Notice2024-09678
Agency Information Collection Activities: School Meals Operations Study: Evaluation of the School-Based Child Nutrition Programs
Primary source
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Published
May 3, 2024
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentFood and Nutrition Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces FNS' plans to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on the proposed ICR before FNS submits it to OMB. The proposed information collection is a revision of an approved information collection. The approved information collection (OMB Control Number 0584-0607) permitted the School Meals Operations (SMO) study to collect survey and administrative data about school year (SY) 2019-2020 through SY 2022- 2023 from a census of State agencies, and survey data about SY 2020- 2021 and SY 2022-2023 from a nationally representative sample of school food authorities. With the revision, FNS will seek approval for the SMO study to collect survey and administrative data about SY 2023-2024 from a census of State agencies. The SMO study will not collect survey data about SY 2023-2024 from school food authorities.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 87 (Friday, May 3, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 87 (Friday, May 3, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36750-36753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-09678]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: School Meals Operations
Study: Evaluation of the School-Based Child Nutrition Programs
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Department of Agriculture
(USDA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces FNS' plans to submit an Information Collection Request
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and invites the
general public and other public agencies to comment on the proposed ICR
before FNS submits it to OMB. The proposed information collection is a
revision of an approved information collection. The approved
information collection (OMB Control Number 0584-0607) permitted the
School Meals Operations (SMO) study to collect survey and
administrative data about school year (SY) 2019-2020 through SY 2022-
2023 from a census of State agencies, and survey data about SY 2020-
2021 and SY 2022-2023 from a nationally representative sample of school
food authorities. With the revision, FNS will seek approval for the SMO
study to collect survey and administrative data about SY 2023-2024 from
a census of State agencies. The SMO study will not collect survey data
about SY 2023-2024 from school food authorities.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 2, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Darcy G[uuml]ng[ouml]r at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5e3a3f2c3d2770392b3039312c1e2b2d3a3f70393128"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e98d889b8a90c78e9c878e869ba99c9a8d88c78e869f">[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 OMB 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 Darcy
G[uuml]ng[ouml]r at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#05616477667c2b62706b626a7745707661642b626a73"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cfabaebdacb6e1a8baa1a8a0bd8fbabcabaee1a8a0b9">[email protected]</span></a>, 703-305-4345.
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 Meals Operations Study.
Form Number: N/A.
OMB Number: 0584-0607.
Expiration Date: 08/31/2026.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: Section 28(a) of the Richard B. Russell National School
Lunch Act authorizes the USDA Secretary to conduct annual national
performance assessments of the school meal programs, which include the
National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program
(SBP). The School Meals Operations (SMO) study was originally planned
to conduct this annual assessment. When the COVID-19 pandemic closed
schools and disrupted NSLP and SBP operation, the SMO study collected
data about the Child Nutrition (CN) Programs used to feed children
during the pandemic, which included the NSLP Seamless Summer Option
(SSO), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and Child and Adult Care
Food Program (CACFP) in addition to NSLP and SBP. SMO study data
correspond to school year (SY) 2019-2020 through SY 2022-2023, and help
FNS answer annual research questions about (1) CN Program
participation, (3) meal counting, (4) financial management, and (5) CN
Program integrity.
The proposed information collection is a minor revision. It will
collect data about SY 2023-2024. As in previous study years, the
respondents will be the State agencies that administer NSLP, SBP, SSO,
SFSP, and CACFP in the 50 states, 3 territories, and District of
Columbia. It will use the same administrative data request as previous
years and an updated survey. The updated survey will collect timely
data on policy, administrative, and operational issues for the CN
Programs. This information collection will help FNS obtain:
1. General descriptive data on the characteristics of CN Programs
to inform the budget process and answer questions about topics of
current policy interest;
2. Data on CN Program operations to identify potential topics for
training and technical assistance for States agencies and school food
authorities responsible for administering the Programs; and
3. Administrative data to identify CN Program trends and
predictors.
The activities that will be conducted subject to this notice
include:
1. Collecting disaggregated administrative data from an estimated
68 State CN Directors (these data are reported in aggregate on forms
FNS-10, Report of School Program Operations, FNS-418, Report of the
Summer Food Service Program for Children, and FNS-44, Report of the
Child and Adult Care Food Program, under OMB Control Number 0584-0594,
expiration date 09/30/2026).
2. Conducting a web survey of an estimated 54 of the 68 State CN
Directors above.
All 68 respondents will receive one email with an attached study
brochure from their FNS Regional Office expressing their support of the
study, and will receive one advance email from the study team to
summarize the upcoming data collection activities. The subset of 54
respondents who will take the survey will receive one invitation email.
They will complete the web survey one time. They may receive
[[Page 36751]]
reminder emails, phone calls, and a last chance postcard until they
have all responded. The 68 respondents who will be asked to submit
administrative data will have one telephone meeting with the study team
to describe the data request and will respond to the FNS-10, FNS-418,
or FNS-44 administrative data request one time. They may receive
reminder emails and phone calls until they have all responded.
To reduce data collection burden, the SMO study will analyze
existing administrative data to reduce the number and type of questions
included in the survey. The survey will take an estimated 30 minutes to
complete.
To facilitate the collection of administrative data, State agencies
will receive an agenda for initial telephone meetings and a template
for the data request. The data request template will link each data
element to the corresponding item number on forms FNS-10, FNS-418, and
FNS-44. Examples of the types of data that the administrative request
will respond to include number of schools and students participating in
the meal programs and the number of meals served under the meal
programs.
Note: Personally identifiable information will not be used to
retrieve survey records or data.
Affected Public: State Governments: State Agency Directors from the
50 States, 3 territories, and the District of Columbia that oversee
NSLP, SBP, SSO, SFSP, and CACFP.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 68 unique respondents.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: Average of 9.9 (671
responses/68 unique respondents).
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 671.
Estimated Time per Response: Average of 1.4 hours (0.05 to 6 hours
depending on the instrument).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 941.2 hours.
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
[[Page 36752]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN03MY24.004
[[Page 36753]]
Tameka Owens,
Assistant Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-09678 Filed 5-2-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-C
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