CCD 08 fiscal supp pkg part b

Part B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

The NPEFS collection does not use statistical methods. The survey is intended to provide statistical information about all revenues and expenditures for public elementary and secondary education, and includes all states. Although the respondents are experts in their states, there are opportunities for potential error, either through technical mishap or misinterpretation of the intent of a survey item. Over the life of the CCD survey system, staff members have developed a series of checks designed to flag these errors for review by the respondent and action by the CCD team. These edits rely on internal logic checks; consistency within specified tolerances over time; and consistency within a given state and type of unit. Items reported as missing or not applicable are confirmed with states and the designation may be changed if the rationale is not convincing.

B.1. Describe the potential respondent universe.

The universe includes the state education agencies, or equivalent other jurisdictions, for the 50 states, District of Columbia, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S Virgin Islands. The survey response rate is 100 percent in almost every year of the NPEFS’s history. (Guam did not report in 2002–03 and 2004-05).

B.2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information.

None of the procedures described under this item (stratification, estimation, etc.) are used in the NPEFS collection.

B.3. Describe methods to maximize response and deal with the issues of nonresponse.

Survey response is typically 100 percent. When there is item nonresponse, the item is imputed and identified as such on the files and in reports. Imputations are limited to the 50 states and the District of Columbia because the other reporting agencies may be qualitatively different in their structure. For example, for the 2004-05 school year, other sources of revenue were imputed for 2 states and community services expenditures were imputed for 3 states. A missing response on the NPEFS survey is imputed if the item is among those that we believe to exist in every state. The imputation method imputes missing values by applying a current year ratio or rate of change, whichever is appropriate, among reporting states to the non-reporting states. States view and approve the imputation before the file is released and the data used in reports and in grant allocations.

B.4. Describe any tests of procedures to be undertaken.

No such tests will be undertaken. Items are not added to the CCD unless a substantial majority (usually two-thirds percent or more) of respondents say that they can provide the item within 1 year of its introduction. This information is gathered during CCD Coordinator training and at EIMAC meetings. State CCD Coordinators also have the opportunity to respond on-line to proposals for new items.

B.5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on statistical aspects of the design.

There are no statistical aspects to the design of the CCD collections and thus no individuals were contacted.