[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 44 (Thursday, March 6, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10256-10257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-05459]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of the Census


Survey of Local Government Finances (School Systems), Forms F-33, 
F-33-1, and F33-L1

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before May 5, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Sharon Meade, Bureau of the Census, Governments 
Division, Washington, DC 20233-0001. Her telephone number is (301) 457-
1563.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau collects education finance data as part of its 
Annual Survey of State and Local Governments.

[[Page 10257]]

This survey is the only comprehensive source of public fiscal data 
collected on a nationwide scale using uniform definitions, concepts and 
procedures. The collection covers the revenues, expenditures, debt, and 
assets of all public school systems. This data collection has been 
coordinated with the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). 
The NCES uses this collection to satisfy its need for school system 
level finance data.
    Information on the finances of our public schools is vital to 
assessing their effectiveness. This data collection makes it possible 
to access a single data base to obtain information on such things as 
per pupil expenditures and the percent of state, local, and federal 
funding for each school system. Recently, as exemplified by the 
establishment of the America 2000 education goals, there has been 
increased interest in improving the Nation's public schools. One result 
of this intensified interest has been a significant increase in the 
demand for school finance data.
    The three forms used in the school finance portion of the survey 
are:
    Form F-33. This form contains item descriptions and definitions of 
the elementary-secondary education finance items collected jointly by 
the Census Bureau and NCES. It is used primarily as a worksheet by the 
state education agencies that provide school finance data centrally for 
all of the school systems in their respective states. Most states 
supply their data by electronic means.
    Form F-33-1. This form is used at the beginning of each survey 
period to solicit the assistance of the state education agencies. It 
establishes the conditions by which the state education agencies 
provide their school finance data to the Census Bureau.
    Form F-33-L1. This is a supplemental letter sent to the school 
systems in nine states. In these states, the state education agencies 
collect adequate detail in all aspects of school finance except for 
assets. Respondents provide the assets data on this letter and it is 
merged with the other data collected from the state education agencies.
    This request is to reinstate the previous collection for which 
approval expires July 31, 1997. The data to be collected is identical 
to the previous collection except as follows:
    1--In order to differentiate between payments made to public school 
systems and those made to private school systems, we are adding an item 
that identifies payments to private schools.
    2--In order to differentiate between payments made to public 
schools, those made to private schools, and those made to quasi-public 
charter schools, we are adding an item that identifies payments to 
charter schools.

II. Method of Collection

    Through central collection arrangements with the state education 
agencies, the Census Bureau collects almost all of the finance data for 
local school systems from state education agency data bases. The states 
transfer most of this information in electronic format on microcomputer 
disks and over the Internet. The Census Bureau has facilitated central 
collection of school finance data by accepting data in whatever formats 
the states elect to transmit.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0700.
    Form Number: F-33, F-33-1, F-33-L1.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: State and local governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 894.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 3.2 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,871 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $51,678.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., sections 161 and 181.

IV. Request for Comments

    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 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(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 respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: February 27, 1997.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 97-05459 Filed 3-5-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P