1. School Meal Programs Access and Integrity

2. Direct Certification Section 101: Improving Direct Certification
Intent: To challenge States to move closer to full performance in directly certifying eligible SNAP children for free school meals.

3. Direct Certification Overview
Direct Certification Performance Awards
Performance awards for States that are making the greatest strides in directly certifying SNAP children
May award up to 15 States annually for 3 school years
Based on “Outstanding Performance” or “Substantial Improvement” in direct certification rates
Funded $4 million for 3 years ($2 million/category/yr)
Award funding treated as Program income
Funds may be provided to school food authorities for use in carrying out the program.

4. Direct Certification Implementation
Performance awards will be based on direct certification in 3 school years: , , and
State direct certification rates for SNAP children will be compared to the previous school year’s rates to determine performance levels
Awards will be made by September 30 each year
First awards will be made by 9/30/2012

5. Direct Certification Overview
Direct Certification Rate Benchmarks
Benchmarks set for State direct certification rates for SNAP children
States not meeting benchmarks each year must implement continuous improvement plans (CIPs) to improve rates for the next school year
Goal is for States to reach 95% and maintain at least this level

6. Direct Certification Implementation
Benchmarks:
Each Fall, beginning 2012, FNS will notify States that did not meet required benchmark for previous school year
These States must implement continuous improvement plans (CIPs) to improve rates for the following school year SY SY SY
Future SYs
≥ 80%
≥ 90%
≥ 95%

7. Letter Method Overview
“Letter Method” Eliminated
Eliminates the “Letter Method” as a method of direct certification for children in SNAP households
If a household provides a SNAP letter to the school, it must still be used in lieu of an application to certify the child for free meals

8. Letter Method Implementation
Letter method eliminated as direct certification method for SNAP children effective October 1, 2010
All State agencies must ensure they have a method in place to exchange eligibility information from SNAP officials directly with LEAs as soon as possible
Guidance will be provided in the next few weeks to clarify impact on State direct certification rate data and reporting

9. Section 101Timeline Performance Bonuses
Benchmarks and Continuous Improvement Plans
Letter Method Eliminated
Implementation Memo
Spring 2011
Implementation Memo Spring 2011
Implemented by FNS Policy Memo SP , effective 10/1/2010
Issue bonuses no later than Sept 2012, 2013, 2014
Publish Proposed Rule
Fall 2011
Issue Final Rule
Winter 2013
Interim Direct Certification rule accepted for review by
OMB on 2/2/2011
Awaiting Comments
Notify States and require CIPs
Fall 2012, then annually

10. Direct Certification with Medicaid
Section 103: Direct Certification for Children Receiving Medicaid Benefits
Intent: Demonstration project to test the effectiveness of direct certification using Medicaid program data matching.

11. Direct Cert. Medicaid Overview
Phased in starting with SY
By SY , and thereafter, will reach LEAs that collectively serve 10% of students certified for free and reduced price meals nationwide
Suggests criteria for selecting States and LEAs to participate
Provides $5 million for FNS study to evaluate results

12. Direct Cert. Medicaid Implementation
Phase In with an increasingly wider scope:
For SY , demos will be conducted in selected LEAs that collectively serve 2.5 % of students certified for free and reduced price meals nationwide.
For SY , 5 %
For SY , and thereafter, 10% SY SY SY
Future SYs
2.5% 5%
10%

13. Direct Cert. Medicaid Timeline
Direct Certification for Children
Receiving Medicaid Benefits
Demo Project
Study
Release Request for Applications (RFA)
Spring 2011
Interim Report to Congress
October 1, 2014
Select LEAs for SY demo
Fall 2011
Final Report to Congress
October 1, 2015

14. Community Eligibility
Section 104(a): Universal Meal Service in High Poverty Areas.
Intent: Provide an alternative to paper applications for claiming reimbursements in school food authorities serving a high percentage of identified students.

