[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 6, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5235-5239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02379]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comments Request--Evaluation of the Independent Review of Applications
Process for School Meal Programs
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), 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 is a new
collection. The primary purpose of this study is to provide FNS with
information about the effectiveness of the Independent Review of
Applications (IRA) requirement that is conducted by local educational
agencies in the school meal programs identified by the State agency as
demonstrating high levels of, or a high risk for, administrative error
in the certification of free and reduced price applications.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before April 9, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Jinee Burdg, MPP, RDN, LDN, Food
and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center
Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to
the attention of Jinee Burdg at 703-305-2744 or via email to
[email protected].
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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 during regular business hours
(8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive,
Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will
be a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection should be directed to Jinee Burdg
at 703-305-2744.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are invited on: (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
that were used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information to be collected; and (d) 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.
Title: Evaluation of the Independent Review Process.
Form Number: Not applicable.
OMB Number: 0584--NEW.
Expiration Date: Not yet determined.
Type of Request: New collection.
Abstract: USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the
National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP)
at the Federal level. Collectively, these programs are referred to as
the school meal programs. At the State level, State agencies, typically
State Departments of Education or Agriculture, operate the programs
through agreements with Local Education Agencies (LEAs). Based on
federal regulations at 7 CFR part 210, LEAs have the legal authority to
operate the NSLP and SBP, and certify and verify student eligibility
for free and reduced-price meals. Section 9 of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758) and regulations at 7 CFR
part 245 provide the requirements related to determining free and
reduced-price meal eligibility including certification and verification
requirements and procedures.
Program integrity is a long-standing issue of concern for the
school meal programs. Prior studies revealed administrative error rates
associated with certification of eligibility for free and reduced price
meals between 3.00 percent and 3.75 percent in School Year (SY) 2005-
2006 for the NSLP and SBP. In an effort to reduce the administrative
certification error rate, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010
(HHFKA, Pub. L. 111-296) amended the Richard B. Russell National School
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C 1769c (b)) to require an ``independent review of
applications'' (IRA) of the eligibility determinations made via free
and reduced price applications for certain LEAs. The provision is
required of those LEAs that demonstrate high levels of, or a high risk
for, administrative error associated with certification, verification,
and other school meal program administrative processes, as determined
by the State agency.
Program regulations at 7 CFR 245.11 provide two criteria to
identify which LEAs must conduct the IRA: LEAs with 10 percent or more
of certification/benefit issuances in error, as determined by the State
agency during an administrative review (Criteria 1); and LEAs that the
State agency considers at risk for certification error but were not
selected under Criteria 1 (e.g., those with new electronic systems)
(Criteria 2). LEAs must conduct the IRA before contacting the
households to inform them of their eligibility status, and someone
other than the original determining official must conduct it. LEAs
first implemented the IRA requirement in SY 2014-2015.
FNS requires State agencies to submit an annual report on the
results of the IRA process via Form FNS-874, Local Educational Agency
Second Review of Applications Report (approved under OMB #0584-0594
Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS), expiration date September 30,
2019). The FNS-874 provides information on the results of the IRA for
each LEA subject to the requirement, including the number of
applications with changed eligibility determinations based on the IRA;
the types of changes (e.g., free to reduced price); and reasons for
changes (e.g., gross income calculation error, incomplete application
error). Examination of the data received by FNS for SY 2014-2015 and SY
2015-2016 showed that few LEAs subject to IRA reported any changes in
initial certification decisions as a result of conducting the IRA. This
was unexpected given that the primary criterion for identifying LEAs to
complete the IRA process is a demonstrated error rate of 10 percent or
more on Administrative Review.
FNS is conducting a study, the Evaluation of the Independent Review
Process, to provide important information about the IRA process at the
State and LEA levels, its results, and its overall effectiveness. The
key research objectives are to: (1) Describe the IRA processes and
policies at the State and LEA levels; (2) review household
applications; and (3) assess the effectiveness of the IRA process and
provide recommendations for best practices. This study will help FNS
identify best practices and inform if changes may be needed to the
process.
