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NIE Guide—U.S. Newspapers (Effective April 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010)

Affidavits

Definition

Affidavits must be obtained for all NIE classroom programs where payment is made using sponsorship funding. An affidavit isn’t required if the teacher or the school pays for the copies.

Timing and Content

After the classroom program is finished, the teacher or other school official with knowledge of the program must submit a completed and signed affidavit to the newspaper.

At minimum, a “program” is defined as those copies distributed during the newspaper’s audit period. However, the newspaper may elect to obtain affidavits more frequently as better control to ensure the affidavits will actually be received (i.e., the end of every semester, every month, etc.).

This affidavit must contain, at minimum, the following:

  • Name and address of school
  • Statement to confirm the newspapers were ordered, received and used in the classroom as part of the curriculum
  • The quantity of copies (or licenses for e-editions)
  • Number of students in the classroom
  • Date(s) or date range copies were received
  • Name of teacher(s) who received the distribution (if school official is completing the form)
  • Printed name and title of the person signing the affidavit
  • Phone number of the person signing the affidavit
  • Signature and date

During the course of the audit, the auditor may deem it necessary to directly contact the teacher or school official to confirm the information contained in the affidavit.

Affidavits may be sent to the teacher or school official prior to the end of the program; however, they should not be completed until the program is finished.

Note:
An order form or attestation completed at the time of order is not sufficient and will not be accepted by ABC as an affidavit. The affidavit requires the teacher or school official confirm the newspapers were received and used, therefore it cannot be completed until distribution has been made.

Examples

It is up to each newspaper to develop their own affidavits and ensure they contain the minimum content required by ABC. However, a few examples have been created as a guide to assist newspapers in creating their own. These are not intended to reflect every situation, only those most commonly reviewed by ABC staff.
#1: Identifies specific dates
#2: Identifies a date range
#3: Completed by school official (versus teacher)
#4: Print and electronic editions served to same classroom

Minimum Affidavits Required

Affidavits are required for all (100 percent) of the classrooms that received copies paid for using sponsorship funding. Programs for which affidavits are not received are subject to exclusion from paid circulation at the time of audit (based on materiality and other audit findings).

Electronic or Online Affidavits

Affidavits submitted electronically to the newspaper are acceptable to ABC. These are typically in the form of either e-mail (Word document) or via submission of an online (Internet) form.

In either case, all of the information noted above in the timing and content section is required. However, since a signature is not attainable electronically, the individual completing the form should affirmatively check a box next to a statement confirming the information provided in the online form is true and accurate.

For example:

  • I agree the information contained in this affidavit is complete and accurate.


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