Appendix C2.2 Study Objectives (Groups 1, 2, & 3)

C2.2 STUDY OBJECTIVES (GROUPS 1, 2, & 3)

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

OMB Control Number: 0584-XXXX
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

School Nutrition and Meal
Cost Study-II (SNMCS-II)
About
the Study

School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II (SNMCS-II) will continue the long-standing
commitment of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to assess school meal programs. FNS
is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This study continues the important research
begun in the first School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS-I) (OMB Control
Number: 0584-0596, discontinued 7/31/2017) by updating information on school nutrition
policies and practices. It will measure how many students take part in the meal program,
what foods they consume, and their opinion of the foods. It will also assess the relationships
among these factors and the nutritional quality and cost of school meals.
FNS has contracted with Mathematica Policy Research to conduct SNMCS-II about SY
2019-2020. SNMCS-II will collect a broad range of data from public school food authorities
(SFAs), schools, and students and their parents. These data about the school meals programs
will help Federal, State, and local stakeholders better serve students.

Timeline of Study Activities
Work with SFA
and school staff
to schedule data
collection
Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

2020

May

Jun.

Jul.

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

2021

• On-site data collection
(one week per SFA)

Follow-up cost data collection with SFA Directors
and Business Managers

• Menu Survey data
collection
• Staff web surveys
• Student and Parent
Interviews

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 2 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.

SNMCS-II Study
Objectives

Objective 1: Describe the school environment, food service operating policies
and practices, student participation, and other characteristics of schools and
SFAs participating in the NSLP and SBP.
Objective 2: Determine the food and nutrient content of school meals and
afterschool snacks and the overall nutritional quality of these meals and snacks.
Objective 3: Determine the cost to produce reimbursable school lunches and
breakfasts, including indirect and local administrative costs, and examine the
ratios of revenues to costs.
Objective 4: Describe student characteristics, participation, student/parent
satisfaction, plate waste, and students’ dietary intakes.

SNMCS-II Data
Collection
Activities

Group 1
• SFA Director Survey

Mathematica is selecting a sample of about 500 SFAs nationwide and two to four schools per
SFA. It will collect data only from SFAs and schools necessary for the study’s success. The
sample is divided into three groups. The SFAs and schools in each group will participate in
different activities. During SY 2019–2020, SFAs and schools will be asked to complete the
activities shown in the figure below about SY 2019-2020.

Group 2

Group 3

• Menu Survey

• Menu Survey

• SFA Director, School Nutrition
Manager, and Principal Surveys

• SFA Director, School Nutrition Manager,
and Principal Surveys

• Student and Parent Interviews

• SFA Director, School Nutrition Manager,
and Principal Cost Interviews

• Observations of Cafeteria and
Other Sources of Foods and
Beverages

• Observations of Cafeteria and Other
Sources of Foods and Beverages
• Plate Waste Observations
(only in selected schools)