The study approach includes surveys, key informant interviews, and
analyses of household applications. Using web surveys of the 54 State
Child Nutrition Directors and key informant telephone interviews with
food service directors of 30 LEAs that conducted IRA, the study will
describe implementation and burden of the IRA provision at the State
and LEA levels. The study will then select a subsample of 20 LEAs and
collect and review a sample of household applications from those LEAs
for two non-consecutive school years to help evaluate the process and
effectiveness of this requirement.
Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal government (54 State
government respondents and 0 non-respondents; 90 Local government
respondents and 5 non-respondents). We estimate there will be 5 Local
government non-respondents at the LEAs who will be contacted but choose
not to participate. The burden for all respondents is broken down in
the table below.
Type of Respondents: State Child Nutrition (CN) Agency Directors;
LEA Directors and key staff.
Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of
respondents is 155. This includes 3 LEA Directors and 3 LEA staff for
cognitive testing. The main study includes 54 State Child Nutrition
Agency Directors, 30 LEA Directors, 60 LEA key staff, and 5 non-
respondents among the LEA Directors.
Estimated Frequency of Response: The overall frequency for the
collection is 5.95. The estimated frequency of response is 6.08
annually for respondents and 2.0 annually for non-respondents.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: The total estimated number of
responses for data collection is 922. This includes
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912 for respondents and 10 for non-respondents.
Estimated Time per Respondent: The estimated time of response
varies from 1 minute to 2 hours, depending on the respondent group and
activity. We will cognitively test both the State Director Survey and
the LEA interview guide. We will test the survey with FNS Regional
Office staff who have frequent interaction with State agencies. We will
not test the survey with State agency directors because they will
ultimately take the survey. The cognitive tests of the interview guide
with LEA Directors and key staff will take 10 minutes to schedule
(0.167 hours), and 90 minutes (1.5 hours) to conduct.
The electronic study notification letters for the State CN
Directors will take 3 minutes each (0.0501 hours), as will the
electronic notification letter from the State CN Agency to the LEA
Directors. The electronic notification from the study team to the LEA
Directors, which will include a request to schedule the interview, will
take 10 minutes (0.167 hours). Scheduling interviews with LEA key staff
will also take 10 minutes (0.167 hours). The State Director Survey will
take 1 hour and 14 minutes from sending the online survey link to the
final thank you note (1 hour to complete the online survey; 1 minute
each (0.0167 hours) for the electronic invitation with a link to the
survey, the two electronic reminder letters to non-respondents, and one
electronic thank you letter; 10 minutes (0.1670 hours) for a phone call
to the State CN Directors who have not submitted the survey within 5
days of the deadline). The study team will send 30 State CN Directors a
notification letter about the selection of LEAs for in-depth telephone
interviews, which will take 3 minutes (0.0501 hours). Those Directors
will send a letter that the study team has drafted to the selected LEAs
to notify them, which will take 10 minutes (0.167 hours). The in-depth
telephone interview for LEA Directors and LEA key staff will take 90
minutes (1.5 hours), and the electronic interview follow up and thank
you note will take 10 minutes (0.167 hours). The collection of
household applications will take 3 minutes (0.0501 hours) for the
initial electronic request sent to the LEA Directors, two 30-minute
phone calls (0.5 hours each) with the Director and key staff to discuss
sampling and data collection, 2 hours for two LEA staff to compile and
securely transmit two years of applications, and 1 minute (0.0167
hours) for the electronic thank you note. The average estimated time
per response across all respondents is 0.425 hours. The overall average
response across all of the respondents (including non-respondents) in
the entire collection is 0.421 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The total public
reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated at
388.6 hours (annually). The estimated burden for each type of
respondent is provided in the table below.
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Responsive Non-Responsive Grand
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Sample annual
Respondent category Type of respondents Instruments size Number of Frequency Total Hours per Annual Number of Frequency Total Hours per Annual burden
respondents of annual response burden non- of annual response burden estimate
response responses (hours) respondents response responses (hours) (hours)
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State Child Nutrition (CN) Agency....... State Director............. Electronic Study 54 54 1 54 0.0501 2.7 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 2.7
Notification Letter from 54 54 1 54 0.0501 2.7 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 2.7
FNS.
