Notice2021-19722
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II
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Published
September 14, 2021
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentFood and Nutrition Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection for the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II (SNMCS-II; OMB control number 0584-0648, expiration date 09/30/2022), with updated data collection instruments for school year (SY) 2022-2023. The purpose of SNMCS-II is to provide a comprehensive picture of school food service operations and the nutritional quality, cost, and acceptability of meals served in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP).
Full Text
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 14, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51098-51110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-19722]
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Notices
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 175 / Tuesday, September 14, 2021 /
Notices
[[Page 51098]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request--School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) invites the general public and other
public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection.
This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection for
the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II (SNMCS-II; OMB control
number 0584-0648, expiration date 09/30/2022), with updated data
collection instruments for school year (SY) 2022-2023. The purpose of
SNMCS-II is to provide a comprehensive picture of school food service
operations and the nutritional quality, cost, and acceptability of
meals served in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School
Breakfast Program (SBP).
DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received on or before
November 15, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Holly Figueroa, Office of Policy
Support, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
1320 Braddock Pl., 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also
be submitted via fax to the attention of Holly Figueroa at 703-305-2576
or via email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ec8483808095c28a858b99899e838dac999f888dc28b839a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="553d3a39392c7b333c322030273a3415202631347b323a23">[email protected]</span></a>. Comments will also be accepted
through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, and follow the online instructions for submitting
comments electronically.
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 Holly
Figueroa at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#20484f4c4c590e4649475545524f4160555344410e474f56"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e38b8c8f8f9acd858a849686918c82a396908782cd848c95">[email protected]</span></a> or 703-305-2105.
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: School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II.
Form Number: N/A.
OMB Number: 0584-0648.
Expiration Date: 09/30/2022.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: SNMCS-II will provide a comprehensive picture of the NSLP
and SBP, and will provide critical information about the nutritional
quality, cost, and acceptability of school meals ten years after major
reforms began being phased in during the 2012-2013 school year (SY).
SNMCS-II will collect a broad range of data from nationally
representative samples of public school food authorities (SFAs),
public, non-charter schools, students, and parents/guardians during SY
2022-2023. Data collection was originally scheduled to occur in SY
2019-2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These data
will provide Federal, State, and local policymakers with current
information about how federally sponsored school meal programs are
operating by updating the information that was collected in SY 2014-
2015 for the first School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS-I; OMB
control number 0584-0596, expiration date 07/31/2017). In addition,
findings from SNMCS-II will be compared to those from SNMCS-I to
explore trends in key domains including the nutrient content of school
meals, meal costs and revenues, and student participation, plate waste,
and dietary intakes. SNMCS-II will also estimate the costs of producing
reimbursable school meals in up to five States and Territories outside
of the 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia (DC), and
examine the relationship of costs to revenues in those five outlying
areas. Section 28(a) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
Act authorizes this assessment of the cost of producing meals, and the
nutrient profile of meals under the NSLP and SBP.
The sample frame of SFAs is divided into four groups, including the
outlying areas. Samples in Groups 1, 2, and 3 are limited to the
contiguous 48 States and DC. The outlying areas sample includes SFAs in
Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Two
assessments to determine the feasibility of collecting comprehensive
cost data in the outlying areas were conducted between 2018 and 2019
under OMB #0584-0606 FNS Generic Clearance for Pre-Testing, Pilot, and
Field Test Studies, expiration date 06/30/2022 (School Nutrition and
Meal Cost Study-II, Outlying Areas Cost Study Feasibility Assessment
and School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II, Outlying Areas Cost Study
Feasibility Reassessment). Based on these assessments, ``full'' data
collection will be conducted with Alaska, Guam, and Hawaii, while
``limited'' data collection will be conducted with Puerto Rico and the
U.S. Virgin Islands. The burden associated with these assessments is
not included in the burden estimates for this collection.
