Non-substantive change -- Monthly School Enrollment Questions

Request for Non-Substantive Change

May 31, 2012

The U.S. Census Bureau requests a revision to the Current Population Survey (CPS) from January 2013 forward. The Census Bureau received clearance by OMB for the current collection on April 29^th, 2011 (OMB#0607-0049, expires 04/30/2014). Now, we request clearance for additional burden hours in order to better collect current school enrollment information.

Justification

The monthly school enrollment question in the Current Population Survey has long been restricted to respondents aged 24 and under, while omitting older respondents.  This may have been sufficient some decades ago, it is now inadequate.

• About 46 percent of undergraduate students are above the age of 24.

• A large share of federal investments in education and training are aimed at those over 24.  For example, more than forty percent of the federal government’s $29 billion dollar investment in Pell grants is awarded to students over 24.

• Adult students often start programs outside the traditional enrollment in the fall timeline captured in the October supplement, hence monthly data on their enrollment is especially valuable.  

• The monthly enrollment question permits descriptive and quasi-experimental analysis of how enrollment responds both to changes in the business cycle and government policy -- federal student aid training programs -- that is not possible with any other federal data source.

Raising the age of respondents to which the monthly enrollment question is provided will substantially increase the data resources with which analysts and researchers identify the effects of federal education and training policies on key, policy-relevant populations.

Estimate of Hours Burden

We would like to now ask the main school enrollment question and the two follow up questions to people ages 25 to 54. Currently, only those respondents ages 16 to 24 are asked these questions. Using previous months collection numbers and results from the October 2011 School Enrollment supplement, we are able to estimate approximately 53,000 more people will need to be asked the main question and approximately 3,000 more will need to answer the two follow up questions.

The burden over the remainder of the present clearance period is as follows:

Calendar Year 2013 (Jan – Dec) – 993 Hours

Calendar Year 2014 (Jan – Apr) – 331 Hours

Attachment: School Enrollment Questions

ATTACMENT

The following are the questions affected by the universe change.

SCHENR

(THE WEEK BEFORE LAST/LAST WEEK), (was/were) (you/he/she) enrolled in a high school, college, or university?

Enter '1' if currently on holiday or seasonal vacation.
Enter '2' for summer vacation.

1. Yes

2. No

SCHLVL

Ask only if necessary: Would that be high school, college or university?

1. High school

2. College or university

SCHFT

(Are / Is) (you/he/she) enrolled in school as a full time or part time student?

1. Full-time

2. Part-time