Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Annual Survey of School System Finances, 5755 [2018-02581]

Agencies

• Census Bureau
• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 28 (Friday, February 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 5755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02581]



[[Page 5755]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Annual Survey 
of School System Finances

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before April 10, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via the internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to David J. Gromos, U.S. Census Bureau, Economic 
Reimbursable Surveys Division, Room 6H151, Washington, DC 20233; (301) 
763-4659 (or via the internet at [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The U.S. Census Bureau plans to continue the current Office of 
Management and Budget clearance for the Annual Survey of School System 
Finances. The Annual Survey of School System Finances is the only 
comprehensive source of public elementary-secondary school system 
finance data collected on a nationwide scale using uniform definitions, 
concepts, and procedures. The collection covers the revenues, 
expenditures, debt, and assets of all public elementary-secondary 
school systems. This data collection has been coordinated with the 
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The NCES uses this 
collection to satisfy its need for school finance data.
    Fiscal data provided by respondents aid data users in measuring the 
effectiveness of resource allocation. The products of this data 
collection make it possible for data users to search a single database 
to obtain information on such things as per pupil expenditures and the 
percent of state, local, and federal funding for each school system. 
Elementary-secondary education related spending is the single largest 
financial activity of state and local governments. Education finance 
statistics provided by the Census Bureau allow for analyses of how 
public elementary-secondary school systems receive their funding and 
how they are spending their funds.

II. Method of Collection

    A letter is mailed electronically at the beginning of each survey 
period to solicit the assistance of the state education agencies. This 
letter officially announces the opening of the data collection period 
and requests some administrative data, such as the estimated date of 
submission, any change to the reporting format from prior year, and 
updated contact information for the state coordinator.
    The survey form (F-33) contains item descriptions and definitions 
of the elementary-secondary education finance items collected jointly 
by the Census Bureau and NCES. It is used primarily as a worksheet and 
instruction guide by the state education agencies providing school 
finance data centrally for the school systems in their respective 
states. The Census Bureau collects almost all of the finance data for 
local school systems from state education agency databases through 
central collection arrangements with the state education agencies. The 
states transfer this information in electronic format over the internet 
via file transfer protocol. The Census Bureau has also facilitated 
central collection of school system finance data by accepting data in 
multiple formats.
    Supplemental forms are sent to local school systems in states where 
the state education agency cannot centrally provide information on 
assets (F-33-L1), indebtedness (F-33-L2), or both (F-33-L3).

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0700.
    Form Number(s): F-33, Supplemental forms: F-33-L1, F-33-L2 and F-
33-L3.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: State and local governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: F-33: 51, Supplement: 3,630.
    Estimated Time per Response: F-33: 59 hrs. 41 minutes, 
Supplemental: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,951.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0. (This is not the cost of 
respondents' time, but the indirect costs respondents may incur for 
such things as purchases of specialized software or hardware needed to 
report, or expenditures for accounting or records maintenance services 
required specifically by the collection.)
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Census: Title 13 U.S.C. Sections 8(b), 161, and 
182. NCES: Title 20 U.S.C. Sections 9543-44.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental Lead PRA Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-02581 Filed 2-8-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P