[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 48 (Friday, March 11, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13342-13344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5627]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request--National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Direct
Certification Improvement Study
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment
on this proposed information collection. This collection for ``National
School Lunch Program Direct Certification Improvement Study'' is a
reinstatement with change of a previously approved data collection for
``Feasibility of Computer Matching in the National School Lunch
Program.'' It builds on the data collection for ``Feasibility of
Computer Matching in the National School Lunch Program.'' This study
will collect information from State child nutrition (CN) and education
agencies, as well as local education agencies (LEAs). The information
collection will build on existing knowledge by examining current
methods of direct certification used by State and local agencies and
the challenges facing States and LEAs in attaining high matching rates.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before May 10, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on (1) whether the proposed collection
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; and (3) ways to minimize the burden
of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including
use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments may be sent to Steven Carlson, Associate Administrator,
Office of Research, Analysis, Communications, and Strategic Support,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, 3101 Park
Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be
submitted via fax to the attention of Steve Carlson at 703-305-2020 or
via e-mail to [email protected]. Comments will also be
accepted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov, and follow the online instructions for submitting
comments electronically.
All written comments will be open for public inspection at the
office of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) during regular business
hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center
Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All
comments will be a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the proposed information collection forms should be directed
to Sheku Kamara at 703-305-2130.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: National School Lunch Program Direct Certification
Improvement Study, which is an update to a previously approved data
collection for ``Feasibility of Computer Matching in the National
School Lunch Program.''
OMB Number: 0584-0529.
Form Number: N/A.
Expiration Date: Not yet determined.
Type of Request: Reinstatement with change of previously approved
data collection.
Abstract: Direct certification was required of States and LEAs in
the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. Direct
certification enables
[[Page 13343]]
children in households that receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) or other public assistance program benefits to be
certified to receive school lunches without application. Use of direct
certification has increased since the 2004 reauthorization but is still
not universal, despite the mandate. In school year (SY) 2009-2010, 83
percent of National School Lunch Program (NSLP) districts directly
certified children in SNAP households; these districts included 97
percent of all students in NSLP schools. Most States also now employ
computer data-matching techniques--in which electronic files containing
names and other identifying information of children from SNAP (or other
programs) are matched against a student enrollment file containing the
names and other identifying information, in order to directly certify
categorically eligible students.
The core aims of the study are to describe current direct
certification processes and procedures employed by States and LEAs;
explore the relationship between these methods and overall direct
certification performance measures; and identify steps for continuous
improvement in data-matching techniques and tools to increase matching
rates.
This project has 11 study objectives: (1) Update national
information on current practice used by States and LEAs to conduct
direct certification; (2) describe State information systems (IS) and
databases that are used to conduct direct certification and what
analyses are conducted to determine the efficiency of the data
matching, and correlate State system and database characteristics with
State performance measures, including those based on the agency's
direct certification reporting; (3) develop a comprehensive, up-to-date
reference library of data-matching algorithms and computer code used
for NSLP direct certification at the State and local levels, including
a library of the data elements, formats, and definitions for all
variables used in the matching; (4) examine relationships between
direct certification implementation procedures, information systems and
databases, and State performance measures of direct certification; (5)
determine what barriers exist in the use of data matching in direct
certification in NSLP in different States and LEAs; (6) determine what
States have been doing with direct certification grants awarded by Food
and Nutrition Services (FNS), in terms of improvements made and their
effects; (7) identify ``best practices'' that could be used to provide
technical assistance to those States developing continuous improvement
plans to reach higher rates of data matching; (8) examine the current
plans for improvement of the direct certification process in the future
and the capability to adopt any potential changes that may be required
in the subsequent legislation; (9) explore the records of unmatched
SNAP households with school-age children and of categorically eligible
SNAP children (as determined by NSLP application) to determine how
direct certification could be further improved; (10) to estimate the
``national'' direct certification matching rates under various
scenarios (Optional Task); (11) to develop model continuous improvement
plans for States using State-level matching and for States using local-
level matching (Optional Task).
To address the study objectives, three key data collection tasks
will be performed: (1) A national survey of direct certification
practices of all 50 States, the District of Columbia, five territories,
and of LEAs in those States where direct certification data matching is
conducted at the district-level; (2) in-depth case studies in seven
States and selected LEAs, which will include site visits to interview
program and technical staff involved in direct certification at the
State and LEA levels; and (3) an exploration of unmatched SNAP
participant records and NSLP applications from a sample of districts
within the seven case study States, which will form the basis for an
analysis of the accuracy of the matches and provide insight into how
data matching could be improved.
