VERIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOOL MEALS

IT’S ALMOST VERIFICATION TIME IN TENNESSEE!!

VERIFICATION INFORMATION  School Nutrition  Start-Up Package  Scroll down to the Verification Section

THE VERIFICATION NOTIFICATION LETTER Note: You must review the form letter generated by your software. Compare it to the requirements on page 72 of the “Eligibility Manual for School Meals. Important information that has been found to be missing:

SOFTWARE NOTIFICATION LETTER MUST INDICATE : The documentation of income or receipt of assistance may be provided: For any point in time between the month prior to completing the application and the time the household is required to provide income documentation.

WHAT IS VERIFICATION? Confirmation of Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals Under the NSLP and SBP Exceptions from Verification Requirements: Direct Certification Lists Migrants

MORE EXEMPTIONS… Homeless Children Runaways DC Extended Eligible Children in RCCIs with the exception of day students Foster children approved by list from agency or court Head Start

LET’S BEGIN THE PROCESS YOU MUST RETAIN YOUR VERIFICATION SUMMARY REPORT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. YOU MUST COUNT THE APPLICATIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON FILE ON OCTOBER THE FIRST.

Your Verification Summary Sheet From Last Year If you had a non-response rate which was less than 20% for the school year: You can conduct either the alternate focused method or the alternate random method of verification.

THE ALTERNATE RANDOM METHOD You may want to choose this method if you do not have an automated system for pulling verification. Verify 3% of the total number of applications you have on file as of October 1. Sample should contain both income and categorically eligible applications. (SNAP & Families First applications).

THE ALTERNATE RANDOM METHOD Count total number of apps. on file as of October 1. Multiply the total by.03. Round decimals upward. 340 apps. on file x.03 = =11 to verify. Randomly select the required number of applications by using a selection interval. Example: 340/11=30.9=31. Pull every 31 st app. until 11 are pulled Save your calculations.

THE ALTERNATE FOCUSED METHOD Must verify 1% of the total number of applications on file as of October 1. Applications are selected from income applications that fall within $24.00 weekly or $1200 annually of the “Income Eligibility Guidelines”.

PLUS The LEA must verify.5% (1/2 of 1%) of the total number of applications on file that were approved based on categorical eligibility. (SNAP and Families First applications)

BASIC OR STANDARD METHOD If you had a verification non-response rate of 20% or greater in the school year, you must conduct verification using the “Basic or Standard Method.” Verify 3% of ALL applications on file. These must be selected from those reporting household income within $24.00 weekly, or $1200 annually of the eligibility guidelines.

B ASIC OR STANDARD METHOD You WILL NOT verify any Families First or SNAP applications.

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE YOUR NON- RESPONSE RATE?

PULL LAST YEAR’S VERIFICATION SUMMARY REPORT DIVIDE THE NUMBER OF NON-RESPONSES BY THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS THAT YOU VERIFIED. EXAMPLE: 8 NON-RESPONSES DIVIDED BY 32 APPLICATIONS VERIFIED 8 / 32 =.25

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR AN ALTERNATE METHOD OF VERIFICATION? 8 / 32 =.25 YOU HAD A 25% NON-RESPONSE RATE. YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR AN ALTERNATE METHOD VERIFICATION!

ALTERNATE METHOD OF VERIFICATION NOTIFICATION FORM If you have determined that you are eligible for an alternate method of verification: Send to your regional consultant by September 15 th of each year.

SAMPLE SIZE REQUIREMENT FOR ALL METHODS Verification sample size pulled on October 1st must be the required amount according to the sampling method. You MAY NOT pull any extra applications. If you pull early, re-count applications on October 1 st to be certain that you pulled enough.

APPLICATIONS PULLED FOR CAUSE Are not included in your verification count Are not included on your Verification Summary Report The LEA has an obligation to verify all questionable applications.

SAVE YOUR VERIFICATION SELECTION PRINTOUT Check your software’s calculations to be sure they are correct. Save the selection printout.

EXTENDED ELIGIBILITY Application with a SNAP, or Families First case number: The application is included in the sample and subject to verification. If an application is used only to record and confirm household composition: The application is not included in the sample and subject to verification.

CONFIRMATION REVIEW  Space for Confirming Official on the application  Requirement is waived if you are using an approved application approval software.  Applications selected for verification must have a second party review before the notification of verification is sent out.  You must notify Sarah White if you begin using an application approval software program or if you change technology systems.

CHANGES RESULTING FROM THE CONFIRMATION REVIEW § Change in Status from Reduced Price to Free Make the increased benefits available immediately Notify the household Proceed with verification

STATUS CHANGES FROM FREE TO REDUCED DO NOT CHANGE THE CHILD’S STATUS PROCEED WITH VERIFICATION

STATUS CHANGES FROM FREE OR REDUCED PRICE TO PAID Immediately send the household a notice of adverse action. Do not verify the application. Select a similar application for verification Follow the confirmation review procedures for the newly selected application.

