Training Session for Free & Reduced Price Meal Applications Miami-Dade County Public Schools Department of Food & Nutrition

Free & Reduced Price Meal Applications Centralized Scanning & Approval System In order to process family meal applications, a centralized scanning and approval system is in place. Applications for free or reduced price meal benefits are collected at the school, reviewed for completeness, accuracy and legibility and forwarded to the Department of Food and Nutrition for processing. On-Line Meal Application An on-line Free and Reduced Price Meal Application will be available for households to complete via the Parent Portal. Parents must obtain access to the Parent Portal through the school where their child attends. As processing for this application is done electronically, determination of meal benefit will be expedited.

Free and Reduced Price Meal Application – Added Importance Total free and reduced percentage of enrollment contributes to Title I and E-Rate funding levels Free and Reduced approvals avoid accumulation of negative lunch account charges to parents and schools Students qualified for Free and Reduced lunch will receive notification of KidCare – Low Cost Health Insurance opportunity May also qualify for other federal programs

Authorization Authorization For a student to be eligible for free or reduced price meal benefits, the student must either: 1.Submit a complete application including Income or Food Stamp / TANF / FDPIR information OR 2.Be Directly Certified, Migrant Certified, Homeless Certified, or be a Runaway Youth

Direct Certification ITS will match students who are members of a Food Stamp/TANF household with electronic information received from the Department of Children and Families. Students matched are automatically approved for free meals and will not require an application. A list will be generated by ITS with the names of Students Free Directly Certified and must be kept on file at the school. This list is scheduled to be run 4 times per year in order to update students who have been directly certified. The Direct Certification Eligibility Notification Letters that are mailed to the schools must be sent home with the students. If all students on an application are not Directly Certified, income or Food Stamp/TANF information is required.

Migrant Certification Prior to the opening of schools and weekly thereafter, ITS will generate a list of students who are Migrant Certified. These students are eligible for free meal benefits and do not require an application. If a student is not on the list, schools must confirm migrant certification by either viewing in ISIS or contacting the Migrant Office at (document confirmation status in School Use Only section) prior to forwarding the application to the Department of Food and Nutrition. If all students on application are not confirmed as Migrant Certified, income or Food Stamp/TANF information is required.

Homeless Certification Prior to the opening of schools and weekly thereafter, ITS will generate a list of students who are Homeless Certified. These students are eligible for free meal benefits and do not require an application. If a student is not on the list, schools must confirm homeless certification by either viewing in ISIS or contacting the Homeless Office at (document confirmation status in School Use Only section) prior to forwarding the application to the Department of Food and Nutrition. If all students on application are not confirmed as Homeless Certified, income or Food Stamp/TANF information is required.

WHO IS COVERED DURING THE FALL GRACE PERIOD ENDING SEPTEMBER 19, 2008? Until the application for the current school year has been processed, free and reduced price meals may be served to students who were granted automatic eligibility or who have approved applications on file from the previous school year until the fall grace period ends. This includes pre- registered students whose meal application information was entered into ISIS. Siblings of returning students whose meal status was determined by income may receive meal benefits based on the returning students' previous years eligibility through the end of the fall grace period. Previously approved students who transfer from one Miami-Dade County Public School to another maintain their eligibility through the fall grace period.

New M-DCPS students New students to the district such as PK students and students applying for the first time must pay full price for their meals until they have an approved application on file – 2009 Student Meal Prices Elementary Lunch: $2.25 Secondary Lunch: $2.50 Reduced Price: $0.40 *Breakfast is FREE to all students enrolled in M-DCPS

Distribution Distribution One English language application should be given to each student Spanish & Creole language applications should be given to students, as needed Do not affix student labels – this may impair scanning Use the official applications ONLY – no photocopies as they cannot be read by the optical scanner Use additional application if more than 6 students or other household members exist. Paperclip the two applications together when submitting. DO NOT STAPLE! School Responsibilities

The school principal or administrative designee is responsible for administering the collection and review of the family applications. All applications MUST be thoroughly checked for accuracy and completeness by a school designee prior to forwarding to the Department of Food and Nutrition. Use the Application Review Tool provided as a reference. The school designee may be any clerical staff member assigned by the principal trained on the family meal application processing procedures. All incomplete applications will be returned to the school for corrective action. This will delay the student from receiving meal benefits. Collection and Review

School Site Review School Site Review Information frequently omitted/errors: – Student identification number (most accurate student identifier) – Birth date (MM/DD/YY) – Income (dollars & cents) and pay frequencies or X in the No Income box for all students and household members – Incorrect Food Stamp/TANF numbers. Must start with 10, 11 or 12 – Adult household member signature/social security number Document conversation with household in the Office Use Only section at the bottom of the application Incomplete applications must not be forwarded to the Department of Food & Nutrition!