Taken together, the information collected will help FNS, State CN
directors, and LEAs recognize promising trends, understand new
approaches, and provide technical assistance for continuous improvement
of their direct certification efforts.
Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Government. Respondent
groups identified include: (1) CN staff at the State level; (2)
education staff at the State level; (3) State SNAP, Medicaid, and/or
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program staff; and (4)
staff from LEAs.
Estimated Number of Respondents: The study will collect data from a
total of 7,949 respondents across all States. There are three
categories of data collection: Web-based, national survey (States and
LEAs); in-depth interviews during site-visits; and collection of
unmatched SNAP participant records and NSLP applications. The Web-
based, national survey will be conducted with 57 State (and territory)
CN program directors and approximately 7,700 LEAs (2,500 LEAs will
receive a long version of the survey; 5,200 LEAs will receive a short
version). In-depth interviews during site visits will be conducted with
7 State CN agency officials; 7 State education staff; 7 State SNAP
officials; 7 State Medicaid agency officials; 7 State TANF officials;
14 (2 per State) State IS staff; 18 LEA staff and 18 LEA IS staff.
Records of unmatched SNAP participant records will be collected by 7
State staff and NSLP applications will be collected by 100 LEA staff.
Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Time per Response: For the Web-based, national survey,
the burden estimate is 1.25 hours (75 minutes) for State CN staff and
is inclusive of the respondents' time to prepare for and complete the
survey; the burden estimate is 1.0 hour (60 minutes) for LEA staff
completing a long version of the survey; and, 0.33 hours (20 minutes)
for LEA staff completing the short version of the survey. For all
persons who decline to participate in the survey, the burden estimate
is 0.10 hours (6 minutes) and includes the respondents' time to read a
letter and/or respond to a telephone call. For all respondents
interviewed during the site visits, the burden estimate is 1.33 hours
(80 minutes) and includes respondents' time to read an introductory
letter, receive a reminder letter, and prepare for and participate in
the visit. The burden for gathering unmatched SNAP records is 4.0
hours; the burden for LEA staff to gather NSLP applications is 4.0
hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents and Nonresponders:
Total of 4,132.42 hours, including: State CN staff, 73.68 hours
(includes Web-based survey and in-depth interviews); LEA staff,
3,950.80 hours (includes Web-based survey, in-depth interviews, and
collection of NSLP applications); State education staff, 9.33 hours;
State SNAP staff, 9.33 hours; State Medicaid staff, 9.33 hours; State
TANF staff, 9.33 hours; State IS staff, 18.62 hours; LEA IS staff, 24
hours; and State staff, 28 hours.
[[Page 13344]]
Table 1--Estimated Burden per Respondent
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Estimated
Estimated Responses average
Affected public Respondent type number of annually per Total annual number of Estimated
respondents respondent responses hours per total hours
response
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State, Local and Tribal Agencies........... Web Based Survey
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State CN staff (long survey) 51 1 51 1.25 63.75
Complete.
State CN staff (long survey) 6 1 6 .10 .60
Attempted.
LEA staff (long survey) 2,000 1 2,000 1.00 2,000
Complete.
LEA staff (long survey) 500 1 500 .10 50
Attempted.
LEA staff (short survey) 4,160 1 4,160 .33 1,372.8
Complete.
LEA staff (short survey) 1,040 1 1,040 .10 104
Attempted.
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Site Visits
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State CN staff............... 7 1 7 1.33 9.33
State education staff........ 7 1 7 1.33 9.33
State SNAP staff............. 7 1 7 1.33 9.33
State Medicaid staff......... 7 1 7 1.33 9.33
State TANF staff............. 7 1 7 1.33 9.33
State IS staff............... 14 1 14 1.33 18.62
LEA staff.................... 18 1 18 1.33 24
LEA IS staff................. 18 1 18 1.33 24
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Unmatched SNAP Records and NSLP Applications
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State staff (SNAP unmatched 7 1 7 4 28
records).
LEA staff (NSLP applications) 100 1 100 4 400
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Total.................................. ............................. 7,949 .............. 7,949 ............. 4,132.42
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Dated: March 4, 2011.
Julia Paradis,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-5627 Filed 3-10-11; 8:45 am]
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