Final - Supporting Statement -2-21-2020

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION

ECA Exchange Student Surveys
OMB Number 1405-0210
SV-2012-0007

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Why is this collection necessary and what are the legal statutes that allow this?

The U.S. Department of State promotes the long-term foreign policy objectives of the United States and encourages mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange programs. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (“ECA”) supports youth exchanges by awarding institutional grants and cooperative agreements to U.S. non-profits. The authority for such activities is under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended, 22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq. The Department is requesting an information collection for an ECA study. This study is to help ensure the safety and well-being of high school exchange students on Department of State-sponsored academic year programs. It is one part of the overall monitoring effort undertaken by ECA. A survey is not legally or administratively required but provides another avenue for ascertaining whether Department of State sponsored students are healthy and safe and receiving the support they need in their exchange programs.

2. What business purpose is the information gathered going to be used for?

The information gathered will be used internally as part of an overall effort by the Youth Programs Division to ascertain whether there are any issues that would affect the safety and well-being of program participants.

3. Is this collection able to be completed electronically (e.g. through a website or application)?

The Youth Programs Division has acquired an electronic survey tool for the purpose of undertaking this survey (Survey Monkey). Respondents will be sent a survey link via email by Youth Programs staff in order to access and complete the survey. This tool reduces the overall burden on respondents by allowing them to complete the survey at a convenient time and makes it easy to respond and submit answers electronically. This lessens the Department’s burden of printing and postal costs associated with disseminating a paper-based product to the respondents. In addition, the use of the electronic surveys will provide the Department with the means to quickly and easily gather data.

4. Does this collection duplicate any other collection of information?

There are no equivalent surveys being undertaken, so there is no duplication or a readily available alternate method to collect this information.

5. Describe any impacts on small business.

There is no impact on small businesses or entities as the targeted audience (respondents) are participants in Department-sponsored Youth Programs.

6. What are consequences if this collection is not done?

The exchange program is an important tool of public diplomacy for the Department of State. Being able to gather information in order to make program decisions and improve the ability of the division to respond to incidents increases the efficiency and reach of this effort. This information collection will gather data to assist the Department in ensuring that Youth programs, authorized under 22 U.S.C. 2452 et seq., meet both statutory and regulatory requirements.

7. Are there any special collection circumstances?

There are no special circumstances associated with this information collection.

8. Document publication (or intent to publish) a request for public comments in the Federal Register

The Department published a 60 day Notice (84 FR 65449) on November 27, 2019, and one comment was received, which was not relevant to this information collection.

9. Are payments or gifts given to the respondents?

No gifts or payments will be provided to respondents and participation is voluntary.

10. Describe assurances of privacy/confidentiality

There were no assurances of privacy or confidentiality to the respondents.

11. Are any questions of a sensitive nature asked?

There are no questions of a sensitive nature contained in this information collection.

12. Describe the hour time burden and the hour cost burden on the respondent needed to complete this collection

It is expected that there will be approximately 1,500 respondents to this survey (1 response each) and that the survey will require about 15 minutes per respondent for a total burden of 375 hours. This was calculated by providing the survey to program officers in the division and eliciting their responses. The survey has eleven short questions. The respondents are expected to be 1500 foreign high school exchange students on J-1 visas (SV2012-0007).

Respondent Burden per Survey

	ITEM	ANNUAL TOTAL	3 YEAR TOTAL
Foreign Exchange Students in US Survey	Estimated Number of Respondents	1500	4500
	Estimated Number of Responses	1500	4500
	Average Hours Per Response	15 Minutes	15 Minutes
		375 hours

13. Describe the monetary burden to respondents (out of pocket costs) needed to complete this collection.

There will be no cost to respondents. Participation is voluntary and no fee is charged in connection with this Survey.