Contact the Household if… No signature on application Adult signing the application is not listed in the household members section (applies to income applications only) For income applications the no income box must be checked or income amounts must be given for all students and household members Food stamp, TANF or FDPIR case number is listed for some, but not all students on the application (not necessary if income information was also provided) The foster box is marked and more than one student is listed on the application (may not be a foster child) Application contains any other questionable or missing information

A new application is needed when… More than one Foster child is listed on the application An outdated application or a photocopy is submitted White-out was used excessively Application is damaged (cut or torn) that will prevent it from going through the scanner Bar code is tampered with

Forwarding Applications Forwarding Applications When the application has been reviewed and is ready to be forwarded to the Department of Food and Nutrition, initial, date, and provide school location code in the space provided (SCHOOL USE ONLY SECTION AT BOTTOM OF APPLICATION). Send applications via school mail or personally drop off at Department of Food & Nutrition SUBMIT REVIEWED APPLICATIONS DAILY!!! SUBMIT REVIEWED APPLICATIONS DAILY!!!

Household Notifications The school site must send the following notifications home with the students: 1. Direct Certification Eligibility Notification Letter 2. Status of Application Letter 3. Reapplication for Meal Benefits Letter 4. Negative Change of Benefits Letter

Negative Benefit Changes How are they handled? 1. Prior to mass denial, negative meal status changes (free to reduced price, free or reduced price to paid) will be held in suspension until the first operating day of the following week. 2. If the application is incorrectly processed and the correction will result in a negative benefit change, a grace period of 10 calendar days shall be given. 3. If a subsequent application submitted would result in a negative benefit change, written consent must be received from the parent / guardian in order for it to be implemented. Negative Change of Benefit Letters generated by ITS must be sent home with the students. If the parent / guardian desires for this decreased meal benefit to take effect, they must return the letter signed and dated to their childs school. The school must then send the letter by fax to the Department of Food and Nutrition, FAST Center, at (786)

Administrative Approval Principals have the authority to fill out a meal application for a student known to be economically needy anytime during the year if the household fails to apply. This option is intended for use in an individual situation only, and it does not apply to groups of children. It should be used when repeated efforts to obtain a completed application have not been successful. An explanation is to be written and attached to the application (use a paper clip - DO NOT STAPLE) to show how the principal determined economic need of the family and that all attempts to obtain an application from the students household have failed.

Temporary Approval Applications with zero (0) income may be approved as free on a temporary 38 calendar day basis. A Reapplication for Meal Benefits Letters generated by ITS must be sent home advising that a subsequent application is necessary prior to the expiration date or meal benefits for all students listed will be denied. In order for a household to qualify for temporary approval status, an X should be entered in no income box next to each student and household members name. Applications with the income section left blank are incomplete applications and are not considered applications with zero income. These applications will be returned to the school for completion which will further delay processing of the students application.

Filing Filing Separate folders should be maintained for the following: Students Directly Certified for Free Meals List Students Migrant Certified for Free Meals List Students Homeless Certified for Free Meals List Temporary Free Meal Follow-Up Reports Principals Meal Authorization Lists Weekly Principals List of Students Withdrawal/Transfer Negative Benefit Change Letter (original signed by parent) Negative Benefit Change List

Filing of Meal Applications Filing of Meal Applications Meal applications for the school year MUST be kept for a minimum of seven (7) years due to the no-charge breakfast program (Provision 2 USDA Requirement). Exception: G. Holmes Braddock Senior, John A. Ferguson Senior, Booker T. Washington Senior, Howard A. Doolin Middle, Lamar Louise Curry Middle, Hialeah Middle and Amelia Earhart Elementary MUST maintain their meal applications for a minimum of seven (7) years. Applications from to the present are maintained at the Department of Food and Nutrition

Transfers/Withdraw Transfers/Withdrawals Once a transfer student has enrolled in your school, a copy of the Miscellaneous Screen should immediately be given to the Food Service Manager in order for the student to receive meals based on corresponding meal eligibilities. Student identification number is also used for their meal account number.

Application Inquiries Application Inquiries Parents should direct meal application and benefit inquiries to their childs school. School personnel may call the FAST Center at (786) (Option 1) regarding any meal application concerns or discrepancies. Information on meal applications is confidential and must be treated as such.

Thank You! Miami-Dade County Public Schools Department of Food & Nutrition 7042 West Flagler Street Miami, Florida (786) For Your Information: This presentation is available on-line at: