1. Direct Certification
Direct Certification Training v2.0

2. Agenda Security Obtain Results Overview Access Evaluate Results
Resources
Direct Certification Training v2.0

3. Overview
Direct Certification is the federally mandated process through which students are certified as eligible for the NSLP program without further application.
CALPADS provides the pupil data used for the Direct Certification statewide matching process.
Direct Certification is the federally mandated process for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs through which school-age recipients of (CalFRESH) formerly Food Stamps and CalWORKS benefits are certified as eligible for free school meals without further application.
Student data from CALPADS is used in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) direct certification process in which the data are matched with statewide CalFresh (formerly Food Stamps) and CalWORKS data to identify students who are automatically eligible to receive free meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
CALPADS began conducting the State-level Direct Certification process On August 19, CALPADS shares student demographic data with Department of Health Services for the Direct Certification matching process.
LEAs have two options in implementing direct certification. The LEA can obtain a list of eligible recipients of CalFRESH (formerly Food Stamps) and CalWORKS benefits at the local level from the County Welfare Department (CWD) each month and manually identify the students eligible for direct certification or they can utilize the direct certification results from the monthly state level data matching process done in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS).
When a student is directly certified for free meals, a local policy should be implemented to notify the student’s household.
Direct Certification Training v2.0

4. Overview The CALPADS Direct Certification matching process
Extracts Data
Matches Data
Shares Results
Student ‘s name
Student’s date of birth
Student’s gender
Student ‘s address
Each month, the “DHCS Match” results are uploaded to CALPADS as a directly certified or not directly certified free meal eligible record per student.
The  CALPADS data is compared with data from CalFresh and CalWORKS recipient list.
The Direct Certification matching process:
The Direct Certification matching process extracts data from CALPADS - student name, birth date, gender and address (as reported by the LEA in the CALPADS) to match against the Department of Health Services program data. The monthly Direct Certification data pull from CALPADS includes students who have open enrollments. The matching results are sent back to CALPADS for LEA reporting.
Because Student information is used as part the direct certification matching process LEAs should update these data at the beginning of the school year and periodically throughout the year.
Data Guide: Section Student Program – Eligibility and Participation, Page #53-54.
Matching Data
Student data from CALPADS is used to match data from the statewide CalFresh (formerly Food Stamps) and CalWORKS recipient lists to identify students who are automatically eligible to receive free meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
Sharing Results:
CALPADS stores the matched results for the current school year and makes the results available to download by authorized LEA officials for review. The CALPADS match results will indicate if the student is directly certified as eligible for free meals.
*The direct certification status of a student is valid for a school year. Direct Certification status will be purged at the end of each school year. The Direct Certification process starts new each July.
*The direct certification status of a pupil is valid for one school year.
Direct Certification Training v2.0

5. Overview Direct Certification Process CALPADS Results are available
Pull data from CALPADS for matching with DHCS 2
DHCS match results
Local Student Information System
Upload files to the ODS
CALPADS data matched with DHCS
Automated Process
Creates DC File (Monthly) from the SENR & SINF Data
Data extracted from local SIS
Return Results to CALPADS
The Direct Certification matching and retrieval process”:
Direct Certification is a 4 step process.
Step
1) LEAs update student demographic data in CALPADS
(No additional files are needed for the Direct Certification process)
2) CALPADS pulls data beginning of each month for matching with DHCS data. Data is extracted from CALPADS and sent to DHCS for matching against CalFresh and CalWORKS recipients.
3) Results loaded back into CALPADS. The results file contains a value of (S- Certified) or (N- Not Certified), (OF – Certified Other family), (OH – Certified Other Home) for each student record extracted.
4) LEA views and retrieves results.
Return results to CALPADS
Results are available
Direct Certification Training v2.0

6. Overview Direct Certification Schedule
The CALPADS Direct Certification (DC) process occurs once a month. Generally, the CALPADS student data will be pulled from CALPADS on the second of each month. A Direct Certification notification will be posted on the CALPADS Home when the results are available..
The Direct Certification Schedule
The CALPADS Direct Certification (DC) process occurs once a month. Generally, the CALPADS student data will be pulled from CALPADS on the second of each month, or the following business day if it falls on a weekend or holiday.
A Direct Certification notification will be posted on the CALPADS Home page when the results are available. 6
Direct Certification Training v2.0

7. Security Access Direct Certification Roles
The LEA Administrator must assign the Direct Certification role to the appropriate staff
LEA users with Direct Certification Roles are able to view student(s) direct certification status online or can request an extract file containing the direct certification results.
Security Access
The LEA Administrator must assign the Direct Certification role to the appropriate staff using the Admin Tab in CALPADS. CALPADS accounts with the “Direct Certification” security role can either view student(s) direct certification status online or can request an extract file containing the direct certification results.
LEAs must determine which staff should be granted access to CALPADS’ Direct Certification data. After appropriate local users are identified, they should read and understand all applicable State and federal privacy laws. LEAs must set in place appropriate privacy safeguards. It is a best practice to require staff to read and sign documentation attesting to their comprehension of applicable State and federal privacy laws when working in CALPADS or with electronic or printed material (e.g., reports) from the CALPADS. 7
Direct Certification Training v2.0 7

8. Obtain Results View Direct Certification Status online
Log into CALPADS and navigate to the Admin menu
Select View Direct Certification Status
Manage results displayed by updating the filter options and clicking on the Apply Filters button
View Direct Certification Status online:
This functionality allows the user to view results quickly online in a browser window.
Log into CALPADS and navigate to the Admin menu
Select View Direct Certification Status
Apply appropriate filter options –
a) Results can be viewed multiple ways:
b) By Status Type
c) By all schools, one school, one SSID
Direct Certification Training v2.0

9. Obtain Results Request DC Extract Navigate to the Reports menu
Select Extracts
To Request Direct Certification Download
Navigate to the Reports menu
Select Extracts
Select Direct Certification link under the Request CALPADS Files section
Specify additional filters if desired
LEA: request an extract for an LEA
School: request an extract for a single school. If left blank, extract will include all schools in the LEA
Certification Status code: request an extract for a specific Certification Status Code (e.g. S- (SNAP or SNAP/TANF) O- Other(TANF, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (CalWORKS) or through MediCal* (only included for LEAs participating in the MediCal pilot project) N- Not Certified )
Student Certified Since: request an extract for students certified since a specified date
Type a name to Identify your Extract file in Extract File Name
Select Request File
Navigate to the Reports menu
Filter Options
Direct Certification Training v2.0

10. Obtain Results Retrieve DC Download
Navigate to the Reports menu
Select Extracts
Displayed are the steps to retrieve a Direct Certification Extract for downloading:
The file layout is documented in the CALPADS Extract Specifications document on the CDE CALPADS System Documentation Web page.
Retrieve DC Download
1-Navigate to the Reports menu
2-Select Extracts
3-Select Direct Certification link under the Retrieve CALPADS Files section
4-Configure Filter Options and Select Refresh List
District level is default
School level extracts are optional
5-Select Download button next to the requested extract file line.
6-Click Save and choose a location to store the file
Create a direct certification folder on your computer to store all electronic direct certification files and/or create a file folder to house all paper direct certification documents. This will be especially beneficial because you will have quick access to any direct certification documentation that is requested.
Navigate to the Reports menu
Specify additional filters
Select Download button
Save file
Direct Certification Training v2.0

11. Evaluate Results Direct Certification Results Codes
The CALPADS Direct Certification results contain a Certification Status code for each active student record within your LEA. The Certification Status are defined in CALPADS User Manual.
Code
Definition S
“S” = Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). An “S” means the student is eligible for free meals through the SNAP (CalFresh) program. OF
Other Family - The student is directly certified for free meals because the student is receiving other, non-SNAP benefits and other school-age who are immediate family members may also be eligible to receive free meals.. OH
Other Household - The student is directly certified for free meals because the student is receiving other, non-SNAP benefits and other school-age children in the household may also be eligible to receive free meals. N
“N” = No. A “N” means the student is not eligible for free meals.
Direct Certification Results Codes
The CALPADS Direct Certification results contain a Certification Status code for each active student record within your LEA. The Certification Status are defined in CALPADS User Manual.
Certification Status:
S= Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). An “S” means the student is eligible for free meals through the SNAP (CalFresh) program.
OF= Other Family - The student is directly certified for free meals because the student is receiving other, non-SNAP benefits and other school-age who are immediate family members may also be eligible to receive free meals..
OH= Other Household - The student is directly certified for free meals because the student is receiving other, non-SNAP benefits and other school-age children in the household may also be eligible to receive free meals.
N = a value of Not Certified when no match is found.
Students who were not Directly Certified in previous data matches will continue to be processed for a potential match in future months. If the match process finds that a student is now eligible, the “match” code will overwrite the previous “non-match” code. If a child is Directly Certified during any monthly match, the certified status will remain with the child for the duration of that school year and the child will not be included in future monthly matches for the remainder of that school year.
When an LEA needs a complete list of all students who are directly certified, the extract request must include two statuses: “S” for SNAP, “OH” and “OF”. When the LEA nutrition services staff report counts of students directly certified through SNAP on the Food and Nutrition Services Report #742 (FNS-742), they should only use students directly certified with an “S.”
As requested by nutrition services staff, CALPADS will split the Other “O” category into “OF” (other family) and “OH” (other household) to distinguish whether a student’s eligibility applies to his/her immediate family or household
If the student isn’t Direct Certified through CALPADS, and you feel they should be, they should send home the Household Application Form. Also, the LEAs can choose to do Direct Certification through both CALPADs and their County Welfare Department (CWD).
Occasionally, the system may update a student’s flag. The Certification Date will not change if a record started as Directly Certified S.
These modifications are being made so that school food authorities can identify students that are directly certified whose household members (all school-age students in the same household) or immediate family members may be eligible for free meals.
Point-of-Sale systems should expect to be able to accommodate these values no later than November 1, 2016 and should update auto-generated Direct Certification eligibility letters to reflect the new Direct Certification Codes and eligibility extension to household and family immediate members.
Direct Certification for Reduced-Price Meals
Beginning in the Spring of 2017 (exact date to be determined), the Direct Certification Extract will be modified to contain the following value:
Code Definition
R* Reduced-Price The student is eligible for reduced-price meals through other, non-SNAP programs. Additionally, other school-age immediate family members may be eligible for reduced-price meals.
Once an exact implementation date and other associated business rules are determined for the “R” value, Point-of-Sale system vendors will be notified.
*NOTE: The “OF” and “R” values will initially only be displayed to 14 select local educational agencies (LEAs) that are participating in a federal pilot project, the status will be retained by the student throughout the academic year in any LEA the student attends, even if that LEA is not one of the 14 participating LEAs. These values will be made available to all LEAs beginning July of 2017.
For more information, please contact the direct certification team in the Nutrition Services Division. For CALPADS-related questions, contact the CALPADS Service Desk at
When an LEA needs a complete list of all students who are directly certified, the extract request must include three statuses: “S” for SNAP, “OF” for Other Family and “OH” for Other Home. When LEA nutrition services staff report counts of students directly certified through SNAP on the Food and Nutrition Services Report #742 (FNS-742), they should only use students directly certified with an “S.”
Direct Certification Training v2.0

