SupportStatment0004[1][1][1]

THE SUPPORTING STATEMENT

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requires that for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act a Supporting Statement must be prepared in the format specified below. Information in the Supporting Statement should be provided in a manner that is responsive to the OMB instructions, and each item must be identified using the numbering system given by OMB. If the Supporting Statement exceeds 10 single-spaced pages in length, there should be a summary not exceeding one page in length which precedes it.

Every effort should be made to keep the Supporting Statement to a length of 10-12 pages. When possible, detailed information should be placed in an attachment, which is then referenced in an appropriate place in the Supporting Statement so that interested reviewers can peruse it. Each attachment should be referenced in the text, so that a reviewer knows why it has been included and which portions may be of particular interest. Brevity and clarity with respect to both the text of the Supporting Statement and any attachments are highly desirable; only the information requested by the OMB outline and needed to understand the project should be included.

General Instructions

A Supporting Statement, including the text of the notice to the public required by 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(i)(iv) and its actual or estimated date of publication in the Federal Register, must be entered in worksheet I. The Supporting Statement must be prepared in the format described below, and must contain the information specified in Section A below. If an item is not applicable, provide a brief explanation. OMB reserves the right to require the submission of additional information with respect to any request for approval.

Specific Instructions

A. Justification. Requests for approval shall:

1. Circumstances Making the collection of Information Necessary

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Section 1124 of Title I, as amended by P.L 103-382, requires that the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall determine the number of children aged five to seventeen, inclusive, that (1) are being supported in foster homes with public funds; or (2) are from families receiving assistance payments in excess of the current poverty income level for a family of four. The information gathered is to be passed on to the Secretary of Education for purposes of allocating grants authorized under this law. The statute requires that the formula to allocate these grants and distribute funds be based, in part, on October caseload data on the number of children in foster care or in families receiving payments from State programs funded under Title IV-A of the Social Security Act [Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)]. Both the TANF and foster care programs fall under the purview of the Department of Health and Human Services.

2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection

The U.S. Department of Education uses these data in the formula for computation of Title I grants for local education agencies to provide compensatory education services for educationally deprived children. The purpose of this annual survey is to provide current data so that funds may be allocated on an equitable basis.

Prior to fiscal year 1999, the law required the Secretary of Education to determine ESEA Title I allocations for counties and authorized State education agencies (SEAs) to suballocate county amounts to local educational agencies (LEAs) in accordance with regulations published by that Department. Beginning in FY 1999, however, the law requires allocation directly to the LEAs based on poverty estimates produced by the Census Bureau.

As of October 2001, a number of States had not completed the reprogramming of their databases needed to provide the information by LEA. For these States, the Department of Education continues to make allocations by county). States that cannot report the data by LEA are instructed to provide it by county. In either case, the foster care and TANF caseload counts needed for the allocation formula must be as of October of the preceding fiscal year. For example, the 2006 grants (usually announced in late spring or early summer) are based on October 2005 data

3. Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction

At present, the request for the data is made only in hardcopy format, but States are encouraged to respond via electronic mail or FAX if they choose. Since the data are submitted to HHS in summary format, it is assumed that States are using whatever data collection and transmission technology is required or best suited to their needs. It is not considered likely that a more sophisticated, uniform method of transmitting the data to HHS would greatly reduce the reporting burden of individual States. 

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

There are no other data available which meet this specific purpose

5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

This collection of information will not impact small businesses or other small entities; it will affect only public agencies.

6. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

Failure by DHHS to collect these data will prevent the Department of Education from making annual distribution of Title I grants using the method specified by law.

7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

There are no special circumstances associated with this collection of information.

8. Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside the Agency

8. The Federal Register Notice was republished 10/15/2008, Volume 73, pg. 22662. No comments were received in response to this notice.

9. Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents

There are no payments or gifts to respondents for their participation.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

There is no pledge of confidentiality in the use of State reports to obtain summary national data. Data are not collected on individuals.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

This collection contains no questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours and Costs

Instrument	Number of Respondents	Number of Responses per Respondent	Avergage Burden Hours per Response	Total Burden Hours
Annual Statistical Resport on Children in Foster Homes and Chidren Receiving Payments	52	1	264.35	13,746.20

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 13,746.20

13. Estimates of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents and Record Keepers

No cost.

14. Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

Annual cost to the Federal Government is estimated at $8,400. This includes: (1) $8,000 in salaries (80 hours@an estimated average rate of $1000 including fringe benefits, overhead etc.) for scuh tasks as consultation with Department of Education staff; development and clearance processing of forms and instructions; monitoring receipt of, and following up on missing reports; and transmitting information to the Department of Education; and (2) $400 for printing and mailing.

15. Explanation of Program Changes or Adjustments

15. There are no program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-I.

16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule

Data collected through this request will not be published per se. Forms will be gathered and turned over to the Department of Education, which will use them in a formula to compute the dollar value of grants to local education agencies. ED announces these grants during the second quarter of each fiscal year.

17. Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

Not applicable

18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission

Not applicable

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

The agency should be prepared to justify its decision not to use statistical methods in any case where such methods might reduce burden or improve accuracy of results. When item 16 is checked "Yes," the following documentation should be included in the supporting statement to the extent that it applies to the methods proposed:

1. Describe (including numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection method to be used. Data on the number of entities (e.g., establishments, State and local government units, households or persons) in the universe covered by the collection and in the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form for the universe as a whole and for each of the strata in the proposed sample. Indicate expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection had been conducted previously, include the actual response rate achieved during the last collection.

2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information including:

. Statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection,

. Estimation procedure,

. Degree of accuracy needed for the purpose described in the justification,

. Unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures, and

. Any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce burden.

3. Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with issues of nonresponse. The accuracy and reliability of information collected must be shown to be adequate for intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be provided for any collection that will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken.

Testing is encouraged as an effective means of refining collections of information to minimize burden and improve utility. Tests must be approved if they call for collection of identical information from 10 or more respondents. A proposed test or set of tests may be submitted for approval separately or in combination with the main collection of information.

5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on statistical aspects of the design and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.

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