15. Community Eligibility Overview
LEA or schools electing Community Eligibility special assistance payments agree to serve all students free lunches and breakfasts for 4 successive school years.
The percentage of identified students must be greater than or equal to 40% to qualify.
Meal program claims are based on the percentage of identified students multiplied by a factor of 1.6.
The remainder of meals not covered under the identified student percentage multiplied by the factor will be reimbursed at the paid rate.

16. Community Eligibility Implementation
A limited number of States will be eligible to elect this option during the first 3 years:
Year 1: 3 States will be selected for the school year beginning July 1, All eligible LEAs and schools in these States can participate.
Years 2 and 3: An additional 4 States will be selected for each of the school years beginning July 1, 2012 and July 1,
All LEAs and schools in all States are eligible to participate for school years starting on or after July 1,

17. Community Eligibility Timeline
Guidance to implement this provision will be issued in March 2011
3 States selected in June 2011
Proposed rule in Spring 2012
Final rule in December 2013, in advance of full implementation in July 2014

18. Use of Census Data
Section 104(b): Universal Meal Service through Census data and Socioeconomic Surveys
Intent: Provide an alternative to paper applications in high poverty areas

19. Census Data Overview and Timeline
FNS contracted with the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) to study and make recommendations for use of Census data for claiming reimbursement in high poverty areas.
American Community Survey (ACS) data
CNSTAT report expected Fall 2011.
Section 104(b) of the law provides USDA authority to implement recommendations from CN STAT, or to conduct demonstration projects.

20. Socioeconomic Survey Overview
Use of a socioeconomic survey for claiming meals is authorized in no more than 3 school food authorities.
USDA must develop requirements for the socioeconomic surveys to ensure statistical validity and compliance with OMB Standards and Guidelines for Statistical Surveys.

21. Socioeconomic Survey Timeline
Fall 2011: Develop and issue socioeconomic survey parameters
Spring 2012: Select school food authorities for socioeconomic survey option

22. Indirect Cost Section 307: Indirect Costs
Intent: FNS to issue guidance to SFAs on program rules pertaining to indirect costs, and study the extent of indirect costs paid

23. Indirect Cost Overview
Guidance will address program rules pertaining to indirect costs
Study will assess extent to which indirect costs are charged
The law also provides USDA the authority to issue regulations based on the results of the study

24. Indirect Cost Implementation
Guidance will be issued by June 13, 2011 (no later than 180 days after the date of enactment)
Report to Congress on results of the Study by October 1, 2013

25. Categorical Eligibility of Foster Children
Section 102: Categorical eligibility of foster children
Intent: Extend categorical eligibility to any foster child whose care and placement is the responsibility of the State or who is placed by a court with a caretaker household.

26. Foster Children Overview
Applies only to formal foster care arrangements
A foster child is categorically eligible and may be certified without an application
Households may choose to include the foster child as a household member, as well as any personal income earned by the foster child, on the same application that includes their non-foster children
The presence of a foster child does not convey eligibility of free meals to other children in the household

27. Foster Children Implementation
Effective October 1, 2010
LEAs and other child nutrition institutions must implement as soon as possible for any foster children identified by foster agencies or who submit new applications
All household applications and supporting materials must be updated to reflect these changes no later than July 1, 2011

28. Foster Children Timeline
Implementation memo issued January 31, 2011
Q&A expected March 2011
FNS will provide updated prototype applications and supporting materials online March 2011
Eligibility guidance updated Spring 2011

29. Privacy Protection Section 301: Privacy Protection
Intent: Increase Privacy Protection

30. Privacy Protection Overview
Removes the requirement to provide complete Social Security Number on applications
Only requires the last four digits of the signing adult’s Social Security Number
Removes collection of SSN for verification

31. Privacy Protection Implementation
Effective October 1, 2010
Implement as soon as possible for any new applications
All household applications and supporting materials must be updated to reflect these changes by July 1, 2011
If unable to print all new material SA must develop alternate mechanisms for implementation

32. Privacy Protection Timeline
Implementation memo issued February 15, 2011
Updated prototype applications March 2011
Eligibility guidance updated Spring 2011

33. Independent Review of Applications
Section 304: Independent review of applications
Intent: Increase the accuracy of eligibility determinations in LEAs that demonstrate high levels of administrative errors.

