.20 |
| Noyce-funded teachers for case studies | 60 | 1 | 60 | 35.48 | 2,128.80 |
| Noyce PIs, program staff | 10 | 1 | 10 | 48.87 | 488.70 |
| Noyce teacher interviews | 10 | 1 | 10 | 35.48 | 354.80 |
| Noyce PIs, program staff focus groups | 30 | 1 | 30 | 48.87 | 1,466.10 |
| Noyce teacher focus groups | 30 | 1 | 30 | 35.48 | 1,064.40 |
| Total | 200 | 200 | 8,435.00 |
Estimated Number of Responses per Report: Data collection is estimated to involve a total number of 200 respondents.
Dated: April 29, 2025.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2025-07675 Filed 5-1-25; 8:45 am]
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