OMB83 Change Memo

TO: Shelly Martinez, OMB

FROM: Stephen Broughman, NCES

THROUGH: Kashka Kubzdela, NCES

SUBJECT: Private School Universe Survey (PSS) 2015-16 Data Collection Amendment (OMB# 1850- 0641 v.6)

DATE: May 2015

Due to the low response rates to the private school components of the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) will not include private schools in its inaugural collection in 2015-16. However, NCES proposes to conduct an experiment in the 2015-16 PSS (described below) to see whether branding on respondent communication materials may raise the response rates among private schools.

NCES has consulted with private school groups concerning important SASS/NTPS content they would like to see collected from private schools in 2015-16. Two items were suggested to be added to the 2015-16 Private School Universe Survey (PSS). The first is whether the school participates in the federal free or reduced lunch program and how many K-12 students participate. The second is whether or not any students at the school receive Title 1 services and how many K-12 students receive services. The proposed questions are versions of 2011-12 SASS private school items 52 and 53 modified to ask about K-12 students only. The two questions are listed below and incorporated into the revised 2015-16 PSS questionnaire in appendix D (questions 18 and 19).

NCES is requesting to amend the PSS OMB clearance (1850-0641 v.5, 6/30/2016 expiration) so that these items can be included in the 2015-16 PSS only. If NCES perceives a need to collect the items on the 2017-18 or subsequent PSS, the request will be included in the request for that collection. The costs to the federal government and the 2015-16 PSS timeline provided in Part A are not affected by the addition. The estimated burden will increase three minutes per respondent for a total increase of 1,350 hours for the 2015-16 collection (see the revised Part A). Averaged with burden for the 2013-14 data collection, over three years, this increase the originally estimated annual burden for 2014-2016 by 450 hours.

NCES is also requesting to conduct a split-panel branding experiment in the 2015-16 PSS to test whether NCES or Census branding results in higher response rates (see the revised Part B). The experiment has no impact on the respondent burden or cost to the federal government.

The revised survey and proposed experiment need approval in May 2015, so that the on-line instrument can be reprogrammed and panels selected in time for the 2015 data collection.

Additionally, this submission includes a separate memo addressing the terms of clearance associated with the PSS 2013-16 clearance (OMB# 1850-0641 v.5).

Items added to the 2015-16 PSS survey

18a. Does this school participate in the National School Lunch Program (that is, the federal free or reduced-price lunch program)?

1 Yes

2 No

GO TO item 19.

b. Around the first of October, how many students at this school were APPROVED for free or reduced-price lunches?

Do NOT include nursery or prekindergarten students.

If none, please mark (X) the box.

0 None or ______ K-12 students approved

19a. Around the first of October, did any students enrolled in this school receive Title I services at this school or at any other location?

(Title I is a federally funded program that provides educational services, such as remedial reading or remedial math, to children who live in areas with high concentrations of low-income families.)

1 Yes

2 No

GO TO Item20 on page xx.

b. How many students participate in the Title I program?

If none or all, please mark (X) the box.

____No K-12 students

____All K-12 students

____K-12 students