Electronic Study
Notification Letter from
Westat.
Electronic Letter with Link 54 54 1 54 0.0167 0.9 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 0.9
to Online Survey.
Electronic Survey Reminder 30 30 1 30 0.0167 0.5 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 0.5
Letter #1.
Electronic Survey Reminder 15 15 1 15 0.0167 0.3 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 0.3
Letter #2.
Phone Calls to 5 5 1 5 0.1670 0.8 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 0.8
Nonrespondent State
Directors.
Online survey.............. 54 54 1 54 1.0000 54.0 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 54.0
Electronic thank you note 54 54 1 54 0.0167 0.9 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 0.9
following survey
completion.
Electronic Notifcation 30 30 1 30 0.0501 1.5 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 1.5
Letter from Westat
regarding LEA selection.
Electronic Letter from 30 30 1 30 0.1670 5.0 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 5.0
State CN Agency to
Selected LEAs.
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State Government Sub-Total.......... ........................... ........................... 54 54 7.04 380 0.1824 69.3 0 0.00 0 0.0000 0.0 69.3
Local Education Agency (LEA)............ LEA Director............... Scheduling Cognitive Test 3 3 1 3 0.1670 0.5 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 0.5
of Interview Guide. 3 3 1 3 1.5000 4.5 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 4.5
Cognitive Test of Interview
Guide.
Electronic Study 35 30 1 30 0.0501 1.5 5 1 5 0.0501 0.3 1.8
Notification Letter from
State CN Agency.
Electronic Study 35 30 1 30 0.1670 5.0 5 1 5 0.1670 0.8 5.8
Notification Letter from
Westat, incl. Request to
Schedule Phone Interview.
In-Depth Phone Interview 30 30 1 30 1.5000 45.0 0 0 0 0.0000 0.0 45.0
(includes consent).
In-Depth Interview Follow 30 30 1 30 0.1670 5.0 0 0 0 0.0000 0.0 5.0
Up and Thank You Note.
Electronic Letter Request 20 20 1 20 0.0501 1.0 0 0 0 0.0000 0.0 1.0
for Sample of Household
Applications.
Phone Call to Discuss 20 20 2 40 0.5000 20.0 0 0 0 0.0000 0.0 20.0
Sampling and Collection of
Household Applications.
LEA Key Staff.............. Scheduling Cognitive Test 3 3 1 3 0.1670 0.5 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 0.5
of Interview Guide.
Cognitive Test of Interview 3 3 1 3 1.5000 4.5 0 0 0 0.000 0.0 4.5
Guide.
Scheduling the In-Depth 60 60 1 60 0.1670 10.0 0 0 0 0.0000 0.0 10.0
Phone Interview.
In-Depth Phone Interview 60 60 1 60 1.5000 90.0 0 0 0 0.0000 0.0 90.0
(includes consent).
In-Depth Phone Interview 60 60 1 60 0.1667 10.0 0 0 0 0.0000 0.0 10.0
Follow Up and Thank You
Note.
Phone Call to Discuss 40 40 2 80 0.5000 40.0 0 0 0 0.0000 0.0 40.0
Sampling and Collection of
Household Applications.
Collection of Sample of 40 40 1 40 2.0000 80.0 0 0 0 0.0000 0.0 80.0
Household Applications.
Electronic Thank You Note 40 40 1 40 0.0167 0.7 0 0 0 0.0000 0.0 0.7
for Household Applications.
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Local Government Sub-Total.......... ........................... ........................... 101 96 5.54 532 0.5981 318.2 5 2.00 10 0.1086 1.1 319.3
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Total........................... ........................... ........................... 155 150 6.08 912 0.4249 387.5 5 2.00 10 0.1086 1.1 388.6
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Footnote: Annual burden hours are rounded to the nearest tenth.
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Dated: January 25, 2018.
Brandon Lipps,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-02379 Filed 2-5-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P