CHILD NUTRITION & WIC REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2004

VERIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITYFOR SCHOOL MEALS

1ITS ALMOST VERIFICATION TIME IN TENNESSEE!!

2VERIFICATION INFORMATIONSchool Nutrition web-site @snp.state.tn.usStart-Up PackageScroll down to the Verification Section 3THE 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:

4SOFTWARE 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.

5WHAT IS VERIFICATION?Confirmation of Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals Under the NSLP and SBP

Exceptions from Verification Requirements:

Direct Certification ListsMigrants6MORE EXEMPTIONSHomeless ChildrenRunawaysDC Extended EligibleChildren in RCCIs with the exception of day studentsFoster children approved by list from agency or courtHead Start

7LETS BEGIN THE PROCESSYOU MUST RETAIN YOUR VERIFICATION SUMMARY REPORT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

YOU MUST COUNT THE APPLICATIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON FILE ON OCTOBER THE FIRST.8 Your Verification Summary Sheet From Last Year

If you had a non-response rate which was less than 20% for the 2010-2011 school year:

You can conduct either the alternate focused method or the alternate random method of verification.

9THE ALTERNATE RANDOM METHODYou 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).

10THE ALTERNATE RANDOM METHODCount total number of apps. on file as of October 1. Multiply the total by .03. Round decimals upward. 340 apps. on file x .03 = 10.20 =11 to verify.

Randomly select the required number of applications by using a selection interval. Example: 340/11=30.9=31. Pull every 31st app. until 11 are pulledSave your calculations.

11THE ALTERNATE FOCUSED METHODMust 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.12PLUSThe 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)

13BASIC OR STANDARD METHOD If you had a verification non-response rate of 20% or greater in the 2010-2011 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.

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

15HOW DO YOU DETERMINE YOUR NON-RESPONSE RATE?

16PULL LAST YEARS VERIFICATION SUMMARY REPORTDIVIDE 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

17ARE 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!18ALTERNATE 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 15th of each year. 19 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 1st to be certain that you pulled enough.

20APPLICATIONS 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.

21SAVE YOUR VERIFICATION SELECTION PRINTOUT Check your softwares calculations to be sure they are correct.

Save the selection printout.

22EXTENDED ELIGIBILITYApplication 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.23 CONFIRMATION REVIEWSpace 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.

24YOU MUST LET THE STATE AGENCY KNOW WHEN YOU CHANGE TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS.CHANGES RESULTING FROM THE CONFIRMATION REVIEWChange in Status from Reduced Price to Free

Make the increased benefits available immediately

Notify the household

Proceed with verification25STATUS CHANGES FROM FREE TO REDUCEDDO NOT CHANGE THE CHILDS STATUS

PROCEED WITH VERIFICATION26 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.27AFTER YOU COMPLETE THE CONFIRMATION REVIEWAfter 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.

28DIRECT VERIFICATION

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

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DIRECT VERIFICATIONBefore 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.

30DIRECT VERIFICATIONIF ANY OF THE STUDENTS IN THE HOUSEHOLD ARE ON ANY OF THE LISTS, VERIFICATION IS COMPLETE.

31THE MEDICAID LISTDownload the Medicaid list, from DHS, the same way as the Direct Certification List.

Take your remaining applications, bothfree 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.

32CONTINUEDUse 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.33DIRECT VERIFICATIONDo not notify parents of selection of verification.You cannot change eligibility based on the Medicaid list, but you can confirm verification.

34CONTINUEDIf 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 1.35 Households 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.

36CONDUCTING VERIFICATIONOnce 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.37SNAP AND FAMILIES FIRST APPLICATIONSAlternate 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.38FOSTER 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 HOUSEHOLDSAcceptable written evidence for income households:(1.) Name

(2.) Frequency

(3.) Amount

(4.) Date 41INFORMATION THAT MUST BE KEPT FOR EACH APPLICATION THAT IS VERIFIED CorrespondenceCopies of all income documentationDocumentation of telephone calls.Copies of the Results of Verification Letter SAVE EVERYTHING! 42A NON-RESPONSIVE APPLICATIONThe 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.

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HOW TO CONDUCT A FOLLOW UP REVIEW?

Follow up attempts can be made by:Mailtelephonee-mailpersonal contact

44THIS 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.

45IMPORTANTPOINTSTOREMEMBER

46November 15th All verification activities must be completed by November 15th of each year.

47WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?Benefits will remain unchanged.

Benefits will be increased.

The notification letter to the household has been mailed.

48DECREASING 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.

49WHAT HAPPENS IF VERIFICATION IS NOT COMPLETED AT THE TIME OF YOUR CRE?

The reviewers will check your verification processfrom the previous year.

50What will yourCRE reviewer need?

* Entire documentation of your completed verification process.

* Most recent verification summary report.

51THE 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 households52THE SCHOOL FOOD AUTHORITY VERIFICATION SUMMARY REPORT IS DUE TO YOUR REGIONAL CONSULTANT BY FEBRUARY 1st.

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