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Attachment 1 Certification Procedure For Determination of Purpose The purpose of this document is to give principals, school nurses, secretaries, cafeteria managers, and others the current procedure to be followed for administering the required federal and state regulations for the certification of students for free and reduced-price meals. Policy School district policy is to provide a free or reduced-price meal to those students whose family income qualifies them as needy. The board-approved eligibility guidelines are those published by the Department of Agriculture. They are shown in Exhibit A of this procedure. The 2000-2001 income guidelines reflect an increase over those guidelines authorized for the 1999-2000 school year. Please destroy all forms from previous years. Eligible Students Eligible students for free or reduced-price meals are those needy students attending the San Diego City Schools in kindergarten through grade 12. Preschool children in child development centers or preschool programs of San Diego City Schools are also eligible. Certification of those preschool children in child development centers and in the state preschool educational program is administered and accomplished separately by that program office. School-age children in child development programs are to make individual application and be certified through the elementary school office. Funding of Meals Meals are funded jointly by the federal and state governments. Certification (General) Each school year the district must certify EVERY individual student who receives free or reduced-price meals. This certification applies both to the lunch program and to the existing breakfast programs. Certification for eligibility of students to receive either free or reduced-price meals is handled at the school site. Experience has shown that the initial certification processing is most effectively accomplished in the school office for the following reasons:
Funding of Clerical Help For Processing Funding for clerical help is made available to help accomplish certification at the beginning of the year only. Funding is allocated to each school based upon estimated certification load. Clerical employees are paid only on the CLASSIFIED salary schedule according to the classified rate of the position they occupy.
A classified hourly employee could be obtained who, by using the packet of certification tools provided by the central office of the Food Services Department and with convenient access to "cum cards" and the current Active Enrollment Report, could accomplish certification of the majority of applications with dispatch. Certain problem applications will require reference to a resource person most familiar with the individual student's situation. If you do not have a classified hourly employee at your site, you can call the Personnel Department at (619) 725-8090 and they can try to get additional clerical help. Eligibility Guidelines The income eligibility guidelines have changed for the 2000-2001
school year. On-Line Access To Student Meal Code All schools have the ability to input/change student meal codes for the current school year through their on-line terminal. Instructions for the accomplishment of this on-line meal code input are as follows:
If the school has received a free/reduced meal application for the student, the clerk is to input the appropriate code in the Meal Code field on the Student Enrollment (Change) screen. Note: Secondary schools must update the Meal Code field on the mainframe Student Enrollment (Change) screen. This information cannot be updated with AERIES. Direct Certification This program is made possible by an agreement with the County of San Diego Department of Social Services. Children receiving assistance under either the CalWORKs (AFDC) or Food Stamp program qualify to receive free meals at school. Through a computer match, program recipients are directly recorded as certified to receive free meals on district computer files. Under 2000-2001 direct certification, starting with the 2000-2001 traditional school calendar:
b. Each school sends free and reduced-price meal application forms home to all enrolled students at the start of the school year as usual (this is a government requirement). (Exhibit B) c. Each school will receive all free and reduced-price meal rosters,
including the beginning school year enrollment roster, with preprinted
identification of students automatically eligible by direct
certification. Verification Public Law 97-35 mandated the Secretary of Agriculture to develop guidelines for verification of income on applications for free and reduced-price meals. This will be conducted by the central office of the Food Services Department; the obligation of the school office is limited to certification of students for free and reduced-price meals. Certification (Time Limit) Initial certification must be completed by the following date: All Schools Friday, September 22, 2000 The district has been allowed to extend last year's eligibility until this deadline in order to permit an orderly transition from last year's program to this year's program. Last year's certification cannot be extended beyond this date. It is advisable to certify applications for new students prior to those of returning students to ensure eligibility for free or reduced-priced meals. Certification (Tools) A 2000-2001 certification packet will be sent to each school. This packet contains the following certification materials:
A supply of the application and reply forms (items 2 and 3) will be delivered to the schools separately. Send Letter to Parents/Application forms to parents the FIRST DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR or earlier. This set of forms includes the School Meal Information letter to parents (Exhibit A) and the Application for Free and Reduced-Price Meals (Exhibit B). Steps of Certification To complete the beginning school year certification for the free and reduced-price meals program, the following must be accomplished:
Please DO NOT hold applications at school sites. Step One: Certify The government requires that completed applications be certified within 10 days of receipt by the school office. CalWORKs (AFDC), FDPIR, and Food Stamp Households Students from households who qualify for the Food Distribution Program on an Indian Reservation (FDPIR), food stamps, or CalWORKs (AFDC) qualify for free meals if FDPIR, food stamp or CalWORKs (AFDC) case number is provided. The student’s name (section A), FDPIR, food stamp, or CalWORKs (AFDC) case number (section B) and the parent’s signature (section D) are the only information required on these applications. Social security and income information is not required. If income, FDPIR, food stamp, or CalWORKs (AFDC) case number is reported, income must be DISREGARDED. Note: Applications received for students who were direct certified are not required unless they no longer qualify for FDPIR, CalWORKs (AFDC), or food stamps benefits. Income Households
Income "Income" means income BEFORE deductions for income taxes, employee's social security taxes, insurance premiums, bonds, etc. It includes the following:
Household Members Household member size is to include all people (adults and children) living as one economic group, regardless of relationship. Monthly income is to include income received by all members of the economic group. The government allows foster children to be reported differently (see below). Foster Children Consideration A foster child is one for whom the welfare agency is legally responsible, and the foster home is, in fact, an extension of the welfare agency.
