Documents and Forms
For the National School Lunch Program

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Free and Reduced Price Meal Process

Application Materials for Free and Reduced Price Meals

The following materials contain some verification information for schools. For more information about the verification process, please go to Verification below.

Eligibility Manual for School Meals - Federal Policy for Determining and Verifying Eligibility - January 2008 - This document has been updated by USDA to include changes implemented with the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 2004

• SY 2008-2009: To be used by schools for applications distributed to schools after July 1, 2008

  1. Applications
     • English Version
     • Spanish Version
     • Translations of 2006 Application Materials into 25 Languages - These can be used as there were no changes to the application this year, however, before using any of these translated versions please also make the additional changes to modify application to reflect programs specific to Wisconsin.
     • Changes to Applications - Changes may be made to customize the forms for your school agency. Identify only the programs offered at your schools, such as lunch, breakfast or after-school snacks. Insert your school/agency name, school contact person, and hearing official.
       • If these are the only changes that you make, you do not need to submit the application for approval.
       • If other changes are made to the Letter to Households, the Application, or Application Instructions you must submit a copy of the changes to DPI for approval prior to mailing to households.
     • Filing Applications Electronically - USDA Guidance Memo with Question and Answers regarding use of electronic transactions for Child Nutrition Programs
  2. Income Eligibility Guidelines (For School Use Only)
  3. Parent Notification Letter for Free and Reduced Price Meals or Milk
  4. Parent Notification Letter for Free and Reduced Price Meals or Milk
  5. Public Release
  
  

• SY 2007-2008

  1. Applications
     • English Version
     • Spanish Version
     • Translations of 2006 Application Materials into 25 Languages - These can be used as there were no changes to the application this year, however, before using any of these translated versions please also make the additional changes to modify application to reflect programs specific to Wisconsin.
     • Changes to Applications - Changes may be made to customize the forms for your school agency. Identify only the programs offered at your schools, such as lunch, breakfast or after-school snacks. Insert your school/agency name, school contact person, and hearing official.
       • If these are the only changes that you make, you do not need to submit the application for approval.
       • If other changes are made to the Letter to Households, the Application, or Application Instructions you must submit a copy of the changes to DPI for approval prior to mailing to households.
     • Filing Applications Electronically - USDA Guidance Memo with Question and Answers regarding use of electronic transactions for Child Nutrition Programs
  2. Income Eligibility Guidelines (For School Use Only)
  3. Reimbursement Rates for School Nutrition Programs
  4. Parent Notification Letter for Free and Reduced Price Meals or Milk (Updated 7/29/05)
  5. Parent Notification Letter for Free and Reduced Price Meals or Milk (Updated 7/29/05)
  6. Public Release
  7. Sharing Information with Medicaid/Badger Care Alternate Approved Form
  8. DPI Mailing(s) on this subject
  9. Communication with Households 12/23/05 USDA Policy Memo
  10. Verification Summary Report is found under On-line Services on FNS Index page.
  
  

• Direct Certification - Will be required of all SFA'a for the 2008-2009 school year.

  1. Direct Certification Required In All Schools For 2008-09
  2. Automated Direct Certification Process 6/1/08 Memo from Karen Lavallee, Bureau of Workforce Programs
  3. Automated Direct Certification Process Training Videos - These six videos and a trouble shooting guide are highly recommended viewing prior to starting your direct certification process.
     
     

     Video Handouts - Please print these prior to watching the videos for note taking.

     • Process Overview
     • Create WAMS ID
     • Request Mainframe ID
       
       If you have any questions on procedures in the above 3 videos please contact Karen Lavallee, (608) 267-8934.
     • Create Your Student File
     • Transfer Student File using HOD
     • Transfer Student File using WS FTP Client
       
       If you have any questions on procedures in the above 3 videos please contact Diana Gleichauf, (608) 261-6984.
  4. Direct Certification and Direct Verification of Children in Food Stamp Households: Reauthorization 2004 11/18/04 USDA Policy Memo #5-05
  5. Direct Certification Letter to Households
  6. Direct Certification Eligibility Notification Letter
  7. Computer Access Request (DWSW-10-E)
  
