CN Agency and SFA Directors, Business Managers, Superintendents, Menu Planners, School Nutrition Managers, School Liaisons, and Principals - SLT

C21. State Child Nutrition Director Study
Introduction and Data Request Email

(FULL and LIMITED outlying areas)

This page has been left blank for double-sided copying.

OMB Control Number: 0584-XXXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

TO BE SENT FROM PROJECT EMAIL ADDRESS: text from Mathematica to State/Territory Child Nutrition/School Nutrition directors including original email from FNS

Dear [DIRECTOR],

As [FNS NAME] noted below, Mathematica Policy Research is ready to begin contacting the SFA director(s) and district superintendent(s) for the SFAs that have been identified for participation in the Outlying Areas Cost Study for school year 2019–2020. This is a sub-study of the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II (SNMCS-II).

[AK: We wanted to make you aware of the sampled SFAs in Alaska.] To help us with contacting the SFA director(s) and plan for data collection, we are asking you to fill out the attached Excel spreadsheet with contact information for the SFA director(s) and indicate whether or not the SFA uses a food service management company (FSMC). [FULL OA: Please also indicate whether any of the listed schools operate as a private school, charter school, or do not serve meals. Because only public schools participating in the National School Lunch Program are eligible for the study, we have selected backup schools in case any on the list are ineligible to participate for these reasons.] You may also provide the requested information in a separate document if that is easier.

Cooperation of selected SFAs [FULL OA: and schools] is required under Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. We understand that research requests place an additional burden on SFA [FULL OA: and school] staff that can be difficult to balance with other responsibilities. We have done everything we can to minimize that burden. [LIMITED OA: Data will only be collected from SFA staff; no school staff will be asked to participate.]

We will start reaching out to the SFA director(s) and superintendent(s) shortly. If it is your preference to reach out to the SFA(s) first before we start recruitment, you can use the attached example SFA notification email. We are also glad to discuss the study with you anytime.

Thank you for your assistance,

[PROJECT DIRECTOR]

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-XXXX. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 20 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302, ATTN: PRA (0584-xxxx). Do not return the completed form to this address.

Example fields included in the Excel spreadsheet:

• SFA Director Name

• SFA Director Email

• SFA Director Phone

• Does district use an FSMC?

  • Name of FSMC(s), if applicable

• [FULL OA: Are any of the sampled schools private schools, charter schools, or do they not participate in the National School Lunch Program in school year 2019-2020?]