[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 48 (Friday, March 11, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13342-13344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5627]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Direct 
Certification Improvement Study

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, 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 for ``National 
School Lunch Program Direct Certification Improvement Study'' is a 
reinstatement with change of a previously approved data collection for 
``Feasibility of Computer Matching in the National School Lunch 
Program.'' It builds on the data collection for ``Feasibility of 
Computer Matching in the National School Lunch Program.'' This study 
will collect information from State child nutrition (CN) and education 
agencies, as well as local education agencies (LEAs). The information 
collection will build on existing knowledge by examining current 
methods of direct certification used by State and local agencies and 
the challenges facing States and LEAs in attaining high matching rates.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before May 10, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on (1) 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; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; and (3) 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.
    Comments may be sent to Steven Carlson, Associate Administrator, 
Office of Research, Analysis, Communications, and Strategic Support, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, 3101 Park 
Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be 
submitted via fax to the attention of Steve Carlson at 703-305-2020 or 
via e-mail to [email protected]. 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 (FNS) during regular business 
hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center 
Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All 
comments will be a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the proposed information collection forms should be directed 
to Sheku Kamara at 703-305-2130.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: National School Lunch Program Direct Certification 
Improvement Study, which is an update to a previously approved data 
collection for ``Feasibility of Computer Matching in the National 
School Lunch Program.''
    OMB Number: 0584-0529.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Expiration Date: Not yet determined.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement with change of previously approved 
data collection.
    Abstract: Direct certification was required of States and LEAs in 
the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. Direct 
certification enables

[[Page 13343]]

children in households that receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program (SNAP) or other public assistance program benefits to be 
certified to receive school lunches without application. Use of direct 
certification has increased since the 2004 reauthorization but is still 
not universal, despite the mandate. In school year (SY) 2009-2010, 83 
percent of National School Lunch Program (NSLP) districts directly 
certified children in SNAP households; these districts included 97 
percent of all students in NSLP schools. Most States also now employ 
computer data-matching techniques--in which electronic files containing 
names and other identifying information of children from SNAP (or other 
programs) are matched against a student enrollment file containing the 
names and other identifying information, in order to directly certify 
categorically eligible students.
    The core aims of the study are to describe current direct 
certification processes and procedures employed by States and LEAs; 
explore the relationship between these methods and overall direct 
certification performance measures; and identify steps for continuous 
improvement in data-matching techniques and tools to increase matching 
rates.
    This project has 11 study objectives: (1) Update national 
information on current practice used by States and LEAs to conduct 
direct certification; (2) describe State information systems (IS) and 
databases that are used to conduct direct certification and what 
analyses are conducted to determine the efficiency of the data 
matching, and correlate State system and database characteristics with 
State performance measures, including those based on the agency's 
direct certification reporting; (3) develop a comprehensive, up-to-date 
reference library of data-matching algorithms and computer code used 
for NSLP direct certification at the State and local levels, including 
a library of the data elements, formats, and definitions for all 
variables used in the matching; (4) examine relationships between 
direct certification implementation procedures, information systems and 
databases, and State performance measures of direct certification; (5) 
determine what barriers exist in the use of data matching in direct 
certification in NSLP in different States and LEAs; (6) determine what 
States have been doing with direct certification grants awarded by Food 
and Nutrition Services (FNS), in terms of improvements made and their 
effects; (7) identify ``best practices'' that could be used to provide 
technical assistance to those States developing continuous improvement 
plans to reach higher rates of data matching; (8) examine the current 
plans for improvement of the direct certification process in the future 
and the capability to adopt any potential changes that may be required 
in the subsequent legislation; (9) explore the records of unmatched 
SNAP households with school-age children and of categorically eligible 
SNAP children (as determined by NSLP application) to determine how 
direct certification could be further improved; (10) to estimate the 
``national'' direct certification matching rates under various 
scenarios (Optional Task); (11) to develop model continuous improvement 
plans for States using State-level matching and for States using local-
level matching (Optional Task).
    To address the study objectives, three key data collection tasks 
will be performed: (1) A national survey of direct certification 
practices of all 50 States, the District of Columbia, five territories, 
and of LEAs in those States where direct certification data matching is 
conducted at the district-level; (2) in-depth case studies in seven 
States and selected LEAs, which will include site visits to interview 
program and technical staff involved in direct certification at the 
State and LEA levels; and (3) an exploration of unmatched SNAP 
participant records and NSLP applications from a sample of districts 
within the seven case study States, which will form the basis for an 
analysis of the accuracy of the matches and provide insight into how 
data matching could be improved.
    Taken together, the information collected will help FNS, State CN 
directors, and LEAs recognize promising trends, understand new 
approaches, and provide technical assistance for continuous improvement 
of their direct certification efforts.
    Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Government. Respondent 
groups identified include: (1) CN staff at the State level; (2) 
education staff at the State level; (3) State SNAP, Medicaid, and/or 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program staff; and (4) 
staff from LEAs.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The study will collect data from a 
total of 7,949 respondents across all States. There are three 
categories of data collection: Web-based, national survey (States and 
LEAs); in-depth interviews during site-visits; and collection of 
unmatched SNAP participant records and NSLP applications. The Web-
based, national survey will be conducted with 57 State (and territory) 
CN program directors and approximately 7,700 LEAs (2,500 LEAs will 
receive a long version of the survey; 5,200 LEAs will receive a short 
version). In-depth interviews during site visits will be conducted with 
7 State CN agency officials; 7 State education staff; 7 State SNAP 
officials; 7 State Medicaid agency officials; 7 State TANF officials; 
14 (2 per State) State IS staff; 18 LEA staff and 18 LEA IS staff. 
Records of unmatched SNAP participant records will be collected by 7 
State staff and NSLP applications will be collected by 100 LEA staff.
    Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Time per Response: For the Web-based, national survey, 
the burden estimate is 1.25 hours (75 minutes) for State CN staff and 
is inclusive of the respondents' time to prepare for and complete the 
survey; the burden estimate is 1.0 hour (60 minutes) for LEA staff 
completing a long version of the survey; and, 0.33 hours (20 minutes) 
for LEA staff completing the short version of the survey. For all 
persons who decline to participate in the survey, the burden estimate 
is 0.10 hours (6 minutes) and includes the respondents' time to read a 
letter and/or respond to a telephone call. For all respondents 
interviewed during the site visits, the burden estimate is 1.33 hours 
(80 minutes) and includes respondents' time to read an introductory 
letter, receive a reminder letter, and prepare for and participate in 
the visit. The burden for gathering unmatched SNAP records is 4.0 
hours; the burden for LEA staff to gather NSLP applications is 4.0 
hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents and Nonresponders: 
Total of 4,132.42 hours, including: State CN staff, 73.68 hours 
(includes Web-based survey and in-depth interviews); LEA staff, 
3,950.80 hours (includes Web-based survey, in-depth interviews, and 
collection of NSLP applications); State education staff, 9.33 hours; 
State SNAP staff, 9.33 hours; State Medicaid staff, 9.33 hours; State 
TANF staff, 9.33 hours; State IS staff, 18.62 hours; LEA IS staff, 24 
hours; and State staff, 28 hours.