14. Describe the cost incurred by the Federal Government to complete this collection.

The annual fee charged by Survey Monkey to distribute the survey is $300. The cost in employee time is calculated as one DOS employee in Washington, D.C. estimated using the midpoint (Step 5) for Grade 13 (hourly rate $54) of the 2019 General Schedule¹. The Department multiplied the hourly wage rate by 2 to account for a fringe benefits rate of 69 percent² and an overhead rate of 31 percent³. He/she will spend approximately 375 hours of his/her time processing and analyzing the surveys, which yields a cost of $40,500. The total cost is $45,800.

15. Explain any changes/adjustments to this collection since the previous submission

There were no changes to burden. The changes to SV2012-0007 are as follows:

Due to budget cuts and funding there are fewer participants

1. Added the following language to the beginning of the survey:

As the program sponsor for the FLEX, YES, and CBYX programs, the Department of State is responsible for the safety and well-being of our participants.  To this end, we would like to hear directly from you about your experience on program.  Please tell us how you are doing by responding to a brief survey below.  We appreciate your help to ensure everyone’s safety and look forward to hearing from you. If you would like someone from the Department of State to contact you, please answer “yes” to question number five.

2. Deleted (Q1):

The following demographic information is optional, however, if you would like someone to contact you or would like to share your experiences, please provide the following information. From question number

Added (Q1):

Please complete the following demographic information.

3. Deleted (Q4)

Other

If Other (please specify) dialogue box

Added (Q4):

“NWS”

4. Deleted (Q5):

Please tell us about your host family experience so far. Are there any concerns you would like to share with us?

Dialogue box

Added (Q5):

Do you have any specific concerns about your placement, health, safety or well-being?

Yes (Someone at the State Department will contact you.)

No (No one will contact you.)

If yes please explain: (insert dialogue box)

5. Deleted (Q6):

“…does s/he help you with any problems?”

Dialogue box

Added (Q6):

Liaison/Area Representative

Yes

No

6. Deleted (Q7):

How is school going?

Dialogue box

Added (Q7):

Does your LC/Liaison/Area Representative help you if you have any problems?

Yes

No

7. Deleted (Q8):

Please explain your answer. (Dialogue box)

8. Delete (Q9):

Do you have any specific concerns about your placement, health, safety or well-being?

Yes

No

Please explain your answer. (Dialogue box)

Added (Q9)

I know how to get emergency help if I need it.

Yes

No

9. Deleted (Q 10)

Do you have a concern and would you like for someone from the Department of State – Youth Programs Division to contact you? If so, please provide the best method and time to contact you and your email address or telephone number.

No, I am fine

Yes, please contact me

Comment (Dialogue box)

Added (Q10)

Are you completing a monthly survey from your placement organization (from someone other than your LC/Liaison/Area Representative)?

Yes

No

10. Added to Acronyms

NWS-North West Services

16. Explain any exceptions to the OMB certification statement below.

The Department is not requesting any exceptions to the certification statement.

17. If applicable, explain the reason(s) for seeking approval to not display the OMB expiration date.

The Department will display the OMB expiration date.

18. Explain any exceptions to the OMB certification statement below.

The Department is not requesting any exceptions to the certification statement.

1Source: Office of Personnel Management, “2019 General Schedule (GS) Locality Pay Tables,” https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2019/DCB.pdf

2Source: Congressional Budget Office, “Comparing the Compensation of Federal and Private-Sector Employees, 2011 to 2015” (April 2017), https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52637. The wages of Federal workers averaged $38.30 per hour over the study period, while the benefits averaged $26.50 per hour, which is a benefits rate of 69 percent.

3 Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Guidelines for Regulatory Impact Analysis” (2016), https://aspe.hhs.gov/system/files/pdf/242926/HHS_RIAGuidance.pdf. On page 30, HHS states, “As an interim default, while HHS conducts more research, analysts should assume overhead costs (including benefits) are equal to 100 percent of pretax wages….” To isolate the overhead rate, the Department subtracted the benefits rate of 69 percent from the recommended rate of 100 percent.