Meal Application Information Provided by the LAUSD Food Services Division Updated 09/01/2015

Overview Gain advanced knowledge and understanding of the LAUSD Meal Application processes and requirements Addresses the following areas: – Changes for the School year – Distribution of meal applications How to obtain additional meal applications – Meal application processing – How to obtain up-to-date application status reports – “More than a Meal” Campaign – Provision 2 eligibility requirements and processes – Important Dates

Changes for the School Year Local Control Funding Formula and student needs Launch of the “More than a Meal” campaign – Toolkit – District-wide communications plan District-wide meal application collection Resetting the Base Year and impacts to Provision 2 – IF A SCHOOL DOES NOT MEET P2 REQUIREMENTS, WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR P2 in

Distribution of Meal Applications Available online on July 1st Mailed to households on July 23rd (one per household) Available on school campuses week of August 10th Direct Certified students sent home a letter informing of pre-approved status – Not required to fill out an application – Foster Children, Homeless and Migrant students are also entitled to free meals Households are not required to submit a meal application – Student benefits (lockers, grades, class assignments) cannot be withheld if meal applications are not submitted For additional applications, work with Food Services Manager to have them delivered to school

Meal Application Processing Processing Time All applications must be processed within 10 days of receipt If applications are incomplete – sent home with a note Meal applications are processed based on: Household Income If Foster Child or other benefit statuses (CalWORKS, Kin-GAP or FDPIR) Eligibility is determined using the Income Eligibility Guidelines Available on the “Letter to Households – National School Lunch Program ” Mailed to homes, accompanying the meal application

Meal Application Status at Schools Meal Program Eligibility Status reports will available every week on the LAUSD website at These reports help schools monitor their current data information on meal eligibility for their site. In addition, schools will have reports available on how to run reports focused on students without an eligibility. Information is available on the “More than a Meal” toolkit

“More Than a Meal” Campaign A District-wide campaign to promote the submission of Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications from all students so that: All students have access to healthy meals The District has the most accurate count of its low-income students and can, therefore, maximize its General Fund allocation through the state’s LCFF

Key Advantages of the ‘More Than A Meal’ Campaign Benefits students and families District-wide messaging/communications Better tracking ability Longer collection period Clear deadlines

“More Than a Meal” - Impact to Schools To align with the LCFF cycle, the District has reset all Provision 2 schools, regardless of year in the program, to base year

Provision 2 is a four year program in which all enrolled children are served meals without charge, regardless of their eligibility To qualify a school must meet minimum requirements of: Free percentage at 80% or above and Free/Reduced-price percentage combined must be at 85% or above – If minimum requirements are not met, school will return to pricing status and must collect meal applications Contact your Site Administer or Food Service Manager to determine your site’s Provision 2 status NEW - IF A SCHOOL DOES NOT MEET P2 REQUIREMENTS, MAY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR P2 in What Is Provision 2?

First Year (Base Year) Applications are distributed & collected Important to collect as many applications as possible from all students Households are not required to submit a meal application Percentages of free, reduced-price and paid meals served during the base year are used for calculating percentages for use in Years 2, 3, 4 Students eat at no cost Second, Third & Fourth Years No applications are distributed & collected Students eat at no cost How Provision 2 Works

Important Dates Food Services: End of previous school year eligibility: September 30 th Title I: Last date for applications to be included for Title I ranking: October 23rd All meal application data processed by 5pm on October 23, 2015 and meets qualifications, will be included in the file Completed meal applications hand delivered to the Food Services Meal Compliance Unit – Beaudry Bldg. by 12pm on October 23, 2015 will be processed Requests for Title I data need to be directed to the Budget office

Questions? Thank you! LAUSD Food Services Division Nourishing Children to Achieve Excellence