A foster child placed in the home of a relative may be considered a family of one if the welfare agency maintains legal responsibility for that child. If the family is legally responsible for the child, the child is considered part of the family with which he or she resides. Any money the child or family receives from the natural parents would be included in determining the child's eligibility for free or reduced-price meals. The name and address of the foster parent should be listed. The signature of a foster parent should be shown. In cases where the welfare agency has placed a child in a permanent home and/or subsidized the child's adoption, the child is considered a member of the household in which he or she resides. The definition of "permanent placement" is a situation in which the foster family assumes control of the child through initiation of legal adoption proceedings. Military Consideration Military Applications: All entitlements listed on the earnings statement before deductions must be considered as income. All compensation listed under entitlements before deductions is part of the person's gross pay and is to be counted as total income. This includes base pay, flight pay, housing, rations, clothing, etc. If housing is not listed under entitlements, it is not considered as income. In the case of service personnel overseas, for the purpose of determining eligibility, he/she is not counted as a family member. As such, only the money he/she sends to his/her family is included in the family income. Zero Income Families reporting zero income will be granted temporary free approval for approximately six weeks from date of eligibility determination. A new application must be filed within 45 days. A notice that temporary eligibility is expiring will be prepared by the central office of the Food Services Department and forwarded to the school to be sent home to the parent via the student. The student will be automatically removed from the program if a new application is not submitted at the end of the 45-day period. School-Initiated Applications The school may complete an application for a known needy child after the parent or guardian fails to submit an application. This allows the school to have some recourse when parents or guardians are negligent in making application for a child, even after reminders. The principal must sign each application. Step Two: INPUT INTO SIS On the student enrollment screen there is a place to input the meal code. You scroll down about halfway down the screen there you will see Meal Code. Enter "F" for Free, "R" for Reduced, "T" for Temp-free and "D" for Denied. If you do not have an application for a student, you do not enter anything in the Mainframe. In order to produce meaningful classroom rosters, it is important that you designate the classroom assignment in the Class I.D. field (on the student enrollment screen). This is the field that downloads into the POS system in the cafeteria. Step Three: PREPARE ROSTER Two student mainframe meal listings will be provided to each school at the beginning of the school year. The enrollment roster lists all children currently enrolled in the school. Names of students who are newly enrolled in the school must be handwritten on the roster. The roster is to become the school's auditable record of students authorized to receive free or reduced-price meals after the school's deadline for new certification. Locate the eligible student's name on this roster. Mark "F" (Free), "T" (Temporary Free), or "R" (Reduced-Price) before the student's name. Note: Students eligible to receive free meals through the direct certification process will appear on the enrollment roster with an "F" printed beside their name. No further action is required. The student mainframe meal listing roster lists all children’s certification statuses for the 1999-2000 school year only. This roster can only be used for the first three weeks of school. Step Four: ARRANGE FOR MEALS The school office will notify the cafeteria as students are enrolled or dropped and what their meal certification is. This process is done by using the Meal Certification Roster/POS update forms (#F509). Note: Free or reduced-price meal students shall not be required to work for their meals. Lunchroom work is strictly voluntary. Step Five: NOTIFY PARENTS Federal regulations require school districts to notify parents of the certification decision made on their application(s). Notification by phone may be made in the case of approved applications. (There is a space on the application form for the parent or guardian to give a contact phone number.) Reply forms (Exhibit D) will be supplied if written notification is preferred. If the application is approved, the reply forms may be sent home with the students. Fold and staple these reply forms and give to the students to take home. The reply forms provided must be used to notify those parents whose applications are not approved. These must be mailed. The following information is to be given to the parents in the phoned or written reply:
Step Six: DISPOSITION OF APPLICATION FORMS Immediately return all processed application forms, INCLUDING THOSE NOT APPROVED, to the Certification Office of the Food Services Department, Revere Center, for retention in the master file. This is important because this application is the document that:
Additional applications and reply forms are available from the central office of the Food Services Department. Do not use application forms from previous school years. New Students Letter to Parents/Application forms should be a part of the registration procedure if the student is new to the district. Student Transfers The student’s eligibility status follows him/her when transferring between schools within the district. A new application is not required for a transfer student who has already been certified for free or reduced-price meals at another school in this district. The student's eligibility status should be noted on the transfer record. If this information is missing, please call the previous school for verification. Students transferring from another district must complete a District application in order to qualify under SDUSD eligibility criteria. Students transferring out of the District require no action. If the parent reports a change in income level or a decrease in number of family members, the parent must file a new application form to be processed in the normal manner. If the parent requests cancellation from the program, report student's name, ID number, and reason for cancellation to the Certification Office of the Food Services Department, Revere Center. It’s best if the parent makes his/her request in writing, that way if it is ever questioned we have this on file. Hearing Procedure Federal and state regulations require that the district must establish a hearing procedure under which a family can appeal a decision of the school authority with respect to an application it has made for free or reduced-price meals. The hearing procedure is established as follows:
This hearing procedure may be used by the school authority in challenging the continuing eligibility of any student for free or reduced-price meals. During the period the appeal is under way, the student will be eligible for the type of meal the household member requested. |