State and Local Governments

APPENDIX C06. State CN Director Study Introduction and Data Request Email (Groups 1a, 1B, 2A, 2b, and 3)

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

OMB Number: 0584-xxxx

Expiration Date: xx/xx/20xx

This information is being collected to assist the Food and Nutrition Service in understanding school food purchasing practices, the nutritional quality of school meals and snacks, the cost to produce school meals, and student participation and dietary intakes. This is a mandatory collection and FNS will use the information to monitor program operations. This collection does not request any personally identifiable information under the Privacy Act of 1974. 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 0.33 hours 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, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314 ATTN: PRA (0584-xxxx). Do not return the completed form to this address.

Dear [DIRECTOR],

You should have received notification from the FNS [FILL REGION] Regional Office that the National School Foods Study is being conducted for the 2024–2025 school year. Mathematica and its team are ready to contact SFA directors and district superintendents for SFAs in your state. We have attached a list of the SFAs sampled in your state. Data collection for the study will occur between September 2024 and December 2025.

We would appreciate anything you can do to encourage their participation. We have attached an example email for you to inform your sampled SFA Directors of their participation in the study and your support of it.

We are also hoping you can provide some information that will help us plan for data collection in these SFAs. Specifically, we are asking you to:

1. provide the provision status for each SFA (whether all, some, or no schools participate in CEP, Provision 1, Provision 2, and Provision 3)

2. provide the NSLP reimbursement rate for each SFA (less than 60% FRPL, 60% FRPL or more, or max rate)

3. identify districts that use a food service management company

4. let us know whether there are any unique situations that would make it difficult for a specific SFA to participate in the study (for example, the SFA is being audited).

We have attached an Excel example template for your reference, but the requested information can be provided in whatever format is easiest (such as an export from your own systems). You may also send us information on all of your SFAs instead of just the sampled ones if that is easier. Please reply to this email with the requested data.

Participation by selected State Agencies, school districts, and schools is required under Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. Requested data are in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. We understand that research requests place an additional burden on SFA and school staff that can be difficult to balance with other responsibilities. We have done everything we can to minimize that burden.

We are glad to discuss the study or data request with you anytime. Please contact us at [EMAIL] or [PHONE].

Thank you for your assistance,

[PROJECT DIRECTOR]
Study Project Director
Mathematica

[ATTACHMENT LIST: Excel data template; SFA Director Notification State CN Director]

REQUESTED DATA ITEMS

Mathematica provided Sample Information:

• Study ID

• SFAID 742

• LEAID

• SFA Name

• Data Collection Group

Requested from State:

• CEP Status

• Prov 1 Breakfast Status

• Prov 1 Lunch Status

• Prov 2 Breakfast Status

• Prov 2 Lunch Status

• Prov 3 Breakfast Status

• Prov 3 Lunch Status

• SFA SY 2024-2025 NSLP reimbursement rate

• Name of FSMC(s), if applicable

• Dates for any reviews or audits

• Does the district present any special circumstances we should be aware of?