Data collected from the Group 1 sample will provide the precision
required for national estimates of SFA-level characteristics and food
service operations. Data collected from the Group 2 sample will be used
to address study objectives related to the school nutrition environment
and food service operations; the food and nutrient content of school
meals; student participation in the NSLP and SBP; student/parent
satisfaction with the school meal programs; and students'
[[Page 51099]]
characteristics and dietary intakes. Data collected from the Group 3
sample will be used to address study objectives related to the school
nutrition environment and food service operations; the food and
nutrient content of school meals; the costs to produce reimbursable
school lunches and breakfasts, including indirect and local
administrative costs, and the ratios of revenues to costs; and plate
waste in the school meals programs. Data collected from the outlying
areas sample will be used to estimate the costs of producing
reimbursable school meals and the ratios of revenues to costs in each
outlying area.
Note: Personally identifiable information (PII) will not be used
to retrieve survey records or data.
Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments respondent
groups include: (1) State Child Nutrition Agency directors; (2) State
Education Agency finance officers; (3) school district superintendents;
(4) SFA directors; (5) local educational agency business managers; (6)
menu planners; (7) school nutrition managers (SNMs); (8) principals;
and (9) school study liaisons appointed by principals. Private Sector
For-Profit Business respondents include food service management company
managers. Individual/household-level respondents include: (1) Students
(first grade through high school) and (2) their parents/guardians.
Estimated Number of Respondents: A total of 15,017 unique
respondents (9,583 respondents and 5,434 non-respondents) are expected
to participate in the study. This includes 4,939 from State and Local
Governments, 30 from Businesses, and 10,048 Individuals or Households.
Initial contact will vary by type of respondent and may include study
notification, recruiting, or data collection.
The Group 1 sample includes 136 SFAs but no schools. Group 1 SFA
directors will participate in the SFA Director Survey.
The Group 2 sample comprises 133 SFAs, 265 schools, and 2,177
students and their parents/guardians. SFA and school staff will
participate in the SFA Director and School Planning Interviews; SFA
Director, SNM, and Principal Surveys; the Basic Menu Survey and Meal
Pattern Crediting Report; and Cafeteria Observation Guide and
Competitive Foods Checklists. Students and parents/guardians will
complete the Student Interview, including height and weight
measurement; 24-dietary recall; and Parent Interview.
The Group 3 sample includes 265 SFAs and 796 schools. SFA and
school staff will participate in the SFA Director and School Planning
Interviews; SFA On-Site Cost Interview and Food Cost Worksheet; SFA
Follow-Up Web Survey and Cost Interview; SNM Cost Interview; Principal
Cost Interview; SFA Director, SNM, and Principal Surveys; the Expanded
Menu Survey and Meal Pattern Crediting Report; and Cafeteria
Observation Guide and Competitive Foods Checklists. Forty-one State
Education Agency finance officers will complete the State Agency
Indirect Cost Survey. Plate waste will be observed for 4,140
reimbursable lunches and 2,120 reimbursable breakfasts at a subsample
of 138 schools among this Group 3 sample.
In the outlying areas, following recruitment, SFA and school staff
in 32 SFAs and 138 schools will complete the SFA Director and School
Planning Interviews; SFA Cost Interview and Food Cost Worksheet; SFA
Follow-Up Web Survey and Cost Interview; SNM Cost Interview; Principal
Cost Interview; and the Expanded Menu Survey. One State Education
Agency finance officer will complete the State Agency Indirect Cost
Survey.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: All respondents will
be asked to respond to each specific data collection activity only
once. The overall average number of responses per respondent across the
entire collection is 5.43 (81,502 responses/15,017 total respondents).
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 81,502.
Estimated Time per Response: The estimated response varies from 1
minute to 10 hours, depending on the data collection activity and
respondent group, with an average estimated time of 21 minutes (0.3435
hours) across all respondents.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 27,996 hours. This
includes 26,562 hours for respondents and 1,434 hours for non-
respondents. See the table below for each type of respondent.
Cynthia Long,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
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[FR Doc. 2021-19722 Filed 9-13-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-C
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