OMB appreciates
that the NCES Commissioner is planning to form a committee to
explore, among other things, the need for better data on pre-k
offerings in collections such as this one. NCES should report back
to OMB within three months with more information about the scope,
timing, and plans for that effort, and also should include in the
next submission of this survey for approval a report on the
findings of such an effort.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
06/30/2016
36 Months From Approved
07/31/2013
25,567
0
15,867
6,410
0
3,186
0
0
0
The Private School Universe Survey
(PSS) is the NCES collection of basic data from the universe of
private elementary and secondary schools in the United States. The
PSS is designed to gather biennial data on the total number of
private schools, teachers, and students, along with a variety of
related data, including: religious orientation; grade-levels taught
and size of school; length of school year and of school day; total
student enrollment by gender (K-12); number of high school
graduates; whether a school is single-sexed or coeducational;
number of teachers employed; program emphasis; and existence and
type of its kindergarten program. The PSS includes all schools that
are not supported primarily by public funds, that provide classroom
instruction for one or more of grades K-12 or comparable ungraded
levels, and that have one or more teachers. The PSS is also used to
create a universe list of private schools that can be used as a
sampling frame for NCES surveys of private schools. No substantive
changes have been made to the survey or its procedures since its
last approved PSS 2010-13. This clearance is for the 2013-14 and
2015-16 PSS data collections, and the 2015-16 PSS list- and
area-frame building operations.
US Code:
20
USC 9543 Name of Law: NCES is authorized to conduct this survey
under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA)
The burden associated with the
2013-14 and 2015-16 PSS (9,400 and 9,830 hours respectively) is
somewhat greater than that of the 2011-12 PSS (9,127 hours). This
increase is the net result of a number of factors. The 2013-14 PSS
list-frame development burden was included in the last PSS
clearance (2011-2013) and is not included in this clearance. The
estimated number of interviews is increased from 26,200 (2011-12
PSS) to 27,000 (2013-14 and 2015-16 PSS), reflecting both the
inclusion of 3,000 schools that were included with the 2011-12 SASS
collection burden and the reduction in the total number of private
schools that has been occurring since 2007. The estimated
completion time for the PSS questionnaire is revised upward from 19
minutes (based on the 2007-08 PSS) to 20 minutes (based on the
2011-12 PSS). Additionally, because PSS is biennial, the last OMB
3-year clearance cycle (2010-13) encompassed only one full scale
data collection, while the cycle of this request (2013-2016)
encompasses two full scale data collections.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
PSS 2013-16 Responses to Passback.docx
Part B and C - PSS 2013-16.doc
30D FRN.pdf
Appendix E PSS 2013-16 Table Shells.xls
Private School Universe Survey 2013-16