COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O. BOX 2120
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 11
November 12, 2004
REGULATORY
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
FROM: |
Jo Lynne
DeMary Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
SUBJECT: |
Verification
of Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications in the National School Lunch
Program |
Federal regulations require school divisions
participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast
Program annually to select and verify information on a sample of applications
approved for free or reduced priced meals.
The procedures and requirements for verification can be found in the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Eligibility Guidance for School Meals
Manual Part 9, pages 58-76. This manual has been distributed to all School
Nutrition Program contact persons.
School divisions are required to use the
verification module of the School Nutrition Programs Web-based system SNPweb)
to calculate the required verification sample size and to report the results of
verification. The School Nutrition
Programs contact person in each school division has access to the SNPweb system
and has received information on how to use the verification module.
The verification sample size is based on the number
of approved meal applications on file as of
October 31, 2004. Students approved through direct certification are
excluded from the sample. Prototype letters and forms for the verification
process are posted in the Online Forms section of the SNPweb system.
The verification process must be completed by each division on or before December 15, 2004. Results of verification activities for school divisions are to be
reported through the SNPweb system Verification Worksheet. This report must be
completed online by January 20, 2005. A
final rule published by USDA slightly revised the reporting and recordkeeping
requirements for verification, effective in the 2004-2005 school year. The SNPweb online Verification Worksheet is
being modified to meet the additional reporting requirements. A sample of the revised worksheet is
provided as Attachment A of this memo.
The paper copy of the revised worksheet may be used to assist with
verification data collection. Please
check the SNPweb online system for the availability of the revised Verification
Worksheet.
School divisions are required to report the
racial/ethnic breakdown of all students who have applied for meal benefits.
Included are those who have been approved and those who have been denied. The racial/ethnic information is based on
the number of meal applications on file as of October 31, 2004. The
Racial/Ethnic Data Report must be downloaded from the Online Forms section of
SNPweb. The paper report must be
completed by January 20, 2005, and filed in the school division with the
verification documentation. School
divisions are not required to submit the racial/ethnic data report to DOE.
School divisions are
required to report the results of reapplication by families whose benefits were
terminated as a result of verification.
The number of families who reapply after the December 15 verification
deadline and have their free or reduced price meal benefits reinstated as of February
15 must be reported in the reapplication section of the Verification Worksheet.
This report must be completed online in the SNPweb system by March 1, 2005.
If there are questions or assistance is required,
please contact the school nutrition specialist assigned to your division or
Lynne A. Fellin, acting director, School Nutrition Programs at (804) 225-2074.
Due Dates:
December 15, 2004 Verification must be completed.
January 20, 2005 Verification Worksheet must be
completed in SNPweb.
March 1, 2005 Verification Reapplication
information must be completed in SNPweb.
JLD/LAF/idl
Attachment