[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 40 (Tuesday, February 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 10775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-4671]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and 
Readiness).

ACTION: Notice.

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    In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A), the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel 
and Readiness) announces the following proposed new public information 
collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. 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 burden of the proposed information 
collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 
the information collection on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by May 1, 
2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed 
information collection should be sent to the Department of Defense 
Education Activity, ATTN: Ms. Kristin Medhurst, 4040 North Fairfax 
Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1635, telephone (703) 796-4385.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this 
proposed information collection or to obtain a copy of the proposal and 
associated collection instruments, please write to the above address or 
call at (703) 696-4471.
    Title, and OMB Control Number: Department of Defense Education 
Activity (DoDEA) Customer Satisfaction Survey, OMB Number [to be 
determined].
    Needs and Uses: This information collection requirement is 
necessary to provide stakeholders of the Department of Defense (DoD) 
schools an opportunity to express their level of satisfaction with 
various issues pertaining to the schools. These topics include 
equipment and facilities, computer technology, curriculum, 
administration, teachers, parent involvement, and communications. The 
information obtained will be used for program monitoring and strategic 
school improvement planning.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Annual Burden Hours: 522 hours for parents, 12,840 for students.
    Number of Respondents: 1,045 parents, 25,680 students.
    Responses Per Respondent: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 30 minutes.
    Frequency: biennially, beginning February 2001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Summary of Information Collection

    The DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Survey is a tool used to measure 
Goal 9: Accountability, Benchmark 4 of the DoD Education Activity 
(DoDEA) Community Strategic Plan. The DoDEA Community Strategic Plan 
was written to meet DoD Reform Initiative Directive #23: Defense Agency 
Performance Contracts which states: ``The Directors of the specified 
Agencies and Field Activities will submit a performance contract 
covering the period of the Future Years Defense Plan (FYDP), FY 2000 
through FY 2005. Each performance contract shall include measures of 
customer satisfaction with the goods and services provided by the 
agency or Field Activity, including the timeliness of deliveries of 
products and services.
    The parent questionnaire component of this program will give 
parents of students attending DoD schools an opportunity to comment on 
their level of satisfaction with various issues related to their 
child's education. Some of these topics include equipment and 
facilities, computer technology, curriculum, administration, teachers, 
parent involvement, and communications. Parents of students attending 
DoD schools will be provided an opportunity to respond to the DoDEA 
Customer Satisfaction Survey-Parent Questionnaire biennially. 
Respondents of this questionnaire will be parents of those students 
attending DoDEA schools, both in the continental United States and 
Overseas.
    The student questionnaire component of this program will give 
students attending DoD schools an opportunity to comment on their level 
of satisfaction with various issues related to their education. Some of 
these topics include equipment and facilities, computer technology, 
curriculum, teachers, administration, and school buses. Questions will 
also be asked of the students that may be perceived as sensitive. The 
nature of these questions pertains to drugs, alcohol, and sexual 
issues. These questions are similar to questions found on nationwide 
surveys of students such as the National Health Interview Survey. It is 
imperative that the agency collect data in order to adequately prepare 
programs addressing these issues. Additionally, the military and other 
stakeholders frequently request comparisons between the perceptions of 
DoDEA students and students in public schools across the United States 
on these issues necessitating the need for this information. Students 
will be asked to respond to this questionnaire biennially, through an 
anonymous administration procedure. Questionnaire respondents will be 
students attending DoD schools, both in the continental United States 
and overseas.

    Dated: February 23, 2000.
L.M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 00-4671 Filed 2-28-00; 8:45 am]
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