  

• Duration of Households' Free and Reduced Price Eligibility Determination

  1. Extension of 30 Day Limit for Initial Carry-over of Previous Year's Eligibility due to Hurricane Katrina 9/19/05 USDA Policy Memorandum #05-33
  2. Initial Carry-over of Previous Year's Eligibility: Reauthorization 2004 9/9/05 USDA Policy Memorandum #05-28
  3. Duration of Households' Free and Reduced Price Eligibility Determination: Reauthorization 2004 7/9/04 USDA Policy Memorandum #04-21
  
  

• Eligibility Benefits and Guidance for Runaway, Homeless and Migrant Youth

  1. Midwest Regional USDA Office Guidance School Meal Service to Homeless Students at Private Schools - September 24, 2007
  2. Wisconsin DPI Mailing: Free School Meals for Homeless Students - September 25, 2006
  3. Wisconsin DPI Mailing: Update about Free Meals for Homeless and Migrant Students - October 25, 2005
  4. Establishing Eligibility of Runaway, Homeless and Migrant Youth, FY 05 School and Community Nutrition Programs Policy Memorandum #05-01
  5. Guidance on Determining Categorical Eligibility for Free Lunches and Breakfasts of Runaway, Homeless and Migrant Youth: Reauthorization 2004, FY 04 School and Community Nutrition Programs Policy Memorandum #04-33
  6. Categorical Eligibility for Free Lunches and Breakfasts for Migrant Children, FY 04 School and Community Nutrition Programs Policy Memorandum #04-29
  7. Categorical Eligibility for Free Lunches and Breakfasts of Runaway, Homeless and Migrant Youth: Reauthorization 2004, FY 04 School and Community Nutrition Programs Policy Memorandum #04-24
  8. Guidance on Role of Educational Agency Liaison in Documenting Eligibility of Homeless Children for Child Nutrition Program Benefits
  9. Homeless Liaison Directory for Public Schools
  
  

• Eligibility Benefits for Head Start/Even Start Students

  1. Wisconsin DPI Mailing, 6/2/08 - Children Enrolled in Head Start with enclosed USDA Guidance
  
  

• Eligibility Benefits for Military

  1. U.S. Armed Forces Family Supplemental Subsistence Allowance: Excluded from Income Consideration 08/25/06 USDA Policy Memorandum #30-2006
  2. U.S. Armed Forces Family Supplemental Subsistence Allowance: Excluded from Income Consideration 9/9/05 USDA Policy Memorandum #05-29
  3. Military Families and Eligibility in the Child Nutrition Programs 1/19/05 USDA Policy Memorandum #05-13
  4. Exclusion of the Housing Allowance for Military Households in Privatized Housing 7/7/04 USDA Policy Memorandum #04-20
  
  

• Eligibility Benefits for Students in Foster Care, Kinship Care and Chips

  1. Students in Foster Care, Kinship Care and CHIPS - Questions about determining their eligibility for meal benefits
  
  

• Eligibility Manual for School Meals - Federal Policy for Determining and Verifying Eligibility - January 2008 - This document has been updated by USDA to include changes implemented with the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 2004

  1. At a Glance: Determination of Free & Reduced Price Meal Applications
  2. At a Glance: Verification of Free & Reduced Price Meal Applications
  
  
  

• Fair Hearing Procedures

• Frequently Asked Questions About Free and Reduced Meal Applications

  1. 2004 Issue
  2. 2003 Issue
  3. 2002 Issue
  
  

• Income Eligibility Guidelines

  1. School Year 2008-2009
  2. School Year 2007-2008
  
  

• Limited Disclosure of Children's Free and Reduced Price Meal Eligibility and Outreach for the Wisconsin BadgerCare Health Care Coverage

  1. Limited Disclosure of Children's Free and Reduced Price Meal Eligibility
  2. Disclosure of Children's Eligibility Information for Health Insurance Programs
  3. Prototype Disclosure of Free and Reduced Price Meal Eligibility Information Agreement
  4. Sharing Information with Medicaid/Badger Care Alternate Approved Form - (This form supplied by The CHILD Project)
  5. Prototype Disclosure of Free and Reduced Price Meal Eligibility Information Agreement - Appropriate for School Personnel
  
