Eileen Hileman

Eileen Hileman Administrative Assistant

for School Nutrition Programs

MS, RD

. . .. Pam Heimbach

VERIFICATION

Confirmation of Eligibility forFree and Reduced Price Meals

Changes in Child Nutrition Program Law and RegulationsPennsylvania Department of Education, June 2005

ACRONYMS & DEFINITIONS

Alternate Sample Size Options:

#1 – 3% Random: the lesser of 3 percent of, or 3,000 approved applications selected at random from approved applications OR

#2 – 1% Focused Plus: the lesser of 1 percent of all applications selected from error prone applications or 1,000 error prone applications, PLUS

the lesser of 1/2 of 1 percent of, or 500, approved applications that provided a case number (in lieu of income information) showing participation in food stamps or a State TANF programChanges in Child Nutrition Program Law and Regulations

Pennsylvania Department of Education, June 2005

Alternate Sample Size Options (continued):To be eligible to use one of the Alternate Sample Sizes, the LEA's non-response rate for the preceding school year is less than 20%.

Application: form completed by household to apply for free or reduced price meals

ASP: Afterschool Snack ProgramChanges in Child Nutrition Program Law and Regulations

Pennsylvania Department of Education, June 2005


Basic Sample Size – 3% Focused: the lesser of 3 percent of all approved applications, as of the first operating day in October, selected from error prone applications; OR 3,000 error prone applications approved by the LEA, as of the first operating day in October

Categorically Eligible: children included on a household application that includes a Food Stamp or TANF case number on which free meal eligibility is determined



Confirmation Review: review of all applications selected for verification to check the accuracy of the initial eligibility determination prior to conducting any other verification activity. This confirmation review must be done by an individual other than the individual who made the initial eligibility determination.



Direct Certification: an alternative method for certifying children eligible for free meals. Information is obtained from the PA Department of Public Welfare by PDE and provided to SFAs of children from households receiving FS benefits and/or children receiving TANF benefits. An application from the household is not required.



Direct Verification: the process under which LEAs verifying household applications approved for free or reduced price school meals use data maintained by the Food Stamp Program to verify the household's eligibility without contacting the household



Error Prone Applications: an approved household application that (a) indicates monthly income that is within $100 or an annual income that is within $1,200, of the income eligibility limitation for free or reduced price meals; or by criteria established by the Secretary of Agriculture

FS: Food Stamps



Income Documentation: documentation of income for any point in time between the month prior to application and the time the household is required to provide income documentation

Income/Household Size Application: applications for free or reduced price meals that were approved based on household income and household size. This includes foster child applications.



LEA: Local Educational Agency

Non-response: an application for which the verification process could not be completed by November 15

Non-response Rate: the percentage of approved household applications selected for verification for which verification information has not been obtained by the LEA after attempted verification under direct verification or household verification



Notice of Adverse Action: letter notifying household that their eligibility changed from free or reduced price to paid or from free to reduced price

NSLP: National School Lunch Program



Provision 2/3 Schools: optional alternatives for Free and Reduced Price Meal Application and claiming procedures in the NSLP and SBP which are available to those SFAs with schools in which at least 80 percent of the enrolled children are eligible for free or reduced price meals, or schools which are currently, or who will be serving all children meals at no charge



RCCI: Residential Child Care Institution; a SFA that serves children 7 days per week, 24 hours per day

Reinstated Application: an application that has been verified and changed to paid and household was sent a notice of adverse action. Sometime after the effective date of the change to paid, household reapplies and is determined to be eligible for free or reduced price meals again.



SBP: School Breakfast Program

SFA: School Food Authority; the governing body which is responsible for the administration of one or more schools, and has the legal authority to operate the NSLP, SBP, ASP and/or SMP

SMP: Special Milk Program

TANF: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families



Third Party Contractor: A LEA may contract (under standards established by the Secretary of Agriculture) with a third party to assist the LEA in carrying out follow-up activities.

Verification of Sample: Each school year, a LEA shall verify eligibility of the children in a sample of NEW household applications approved for the school year by the LEA.



The Process

VERIFICATION


Children directly certified, migrant, homeless, runaway

RCCIs, except for day students

Non-pricing programs, claim paid only

SMP schools

SFAs in which all schools participate in Provision 2 or 3, non-base years

Exceptions from Verification Requirements


The process that confirms eligibility

Must occur after the application is approved

Must use one of the approved sampling

methods

1. Basic Sample Size – 3% Focused

2. Alternate Sample Size #1 – 3% Random

3. Alternate Sample Size #2 – 1% Focused

Plus

Verification Requirements


Example of how to determine non-response rate for the 2005-06 school year

Determine Non-response Rate

In school year 2004-2005, a LEA has a total of 500 approved applications, the sample size was 15 and the number of applications for which there was no response was 3.

Divide 3 by 15 = 20%


Since the non-response rate was NOT less than 20%, the LEA must use the Basic Sample Size (3% Focused) method of selecting the applications to be verified.

If the non-response rate was less than 20%, the LEA may use one of the Alternate Sample Size Options.


Determining Sample Sizefor Non-response Rate

If there are not enough error prone applications for Basic Sample Size - 3% Focused or Alternate Sample Size - #2 – 1% Focused Plus, LEAs must randomly select additional applications to meet the sample size required.


Determining Sample Sizefor Non-response Rate

To calculate your non-response rate for the 2004 School Year, access the Verification Procedures Questionnaire submitted for the 2004-2005 School Year.

Add the responses given to the following questions: 17e(1)+17e(3)+17f(1)

and divide by the response in number 13 (the number of applications selected for verification).


Determine Your Non-response Rate

Any LEA with preceding school year non-response rate less than 20%

Large LEAs with 10% improvement in non-response rate

For SY 2005-06 only, large LEAs that attempt direct verification from 2 sources – FS and TANF

Eligibility for Alternate #1 or #2 Sample Sizes


1.Determine sample size, based on number of new applications on file on the first operating day of October

2.Conduct confirmation review. LEAs may “decline” up to 5% of their verification sample and replace them with other approved applications.

3.Exception: Confirmation review waived if the LEA uses a “technology-based solution” that makes accurate eligibility determinations.

Verification Process


A. Correct the household’s eligibility status;

B. Notify the household of the change and explain changes; and

C. Allow household to reapply and provide documentation

Confirmation Reviews

If the initial determination is incorrect, the LEA must:



4. If a confirmation review indicates that a household is eligible, the LEA must proceed to verify the application.

5.Notify household of selection for verification

6.LEA must include a toll-free number (call without charge).



7. Conduct necessary follow-up activities

8. If household does not respond to verification requests, LEA must make at least one additional attempt to obtain verification.

9. LEAs may contract with a third party to assist with “follow-up.”



10. Maintain results of verification to have data necessary to complete Verification Summary Report

11. Complete verification process by November 15 by notifying households of the results of verification



VERIFICATION


Report to the State Agency

Eileen Hileman

Documents

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