12. Evaluate Results Direct Certification Results Layout#
CALPADS File Element
Field Type
Max Length 1
Academic Year ID CS 9 2
Reporting LEA 7 3
School of Attendance 4
Local Student ID 16 5
SSID 10 6
Student Legal First Name 30
Student Legal Middle Name 8
Student Legal Last Name 50
Certification Date DT
Certification Status
Here is an example of the Direct Certification Extract layout
The specification for the extract file is included in the CALPADS Extract Specifications document on the CDE CALPADS System Documentation Web page.
Direct Certification Training v2.0

13. Evaluate Results Analyzing Direct Certification Results with Excel
Converting an Extract CSV file to Excel Columns makes the extracts easier to view.
Use excel filtering to refine a list of the student records that need the Household Application Form administered.
Use excel filtering to export a list of student records that require an address correction or update.
Use excel filtering to export a list of student records that can be import into the Local SIS.
Analyzing Direct Certification Results with Excel
Use excel filtering to refine a list of the student records that need the Household Application Form administered.
Use excel filtering to export a list of student records that require an address correction or update.
Use excel filtering to export a list of student records that can be import into the Local SIS
Note: There is a mini Clip demonstrating how to import text data into Excel on the CSIS Training mini Clip menu. Refining the results is a key factor of an efficient method of maintain the Direct Certification work load
Mini clip:
How to Importing-CALPADS-Extract-To-Excel –Quick Self-Paced
Direct Certification Training v2.0

14. Resources CALPADS System Documentation
Document
Description
Sections
CALPADS Extract Specifications
File layout and requirements for DC extract
Direct Certification
CALPADS Flash
Changes to State-level Direct Certification Process and Additional Functionality coming soon
Flash #76 , #92 and #112
National School Lunch Program Documentation
Document
Description
Sections
NSLP Fact Sheet
Equity in School Lunch Pricing
Nutrition Services Division Information
CalFRESH County Contacts for Direct Certification
List of local welfare or social service office contacts
CalFresh County Contacts for Direct Certification
National School Lunch Program
Information about applying for and administering the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
Program Information
Nutrition Services
Fiscal information to aid nutrition sponsors and to provide information about claiming meal reimbursements.
School Nutrition Program (SNP)
Direct Certification Resources
Here we provide a list of Supporting Documents with hyper-links .
CALPADS Extract Specifications
File layout and requirements for DC extract
FLASH communication regarding Changes to State-level Direct Certification Process
Changes to State-level Direct Certification Process and Additional Functionality coming soon
NSLP Fact Sheet
Equity in School Lunch Pricing
CalFRESH County Contacts for Direct Certification
List of local welfare or social service office contacts
National School Lunch Program
Information about applying for and administering the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
Nutrition Services
Fiscal information to aid nutrition sponsors and to provide information about claiming meal reimbursements. 14
Direct Certification Training v2.0

15. Support Web: http://www2.cde.ca.gov/calpadshelp/default.aspx
Phone:
Listserv:
In order to support LEAs in a timely manner, we prefer you use the Service Desk ticket template located at (point to URL)
If you call, it goes directly to voice mail and our support staff will create a service request ticket.
If you use this us, like the phone call, a support staff will create a service request ticket.
If you have not taken the time to join the CDE one-way listserv, please do so after today’s session. The CALPADS Update Flashes and other important information goes to this listserv.
Direct Certification Training v2.0