Supporting Statement for CSS FINAL

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Survey

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Need for Information Collection.

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is a DoD field activity operating under the direction, authority, and control of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Military Community and Family Policy. DoDEA provides education to eligible Department of Defense military and civilian dependents from preschool through grade 12 at sites in the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, and overseas. During the 2007-2008 school year the Department of Defense Education Activity served an estimated 85,000 students in 199 schools.

The DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Survey is used to measure the satisfaction level of sponsors and students in grades 4-12 with the programs and services provided by DoDEA.  This collection is necessary to measure DoDEA’s progress on the goals set forth in the Community Strategic Plan (CSP) and to meet the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-62); a major purpose of which is to improve Federal program effectiveness and public accountability by promoting a new focus on results, service quality, and customer satisfaction.   

2. Uses of the Information.

The DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Survey will be administered to students in grades 4-12 as well as parents of all students enrolled in the DoDEA school system. The surveys will give parents/sponsors and students an opportunity to comment on their overall levels of satisfaction with DoDEA schools, as well as comment on specific programmatic issues related to Department of Defense schools, including curriculum, assessment, student support, school safety, communication, and technology. In order to have comparison between DoDEA parents and parents of students in U.S. public schools, some survey questions from the Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward Schools will be used. The information derived from this survey will be used for planning of programs and for school improvement at all levels throughout DoDEA.

The DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Survey will be administered to sponsors and students within the DoDEA school system, to include active duty Service members, DoD civilians, U.S. civilians, foreign nationals, and contractors with the Federal Government. In accordance with Section 1782 of title 10 United States Code (USC), “Surveys of Military Families,” this information collection covers only those respondents not covered under this title.

3. Improved Information Technology.

The sponsor and student survey will be administered through an online, Web-based technology. Parents and students will access the survey through a secure Internet link available on the DoDEA home page at www.dodea.edu . Respondents may submit the completed survey any time between activation of the survey in November 2008 and deactivation of the survey in February 2009. Students and parents may complete the survey at any computer with an Internet connection. If they do not own a computer or do not have Internet access, respondents may use a school computer, and schools will be encouraged to publicize the availability of other computers with free Internet access.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication.

DoD does not have current existing data that is sufficiently comprehensive in terms of substance or population to meet this need.

5. Methods Used to Minimize Burden on Small Entities.

The collection of this information does not involve small businesses.

6. Consequences of Not Collecting the Information.

If the information cannot be collected, DoDEA would lack critical data that are necessary to monitor the DoDEA Community Strategic Plan and to support continuous school and program improvement at all levels throughout DoDEA. Schools, districts, and areas would not gain critical insights into the satisfaction levels of their sponsors and students, which could impede data-based decision making in regard to programs and academic services offered to DoDEA’s students.

7. There are no special circumstances.

This collection will be conducted in a manner consistent with the requirements of

5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).

8. Agency 60-Day Federal Register Notice and Consultations Outside the Agency.

The 60-day Federal Register Notice announcing this information collection

(as required by 5 CFR 1320.5(d)) was published on November 29, 2007, 72 FR 67596-67597. No comments were received in response to this collection notice.

The following individuals have reviewed this information collection:

Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC)

Timothy W. Elig

Survey & Program Evaluation Division

Tel: (703) 696-5858

Francine R. Jones, CIP

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Contractor to Force Health Protection and Readiness Programs TRICARE Management Activity Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs)

Tel: 703-575-3536

Cindy Allard
Chief, OSD/JS Privacy Office
Office of Freedom of Information
1155 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1155

Tel: 703-588-2386

9. Payments to Respondents.

The respondents will not receive any monetary payments or gifts associated with completing this survey.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality.

This information collection does not ask the respondent to submit proprietary, trade

secret, or confidential information to the Department.

Privacy Statement:

Authority: 10 USC Sections 136 and 1782.

Principal Purposes(s): The DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Survey permits input from sponsors and students about the current state of educational quality in our institutions. DoDEA’s goal is to improve the capabilities and performance and your responses will contribute to this.

Routine Use(s): None.

Disclosure: Voluntary; however maximum participation is encouraged in order to gauge education program success and to learn of areas in which DoDEA may improve the quality of educational and programmatic services.