  

• Provision 2

  1. May 1, 2008 - Mailing to Authorized Representatives of non-pricing Child Nutrition Programs completing a four-year cycle under Provision 2
  2. Special Assistance Alternatives - Provision 2
  3. Provision 2 Guidance - National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs
  4. Calendar of School Nutrition Requirements for Provision 2 Base Year Schools
  5. Calendar of School Nutrition Requirements for Provision 2 Non-base Year Schools
  
  
  

• Treatment of Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance and National Flood Insurance Program payments in Income Eligibility Determinations for Food and Nutrition Service Programs

  1. 10/29/05 USDA Policy Memo
  
  
  

• Verification

  1. Clarification of Direct Verification - 8/31/06 USDA Policy Memo
  2. Verification Summary Report is found under On-line Services on FNS Index page.
  3. Eligibility Verification Forms (Updated 2007) -Supplementary materials that may be used by National School Lunch Program sponsors to meet the annual verification requirement to confirm eligibility for free or reduced price meals of a sample of students.
  4. At A Glance: Verification of Free & Reduced Price Meal Applications - This table lists changes and dates of required implementation resulting from the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004.
  5. Verification Sample Size Memo 7/25/06 USDA Policy Memorandum
  6. School Communications Concerning Verification Activities 3/2/06 USDA Policy Memorandum
  7. State Agency Ameliorative Action Plans for Verification 2/22/06 USDA Policy Memorandum
  8. Verification Reporting and Hurricanes Katrina/Rita12/6/05 USDA Policy Memorandum
  9. Direct Verification - Reauthorization 2004; Implementation Memo11/18/05 USDA Policy Memorandum #06-01
  10. Verification Non-Response Rates for Large School Districts 9/19/05 USDA Policy Memorandum #05-32
      • List of Large School Districts - Please print to view
  11. School Meal Programs: Verification Procedures and Hurricane Katrina 9/15/05 USDA Policy Memorandum #05-30
  12. Verification Activities: Reauthorization 2004 Implementation 3/25/05 USDA Policy Memorandum #05-17
  13. Effect of Current Verification Activity on SY 2005-2006 Verification Requirements: Reauthorization 2004 11/30/04 USDA Policy Memorandum #05-06
  14. Verification of Income Eligibility, 9/1/04 USDA Policy Memorandum #04-30
  15. DPI Mailing(s) on this subject
  
  
  

Other Forms and Documents

• Calendar of School Nutrition Requirements
• Calendar of School Nutrition Requirements for RCCI's
• Alternate to the Point of Service Meal Counting System
• Appeal Procedures for School Nutrition Programs
• Child Nutrition Programs Administrative and Financial Handbook--This publication is available from the School Nutrition Team, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, (608) 266-3509. Ask for Bulletin No. 96206. E-mail requests can be sent to Melissa Biagtan.
• Civil Rights Compliance Self-Evaluation Form - This is the form that can be downloaded and filled in electronically.
• Civil Rights Compliance Self-Evaluation Form - This is the form that can be printed off and filled in manually.
• Daily Menu Production Plan
• Edit Check Required for School Lunch Programs
• On-site Monitoring Documentation for Agencies With More Than 1 School - For Tickets, Automated or Check-off List Systems, Updated March 2006.
• Prototype Joint Agreement To be used when a school agency purchases meals from another school agency.
• Reimbursement Rates for School Nutrition Programs
  • School Year 2007-2008
  • School Year 2006-2007
• The Wisconsin School Meals Eligibility Data Report This data report provides October 2006 (Fiscal Year 2007) enrollment figures, the number of children approved for free/reduced price meals and the % of children approved for free/reduced price meals in Wisconsin public schools. This information is used in the determination of Tier I eligibility for Family Day Care Homes and Summer Food Service Program sites. If you are unable to open the Excel file, please contact Melissa Biagtan for a copy.

For questions about this information, contact Julie A. Cox (608) 267-9206

Last updated on 6/16/2008 3:22:36 PM