[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 88 (Monday, May 8, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29623-29625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09707]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Determining Eligibility 
for Free and Reduced Price Meals and Free Milk

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), 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 is a revision 
of a currently approved collection for determining eligibility for free 
and reduced price meals and free milk as stated in FNS regulations. 
These Federal requirements affect eligibility under the National School 
Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and the Special Milk Program 
and are also applicable to the Child and Adult Care Food Program and 
the Summer Food Service Program when individual eligibility must be 
established.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 7, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Tina Namian, Director, School Meals 
Policy Division--4th floor, Child Nutrition Programs, Food and 
Nutrition Service, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314. 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 responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget

[[Page 29624]]

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 Wesley 
Gaddie at 703-457-7718.

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 will 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: Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals and 
Free Milk in Schools--7 CFR part 245.
    Form Number: This collection does not contain any forms. However, 
FNS-742 and FNS-874, which are approved under OMB Control Number 0584-
0594 Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS) (expiration date July 31, 
2023), are used in conjunction with this collection.
    OMB Number: 0584-0026.
    Expiration Date: July 31, 2023.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The Food and Nutrition Service administers the National 
School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the Special 
Milk Program as mandated by the Richard B. Russell National School 
Lunch Act (NSLA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 1751, et seq.), and the Child 
Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1771, et seq.). The 
proposed collection reports the eligibility burden of the National 
School Lunch Program; the School Breakfast Program; and the Special 
Milk Program. The eligibility burden of the Child and Adult Care Food 
Program and the Summer Food Service Program is reported in information 
collections under OMB Control Numbers 0584-0055 and 0584-0280, 
respectfully.
    Per 7 CFR part 245, schools participating in these meal and milk 
programs must make free and reduced-price meals and free milk available 
to eligible children. This information collection obtains eligibility 
information for free and reduced-price meals and free milk and also 
incorporates verification procedures as required to confirm 
eligibility. The Programs are administered at the State and local 
levels and operations include direct certification, the submission of 
household size and income applications for school meal/milk benefits, 
record maintenance, and public notification of eligibility 
determinations, documentation, and other data. The information 
collection burden associated with this revision is summarized in the 
chart below. Since the last renewal of this collection, school meal 
programs have been operating under waivers that allowed meals to be 
served under the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer 
Option, which do not require eligibility determinations to be made. As 
a result, USDA does not have updated data for most requirements covered 
under this information collection. There are two updates based on new 
programmatic data. USDA has updated data on the number of state 
agencies required to maintain direct certification improvement plans. 
Additionally, since the last renewal the U.S. Virgin Islands have 
adopted the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), leading to an 
increase in the number of State agencies required to meet requirements 
related to CEP. USDA has also adjusted the previous estimates for hours 
per response in order for the estimates to be written in whole minutes. 
This is a revision of the currently approved information collection.
    Affected Public: State, local, and Tribal government and 
individual/households: Respondent groups identified include State 
agencies, school food authorities/local educational agencies, and 
individuals/households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,571,312 (55 SAs, 19,371 SFAs/
LEAs, and 3,551,886 households).
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 3.514.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 12,550,211.
    Estimated Hours per Response: 0.0527.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden: 651,084.
    Estimated Total Annual Recordkeeping Burden: 2,965.
    Estimated Total Annual Public Disclosure Burden: 6,754.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 660,803.
    Current OMB Inventory for Part 245: 664,726.
    Difference (Burden Revisions Requested with this renewal): -3,923.
    Refer to the following table for estimated annual burden per each 
type of respondent:

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                                                     Estimated
                                     Estimated        number         Estimated       Estimated       Estimated
         Affected public              number       responses per   total annual      hours per     total annual
                                    respondents     respondent       responses       response      burden hours
(a)                                          (b)             (c)   (d) = (b x c)             (e)   (f) = (d x e)
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                                                    Reporting
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State Agencies..................              55          163.56           8,996          0.0646             581
School Food Authorities/Local             19,371         455.953       8,832,491          0.0209         184,972
 Educational Agencies...........
Individuals/Households..........       3,551,886            1.03       3,653,373          0.1274         465,531
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    Total Reporting Burden......       3,571,312            3.50      12,494,860          0.0521         651,084
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                                                  Recordkeeping
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State Agencies..................              55           12.00             660          0.1797             119
School Food Authorities/Local             15,786            1.03          16,286          0.1748           2,847
 Educational Agencies...........
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    Total Recordkeeping Burden..          15,841            1.07          16,946          0.1750           2,965
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[[Page 29625]]

 
                                               Public Notification
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State Agencies..................              55            1.98             109          0.1339              15
School Food Authorities.........          19,371            1.98          38,296          0.1760           6,740
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    Total Public Notification             19,426            1.98          38,405          0.1759           6,754
     Burden.....................
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                              Total Reporting, Recordkeeping and Public Disclosure
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Reporting.......................       3,571,312            3.50      12,494,860          0.0521         651,084
Recordkeeping...................          15,841            1.07          16,946          0.1750           2,965
Public Notification.............          19,426            1.98          38,405          0.1759           6,754
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    Total Reporting,                   3,571,312           3.514      12,550,211          0.0527         660,803
     Recordkeeping, and Public
     Disclosure Burden..........
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Tameka Owens,
Assistant Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-09707 Filed 5-5-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P