1. Direct Certification Ohio Department of Education Office for Child Nutrition

2. Direct Certification Overview LEAs (Local Educational Agencies) are required to certify children eligible for free meals, without a paper application, based on documentation obtained directly from the appropriate agency that the children are part of households receiving assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program). This certification process is commonly referred to as ‘‘Direct Certification’’

3. Direct Certification Overview USDA Policy Memo SP 31-2011 published April 27, 2011 –Increases the requirement for LEAs to complete Direct Certification three times per school year At or around the beginning of the school year; Three months after the initial effort; and Six months after the initial effort

4. Direct Certification Process LEAs will complete the process through a module in the Claims Reimbursement and Reporting System (CRRS) –The list is updated the second week of each month

5. Direct Certification Process LEAs will upload their student enrollment list into the Direct Certification Software –At minimum, the LEA must have student first names, student last names and student birthdates in the upload file The column headings in the upload file do not need to be in that order Column headings must be typed as such – all with no spaces: –firstname –lastname –dateofbirth

6. Direct Certification Process Let’s look at the column headings in this Excel spreadsheet

7. Direct Certification Process Names and birthdays go in the respective columns

8. Direct Certification Process *New* - Once you have uploaded the file with just lastname, firstname and birthdate, try uploading a file with more data fields such as address and parents name. The system has been updated to attempt additional matches using these fields. Reference page 10 in the Direct Certification Manual for different data fields you can use

9. Direct Certification Process Now Save As…. Tab delimited file

11. Direct Cert 8-25-13

19. Click on Upload a File – This screen appears

20. Find your Tab Delimited file Then click on Start Matching Process…

21. Direct Certification 1 2

22. Direct Certification Process The software will produce a results report –The results report can be generated in either a text (txt) or excel (xls) file format LEAs MUST save all results reports, either electronically or on paper, for at least three years plus the current year

23. This is a results list All of these children are to receive Free meals for the entire year. NO application is required from those households. Benefits are NOT retroactive. CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL

24. Direct Certification Process The results report will contain a list of the LEA’s enrolled children who matched against the state SNAP database No more partial matches Save the data! Direct Certification overrides an income application.

25. Direct Certification Process – Additional Matches After list is generated: Search for “same-household” children within your school’s records All children residing in household of a Directly Certified child are also Directly Certified No Verification

26. Individual Student Look-Up Students can be entered into the database individually to attempt a match. This is useful to look-up newly enrolled or transfer students

27. Red X= No Match

28. Direct Certification Software – Summary At minimum, the LEA must include student first and last names and birthdates in the upload file –Additional data fields may be added to the upload file, see page 10 of the DC manual for details. All result reports must be saved, either electronically or in paper copy, and maintained for three years plus the current school year

29. Direct Certification Process – Additional Matches For second and third required matches… Focus only on reduced and paid- eligible students All Directly Certified students have year long eligibility even if that student no longer appears on subsequent Direct Certification lists

30. Questions about Direct Certification? Contact your School Meal Programs Regional Consultant: 1-800-808-6325