AFTER YOU COMPLETE THE CONFIRMATION REVIEW After completing confirmation reviews: 1. LEA may replace up to five percent of applications selected. 2. Household would be unable to satisfactorily respond to the verification request. 3. The original sampling method must be used.

DIRECT VERIFICATION  THE PROCESS OF USING RECORDS FROM PUBLIC AGENCIES TO VERIFY INCOME AND/OR PROGRAM PARTIPATION.

DIRECT VERIFICATION Before sending out any verification information: Check all applications pulled for Verification (both free and reduced) to see if the applicants are on any of the DC lists.

DIRECT VERIFICATION IF ANY OF THE STUDENTS IN THE HOUSEHOLD ARE ON ANY OF THE LISTS, VERIFICATION IS COMPLETE.

THE MEDICAID LIST Download the Medicaid list, from DHS, the same way as the Direct Certification List. Take your remaining applications, both free and reduced and compare them to the Medicaid List. There will be 3 columns: (O) will indicate the monthly income for the household. (P) Medicaid household size – (Ignore this column) (Q) If there are any **** in Q, you cannot use the Medicaid entry for that student.

CONTINUED… Use the application to determine family size. Use Column “O” on the Medicaid list which gives the household income. Use “Income Eligibility Guidelines” to determine eligibility.

DIRECT VERIFICATION Do not notify parents of selection of verification. You cannot change eligibility based on the Medicaid list, but you can confirm verification.

CONTINUED… If none of the children on the application can be found and verified, verification information must be sent to the household to be completed. Complete this process early. Remember to re-count applications on file on October 1.

Household’s selected for verification must be provided a free of charge telephone number that they may call for assistance. The household must be able to call free of charge while working in another calling area.

CONDUCTING VERIFICATION Once you send the notification letter, verification must be completed. Compare the household application on file to the income documentation that you receive. Must receive income documentation for every income listed on the application or documentation that that income is no longer received.

SNAP AND FAMILIES FIRST APPLICATIONS Alternate Focused or Alternate Random method: May send a list of Families First and SNAP applicants to the Department of Human Services for proof of eligibility. You do not have to notify the household. If eligibility is not confirmed, the request for information must be sent to household.

FOSTER CHILDREN A household with a foster child listed on the application is chosen for verification: The foster child was identified by a State or local foster agency: No additional information is required. The foster child was not identified by a State or local foster agency: Documentation from the agency is required.

FOSTER CHILDREN CONTINUED What documentation must be provided if a foster child is listed on a household application? Documentation from a State or local foster care agency or the court where the foster child received placement A list of foster children from the foster care agency or court

VERIFYING INCOME ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS Acceptable written evidence for income households: (1.) Name (2.) Frequency (3.) Amount (4.) Date

INFORMATION THAT MUST BE KEPT FOR EACH APPLICATION THAT IS VERIFIED Correspondence Copies of all income documentation Documentation of telephone calls. Copies of the “Results of Verification Letter” SAVE EVERYTHING!

A NON-RESPONSIVE APPLICATION The household does not respond. All income documentation is not received. Income eligibility can not be determined. WHAT TO DO? Make at least one follow-up attempt. Document the attempt.

HOW TO CONDUCT A FOLLOW UP REVIEW? Follow up attempts can be made by: (1)Mail (2)telephone (3) (4)personal contact

THIS IS A RESPONSE! The household informs the LEA either verbally or in writing that they no longer wish to receive benefits. Document any verbal contacts.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER

November 15th All verification activities must be completed by November 15 th of each year.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? Benefits will remain unchanged. Benefits will be increased. The notification letter to the household has been mailed.

DECREASING BENEFITS * Households whose benefits have been reduced or terminated must be given ten calendar days advance notice of the change. * Day 1 is the day that the letter is sent. * Households that re-apply after the 10 calendar days must provide all verification documentation.

WHAT HAPPENS IF VERIFICATION IS NOT COMPLETED AT THE TIME OF YOUR CRE? The reviewers will check your verification process from the previous year.

What will your CRE reviewer need? * Entire documentation of your completed verification process. * Most recent verification summary report.

THE REVIEWER WILL NEED … * Verification summary report from the preceding school year. * Selection list from automated system * Process for pulling verification by hand * Notification letter sent to households

THE SCHOOL FOOD AUTHORITY VERIFICATION SUMMARY REPORT IS DUE TO YOUR REGIONAL CONSULTANT BY FEBRUARY 1st.