[[Page 13344]]



                                                        Table 1--Estimated Burden per Respondent
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                                                                                                                              Estimated
                                                                               Estimated       Responses                       average
              Affected public                       Respondent type            number of     annually per    Total annual     number of      Estimated
                                                                              respondents     respondent       responses      hours per     total hours
                                                                                                                               response
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State, Local and Tribal Agencies...........                                                Web Based Survey
                                            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             State CN staff (long survey)               51               1              51           1.25          63.75
                                              Complete.
                                             State CN staff (long survey)                6               1               6            .10            .60
                                              Attempted.
                                             LEA staff (long survey)                 2,000               1           2,000           1.00       2,000
                                              Complete.
                                             LEA staff (long survey)                   500               1             500            .10          50
                                              Attempted.
                                             LEA staff (short survey)                4,160               1           4,160            .33       1,372.8
                                              Complete.
                                             LEA staff (short survey)                1,040               1           1,040            .10         104
                                              Attempted.
                                            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                             Site Visits
                                            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             State CN staff...............               7               1               7           1.33           9.33
                                             State education staff........               7               1               7           1.33           9.33
                                             State SNAP staff.............               7               1               7           1.33           9.33
                                             State Medicaid staff.........               7               1               7           1.33           9.33
                                             State TANF staff.............               7               1               7           1.33           9.33
                                             State IS staff...............              14               1              14           1.33          18.62
                                             LEA staff....................              18               1              18           1.33          24
                                             LEA IS staff.................              18               1              18           1.33          24
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                                                                             Unmatched SNAP Records and NSLP Applications
                                            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             State staff (SNAP unmatched                 7               1               7           4             28
                                              records).
                                             LEA staff (NSLP applications)             100               1             100           4            400
                                            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total..................................  .............................           7,949  ..............           7,949  .............       4,132.42
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    Dated: March 4, 2011.
Julia Paradis,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-5627 Filed 3-10-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P