Test Modified Communication Protocols to Reduce Household Nonresponse in NSLP/SBP Verification Process - SLT

Attachment E - Protocol for Control LEAs

Verification Improvement Pilot– study protocol

Introduction

Thank you for agreeing to participate in the Verification Improvement Pilot (VIP), which will examine the process of verification followed by LEAs across the country in the NSLP and SBP programs. The pilot has been designed to place minimal burden on your staff. However, we know that participating in a study of any kind can be demanding, so the research team will provide close support and technical assistance.

Please contact Ed Harper ([email protected]) or Nathaniel Higgins ([email protected]) with any questions at any time.

Overview

As a participant in the study you will be asked to record the procedures that you follow to request and obtain verification information from households selected for verification in the NSLP and SBP programs.

We provide a template and guide to recording this information below.

Households will not be contacted by FNS or the research team. Their obligation to respond to your requests for verification documentation is no different from before.

Verification process: What to report

Questions? Call or email our research team.

Ed Harper

[email protected]

571 206 7236

Nathaniel Higgins

[email protected]

202 302 9146

The research team is interested in the way that you go about requesting and obtaining verification materials from households. By November 15, please send the following to the research team:

1. A copy of the letter that you send to all households selected for verification

2. A brief document explaining your strategy for obtaining verification, including any unique steps you took to obtain verification data (e.g. Did you call individuals? How many times did you contact households?)

3. Fill out the provided Excel workbook.

Tell us about the outcomes of your attempts to obtain verification from selected households by filling in the provided Excel workbook (by November 15). This will not affect your funding in any way; it is simply a part of our research and data collection. You may already be submitting this information to FNS, in which case this may not be very different from your normal processes.

1. Date of application review for all households approved for benefits

2. Date of initial verification request for all households selected for verification

3. Date that verification documentation is provided by the households to you (leave blank if documentation is not provided), and

4. Ultimate outcome of the verification process (using the same measures reported on the FNS-742)

Thank you for your participation!