34. Independent Review Overview
Requires LEAs that demonstrate high levels of, or a high risk for, administrative error to have an additional person independently review eligibility determinations before sending out household notifications
Establishes annual reporting requirements for each LEA required to conduct independent review of applications
State agencies must annually report independent review results to USDA

35. Independent Review Timeline
Implementation memo Winter 2012
Proposed rule Winter 2012
Final rule Winter 2013

36. Fines Section 303: Fines for Violating Program Requirements
Intent: To provide an additional method for enforcing program compliance

37. Fines Overview
Requires USDA to establish criteria and set the amount of fines that may be imposed upon States, SFAs or schools for gross mismanagement of any of the programs authorized under the National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act.

38. Formula for Fine Limits
The amount of the fine cannot exceed:
1 percent of the amount of meal reimbursements or funds for State administrative expenses earned during the fiscal year for the first finding of one or more program violations;
5 percent of the funds described in (a) for the second finding of one or more program violations; and
10 percent of the funds described in (a) for the third or subsequent finding of one or more program violations.

39. Fines Timeline
Proposed Rule Spring 2012
Final Rule Spring 2013

40. Disqualified Schools and Institutions
Section 362: Disqualified Schools, Institutions, and Individuals
Intent: To allow disqualification to apply across the Child Nutrition Programs

41. Disqualification Overview
Prohibits any school, institution, or individual that is terminated from one of the Child Nutrition Programs and on a list of disqualified institutions and individuals from participating in or administering any of the Child Nutrition Programs

42. Disqualification Timeline
Proposed Rule: Spring 2012
Final Rule: Spring 2013

43. Ensuring the Safety of School Meals
Section 308: Ensuring the Safety of School Meals
Intent: Improve the notification and timeliness of food safety actions

44. Safety of Meals Overview
Improve Hold and Recall Procedures
Address the role of processors and distributors
Work with States to increase the timeliness of food recall notifications to school food authorities
Develop guidelines with FSA and AMS for administrative holds on USDA foods

45. Safety of Meals Implementation
No regulations will be written
Guidelines: Revision of “Responding to a Food Recall”
will include processors and distributors
will improve communication with States
Grants to improve State recall communications with SFAs

46. Safety of Meals Timeline
Revision of “Responding to a Food Recall” is in process
Grants to States to improve communication will be available in FY 2012
Guidelines for administrative holds exist
Update will include FSA

47. School Breakfast Program Expansion
Section 105: Grants for expansion of school breakfast program
Intent: Expanding the school breakfast program

48. Breakfast Expansion Overview
Authorizes appropriations for grants to State agencies for subgrants to local educational agencies to establish, maintain or expand the School Breakfast Program
Grants not funded through Reauthorization
The President’s 2012 budget requests $10 million for these grants

49. Organic Food Pilot Section 210: Organic food pilot program
Intent: Increase quantity of organic food in programs through competitive grants to SFAs
This provision is not funded.

50. Professional Standards for School Food Service Personnel
Section 306: Professional standards for school food service personnel
Intent: Establish professional education and training standards for certification of local school food service directors and personnel, and criteria and standards for the selection of State Directors

51. Overview of Professional Standards
Requires USDA to establish:
program of required education, training, and certification for all school food service directors
criteria and standards for the selection of State directors
required training and certification for local school food service personnel
Provides funding on October 1, 2010 of $5 million; $1 million each October 1 thereafter.

52. Professional Standards Implementation
USDA will:
Establish an action plan and form committee to recommend appropriate standards
Enter into contract for development of training modules, as defined by the committee
Enter into contract for ongoing certification of local directors and personnel

53. Professional Standards Timeline
Establish action plan and form committee to recommend appropriate standards (Spring 2011)
Proposed Rule in Fall 2012
Final Rule in Fall 2013

54. Break for Lunch (12pm – 1pm)