11. Sensitive Questions.

The DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Survey does not contain questions that could be considered sensitive. The only demographic information that will be asked is the school(s) and grade level(s) of the student.

Respondents will access the survey through an official and secure DoDEA Web site. The server using an authenticating message sender called Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). This enables users of an insecure public network, such as the Internet, to securely and privately exchange data through the use of a public and private cryptographic key pair. In addition, the computer server is protected by a tiered or layered security scheme. At the network edge router, the entire DoDEA network is protected by Access Control Lists (ACLs). These ACLs inspects both in-bound and out-bound network traffic. Behind the router is a firewall which further inspects and filters traffic. The server is located behind the firewall within the DoDEA network. The DoDEA security strategy is consistent with the recommendations found in DISA’s Network Infrastructure Security Implementation Guide, Version 5, Release 2.

12. Estimates of Annual Response Burden and Labor Cost for Hour Burden to

the Respondent for Collection of Information.

Table 1. Burden Hours for Collection

Burden Estimates
Total annual respondents	2,627
Frequency of response	1
Burden hours per response	20 minutes
Total burden hours	876

B. Explanation of How Burden was Estimated.

The estimated burden hours were calculated using average completion time and response rates of previous survey administrations applied to the portion of current school year population of students and parents not covered under Title 10 USC 1782.

Students: (56,062 students in grades 4-12) x (anticipated response rate =.80) x ( applicable percentage of population=.03) = 1,345 total respondents

Parents: ( 57,000 parents grades PK-12) x (anticipated response rate =.75) x ( applicable percentage of population=.03) = 1,282 total respondents

Estimated Total Annual Respondents: 2,627

Table 2 illustrates the total of possible respondents by sponsoring agency. Those considered “Members of the Public” and therefore possible respondents to and covered by this collection are presented in the last row denoted as “Non-military/ DoD Civilian.” These individuals include individuals sponsored by, but not limited to, the State Department, Private US Business, Contractors, etc.

Table 2. DoDEA Student and Parent Population Disaggregated by Sponsorship

	Percent of Population	Parents	Students in Grades 4-12
Army	50%	28,500	28,031
Navy	10.4%	5,928	5,830
Marine Corps	9.8%	5,586	5,494
Air Force	22%	12,540	12,334
DoD Civilian	4.8%	2,736	2,691
Non-military/DoD	3%	1,710	1,682
Total	100%	57,000	56,062

Response rates to the previous survey were 75% for students and 23% for parents. We are anticipating slightly higher response rates for students and significantly higher response rates for parents, due to an extensive Communication Plan and increased coordination for advertisement of the survey by military components and leadership. We have estimated and anticipate an 80% response rate for students and a 75% response rate for parents.

Therefore, the number of estimated respondents illustrated above is based on 80% of the possible number of Non-military/DoD Civilians presented in Table 2.

C. Labor Cost to the Respondents.

Estimated labor costs to the respondents based on an average of 20 minutes are:

	Low (students only)*		Medium (1/2 of the sponsors)**		High (1/2 of the sponsors)***		Total
	N	Cost	N	Cost	N	Cost	N	Cost
Sponsors (PreK-12)			641	$4,372	641	$6,923	1282	$11,295
Students (grades 4-12)	1,345	$2,596					1,345	$2,596
							2,627	$13,891
*$5.85 per hour (minimum wage); 20 minutes = ($5.85 x .33) = $1.93 per respondent **$20.66 per hour; 20 minutes = ($20.66 x .33) = $6.82 per respondent ***$32.72 per hour; 20 minutes = ($32.72 x .33) = $10.80 per respondent

13. Estimates of Other Cost Burden for the Respondent for Collection of Information:

a. Total Capital and Start-up Cost. There are no capital or start-up costs associated

with this information collection.

b. Operation and Maintenance Cost. There are no operational or maintenance costs

associated with this collection.

14. Annualized Cost to the Federal Government.

Administrative costs to update and administer the DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Surveys include the work of two branches in DoDEA. The table below reflects the time spent to update and administer the survey instruments.

