Part B CATEF 2015-2017

College Affordability and Transparency Explanation Form (CATEF) 2015-2017

Supporting Statement Part B

OMB Paperwork Reduction Act Submission

OMB# 1840-0822 v.3

Submitted by:

Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)

U.S. Department of Education

October 2014

Table of Contents

B. Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods 1

B.1. Respondent Universe and Sampling Methods 1

B.2. Procedures for the Collection of Information 1

B.3. Methods to Maximize Response Rate 2

B.4. Tests of Procedures and Methods 2

B.5. Individuals Responsible for Study Design and Performance 2

Part B. Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods

B.1. Respondent Universe and Sampling Methods

The respondent universe for this study is the five percent of institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) universe within each of nine sectors with the largest increases in (a) tuition and fees and/or (b) net prices charged to students in accordance with §132 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 , as amended (HEA), 20 U.S.C. § 1015a). The exact number of institutions that will be included in the collection may vary slightly from year to year based on the number of institutions reporting to IPEDS in each sector. The number of respondents may also vary depending on how many institutions are included on both the tuition and fees and net price increase lists, as that overlap would limit the number of other institutions included in the top five percent that would have to report data. It is expected that the 2014-15 collection will have 578 institutions, completing a total of 610 forms (267+279+32+32). See detailed information by institutional sector in the table below.

Number of institutions appearing on College Affordability and Transparency Center (CATC) Lists for Highest increase in Tuition and Fees and Net Price, by Sector, 2014-15.
	Institutional Sector	Tuition and Fee increase list	Net Price Increase List	Both Lists
	Public 4-year	27	27	6
	Private not-for-profit 4-year	53	52	11
	Private for-profit 4-year	31	27	3
	Public 2-year	15	51	1
	Private not-for-profit 2-year	7	6	0
	Private for-profit 2-year	46	42	3
	Public less than 2-year	10	8	1
	Private not-for-profit less than 2-year	4	4	0
	Private for-profit less than 2-year	74	62	7
	Total	267	279	32

B.2. Procedures for the Collection of Information

This is a universe data collection employing an online survey form. The universe is selected based on the five percent of institutions in each sector with the largest increases in tuition and fees and/or net prices to students as required by the HEA.

Working with the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), OPE will send the CATEF survey to identified institutions through the IPEDS data provider network (IPEDS keyholders). The IPEDS keyholders were responsible for providing the initial data used to develop the CATC lists. OPE will send the CATC-identified IPEDS keyholders an email including a unique UserID and randomly generated password required for registration when the CATEF collection opens. Annual survey activity will include a 2-week registration period followed by a 4-week collection cycle. The one time registration must take place before data can be entered into the CATEF system. Data will be entered directly into the online system. The collection system will have built-in edits to make sure respondents enter all required information. Respondents must resolve all errors before data can be submitted as final. Once the collection closes for institutions, the survey administrators review the data. Following OPE approval of the file, data will be tabulated and analyzed and the summary report will be prepared.

B.3. Methods to Maximize Response Rate

In order to maximize response in a timely manner, OPE will utilize a user-friendly web-based data collection. This is a statutorily mandated data collection under the HEA. OPE will follow the model used for NCES’s IPEDS data collection which has an over 99 percent response rate annually. Issues of non-response will be addressed by sending follow-up e-mails and phone calls to the keyholder entering the data, as well as through notification of the institution’s CEO or president. If non-response continues to be an issue after these steps have been taken, OPE will work with Federal Student Aid (FSA) to address non-compliance.

B.4. Tests of Procedures and Methods

The CATEF data collection system was subject to extensive testing prior to the opening of the first CATEF collection in 2011. No additional testing was needed in the subsequent CATEF collections because the system has been fully functional. Pertinent data (i.e., finance and full-time equivalent enrollment data) are pulled in from IPEDS, and the system calculates data for the respondent wherever possible (i.e., Section 2 of the CATEF on costs). Edit checks and data verification procedures have been built into the collection process, thus resolving errors at the time of data submission and making the process more efficient. Respondents are able to review their data prior to submission.

B.5. Individuals Responsible for Study Design and Performance

The survey instrument was reviewed by members of the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative (NPEC). Established in 1995, NPEC is a voluntary organization that includes postsecondary associations and organizations that represent each institutional sector that is required to report information for this collection. NPEC members were provided a draft copy of the survey instrument in order to give feedback on the availability of the data requested, clarity of instructions, and estimated burden to institutions. As of August 2014, the NPEC members consulted on the design of the survey form are as follows:

Mary Ann Coughlin

Springfield College

[email protected]

Alisa Cunningham

Consultant

[email protected]

Jennifer L. Daly

Delgado Community College

[email protected]

Gayle Fink

Bowie State University

[email protected]

Kimberley Harvey

Louisiana Board of Regents

[email protected]

Christine Keller

Association of Public and Land Grant Universities

[email protected]

Carolyn Mata

Georgia Independent College Association

[email protected]

Emily Parker

American Association of State Colleges and Universities

[email protected]

Kent Phillippe

American Association of Community Colleges

[email protected]

Christopher Rasmussen

Midwestern Higher Education Compact

[email protected]

Mikyung Ryu

American Council on Education

[email protected]

Christine Tracy

Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities

[email protected]

Wendy Weiler
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities

[email protected]

Christina Whitfield

Kentucky Community and Technical College System

[email protected]

The CATEF survey form, originally developed by the Office of Postsecondary Education, with technical guidance and support from NCES staff, will continue to be used for the 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17 CATEF collections. The CATEF contract is up for re-bid and procurement in March 2015. We expect that the contractors will continue to fulfill similar deliverables provided by the contractors who assisted with the 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14 CATEF collections.

The 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14 CATEF data were collected via an online data collection system run by IT Innovative Solutions (Inovas). Inovas completed data analysis and produced a report for each collection year, under leadership of Mohamad Sakr ([email protected]).

B4

B3

The U.S. Department of Education staff responsible for the CATEF design and performance include: Ashley Higgins from OPE, and Gigi Jones and Richard Reeves from NCES.