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Direct Certification and Verification in the National School Lunch Program

2013 . Direct Certification and Verification in the National School Lunch Program . DIRECT CERTIFICATION means determining children eligible for free meals benefits based on documentation obtained directly from the appropriate State or local agency or other authorized individual.

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Direct Certification and Verification in the National School Lunch Program

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  1. 2013 Direct Certification and Verification in the National School Lunch Program

  2. DIRECT CERTIFICATION means determining children eligible for free meals benefits based on documentation obtained directly from the appropriate State or local agency or other authorized individual.

  3. State Agency Benchmarks BENCHMARKS FOR STATE DIRECT CERTIFICATION RATES To encourage improved performance, this new provision in Public Law 111-296 sets a State-level direct certification rate benchmark for children in households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for each school year, beginning with SY 2011-2012. Benchmarks for State direct certification rates for children in households receiving SNAP benefits (the percentage of school-age SNAP-participant children directly certified for free school meals) are set at: • 80% for SY 2011-2012; • 90% for SY 2012-2013; and • 95% for SY 2013-2014 and each school year thereafter.

  4. All Local Education Authorities must directly certify children who are members of households receiving SNAP benefits.

  5. Frequency of Match • LEAs must conduct direct certification with SNAP at least three times during the school year. More frequent direct certification efforts are permissible and encouraged. The efforts must be made: • At or around the beginning of the school year (i.e., July 1); • Three months after the beginning of the school year; and • Six months after the beginning of the school year. 

  6. Eligibility for free meals is extended to all children in a household if one member has been directly certified as eligible under the Assistance Programs. These children are also considered directly certified. LEAs may be able to use school district enrollment records to determine additional children who are part of the family but were not identified through direct certification

  7. LEAs are encouraged to conduct direct certification with the TANF program and FDPIR. Direct certification with these programs may use either a data matching technique or the letter method.

  8. The LEA must notify the household about eligibility established through direct certification. The notification must include the following information: • The child is eligible for free benefits; • No further application is necessary; • If applicable, an explanation of extended eligibility and how to notify the LEA of any additional children in the household; and • How to notify the LEA if it does not want free benefits for directly certified children.

  9. The LEA must provide benefits promptly. Eligible children may receive benefits immediately and the LEA may assume consent if refusal has not been received within a certain number of days, as determined by the LEA.

  10. TANF/FDPIR Direct certification may be also conducted using letters provided to eligible participants from TANF or FDPIR agencies that the family submits to the LEA/school

  11. SNAP Letter However, the use of eligibility letters does not fulfill the direct certification requirement for those household receiving SNAP benefits.

  12. SNAP stands alone Direct certification for SNAP households must be conducted using electronic data match process.

  13. FOSTER Children • Direct certification is not required for foster children; however LEAs are encouraged to establish relationships with foster care agencies or the courts to receive information from these agencies to certify foster children. Welfare agency or court documents stating the courts have taken legal custody and s/he has been place in the foster care system or if appropriate a list of children in foster care from the welfare or court system is sufficient.

  14. How long you ask? • Because of year-long duration of eligibility, households are no longer required to report changes in their categorical eligibility status. Further, if a subsequent direct certification contact indicates a child is no longer receiving SNAP or other benefits, no change is required.

  15. Recordkeeping LEAs must keep documentation for direct certification on file for a minimum of three (3) years after submission of the final claim for reimbursement for the fiscal year to which they apply. Documentation must be kept longer if it is required by an audit. If audit findings have not been resolved, the applications must be retained as long as required for resolution of the issues raised by the audit.

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