Estimated Cost to DoD for Staff to Update and Administer the DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Surveys
	Fall of Implementation Year			Spring of Implementation Year
	Projected Hours	Cost Per Hour	Total Cost	Projected Hours	Cost Per Hour	Total Cost
Technology Branch Staff	450	$50	$22,500	280	$50	$14,00
Research & Evaluation Staff	100	$70	$7,000	128	$70	$8,960
Total Cost for Fall			$29,500	Total Cost for Spring		$22,960
Overall Total Cost: $52,460

15. Changes in Burden.

Changes in burden are due to decreases in student enrollment and revised guidance in the classification of individuals covered under 10 USC 1782.

16. Publication Plans/Time Schedule.

The DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Survey will be administered for four months, from November 2008 – February 2009. Aggregated survey results, by school, district, or area will be posted on the DoDEA home page, and open-ended responses will be forwarded to individual schools with all demographic data redacted.

16. Approval Not to Display Expiration Date.

Approval not to display the expiration date is not being sought.

16. Exceptions to the Certification Statement.

No exemptions/exceptions to the Certification Statement are being sought.

B. COLLECTION OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

1. Universe and Respondent Selection

a. All DoDEA sponsors of Pre-K-12 students and students in grades 4-12 are the target population for the survey. Statistical methodology for selection of a sample does not apply for DoDEA as the survey administration is a census of the DoDEA sponsors and students.

b. Data will be reported for DoDEA overall, as well as disaggregated by school, district, and Area.

3. The previous administration of the survey had approximately 37,000 student and parents respondents (which includes sponsors and students covered under 10 USC 1782). This number was an adequate number for overall analysis. However, for disaggregated analyses a minimum subgroup of 20 responses is needed to detect differences between groups. If a subgroup size is below 20, data are aggregated to the next level.

2. Procedures for Collecting Information

All survey instruments are created as online surveys, which are accessed through a secure, encrypted DoDEA Web site. All sponsors of students in grades Pre-K-12 and students in grades 4-12 are notified of the surveys and given a link to the online site through school newsletters, radio announcements, school parent/teacher associations, and school military liaisons. Notifications from DoDEA headquarters to Areas, districts, and schools are sent monthly to remind schools of the survey and the current response rates.

3. Methods to Maximize Response

Communication for the Customer Satisfaction Survey to students and sponsors is delivered through a wide range of written, verbal, visual, and auditory methods. Approximately one month prior to the administration period schools receive a package of materials that facilitate the notification and importance of the survey. These materials include a memorandum (addressed to all organizational levels), posters to be hung throughout the school and community, public service announcement scripts, local radio scripts, and separate letters to be distributed to students and parents. All materials make explicit reference to the survey’s Web address and administration window. Respondents are informed that their participation is voluntary and no benefit/punishment is attached to response or non-response on both DoDEA’s Web site and in the instructions for each survey. Secondary follow-up communication is made to students and parents two months into the 4-month administration period via memorandum and school letters to be distributed to students and parents. A third set of communication via memorandum and school letters is disseminated one month prior to the administration period close.

A secure Web site is created to monitor the number of completed surveys for each school. This information is shared with principals, district superintendents, area directors, and base commanders so that each level of the system encourages more public awareness of the study during the administration timeframe of the survey. While DoDEA strives to maximize the response rate, DoDEA recognizes that participation is voluntary and refusals are honored. No incentives are provided to students or sponsors for completion of a survey.

4. Tests of Procedures

The survey instruments were developed using questions from the Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) Gallup Poll, with additional questions added by DoDEA. The questions in the survey ha been reviewed internally by DoDEA Research and Evaluation, district, area, and headquarters staff, as well as by the Defense Manpower and Data Center Survey and Program Evaluation Division. Electronic surveys are also field tested in sample locations across DoDEA (Europe, Pacific, and stateside) to ensure the technology links are accessible from a variety of locations, and that programming within the survey, such as routing and response options, are functional.

5. Contacts for Statistical Aspects and Data Collection

Survey analyses are conducted by the DoDEA Research and Evaluation Branch personnel. Data analysis for each item across both the sponsor and student surveys is minimal and limited to simple descriptive statistics for each response option. Questions with a rating scale of “A, B, C, D, or Fail” require an initial consolidation of responses; i.e.: percent responding “A and B” as a sub-calculation prior to calculating the frequency distribution. These frequency data are then aggregated and reported by DoDEA’s school, district, area, and system organizational levels. No other psychometric or statistical analyses will be conducted. Frequencies with less than 20 respondents, while calculated, are not reported.