The Free and Reduced Price Meals Application Process

1. The Free and Reduced Price Meals Application Process Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction School Nutrition Team

2. Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 • President Bush signed into law on June 30, 2004 • Expanded availability of nutritious meals and snacks to more children • Changes to the school meals application process and the verification process • Direct Certification mandatory for all in 2008-2009 • Mandatory school wellness policies • Expanded the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

3. Prototype Application • USDA updated prototype application to reflect Reauthorization changes – DPI has this application posted to our website • Translations into 25 different languages • Changes to the application • Identifying your specific programs, inserting school name/contact/hearing official – no prior approval needed • Any further changes to the application, instructions, or other materials – must submit to DPI for prior approval

4. Distribution of the applications • Print prototype application from DPI website after July 1st every year • Applications cannot be distributed, accepted or processed before July 1st each year • Federally defined school year: July 1 – June 30 • Application packet must contain: • Cover letter • Application • Application instructions • Reduced price income guidelines • Should also be provided to households who enroll after the beginning of the school year

5. Exceptions to the rule • Each household submits one application for all children in that household • Exception #1: Foster children • Household of one, separate application must be completed or letter from responsible court/agency • Exception #2: Children residing in an RCCI • Household of one, separate application must be completed or documentation from RCCI

6. Definition: Household • A group of related or unrelated individuals who are not residents of an institution or boarding house, but who are living as one economic unit, and who share housing and/or significant income and expenses of its members

7. YES! Adopted child Child attending an institution Child away at school (boarding, college) Child living with one parent/relatives/friends Joint custody Foreign exchange student Family temporarily living apart Deployed service personnel NO! Child residing in an institution Emancipated child Foster child Family living apart for extended period of time Member of the household?

8. Duration of Eligibility • A child’s eligibility is in effect from the date of eligibility for the current school year and for up to 30 operating days into the next school year • DOES NOT APPLY when: • Original determination was incorrect • Verification does not support the level of benefits the household was originally approved for • Temporary approvals

9. Carryover of Previous Year’s Eligibility • Up to 30 operating days, beginning with the first day of school • Must carryover eligibility status for children with approved applications on file from previous school year • New eligibility supersedes carryover eligibility • Also applies to direct certification • Process applications for new enrollees first

10. Changes in a Household’s Circumstances • Because of duration of eligibility, households are no longer required to report changes in income or household size, or participation in Food Share/FDPIR/W-2 • Households can voluntarily give this information to the school • Increases in benefits should be made • If the information provided would result in a decrease in benefits, the school should give the household the option of remaining at the current benefit level or decreasing

11. Application Processing Timeframe • Applications must be reviewed in a timely manner, immediately if possible • Determination must be made and implemented within 10 working days of receiving the application • Process applications for new students first since returning students are still eligible for first 30 operating days

12. Definition: Determining Official • Person who is responsible for reviewing each free and reduced price meal application that is submitted and either approves or denies the household for free and reduced price meal benefits • Also responsible for putting together the benefit issuance list and for keeping track of each student’s carryover of eligibility from the previous school year • CAN be the same person as the Verifying Official • CANNOT be the same person as the Confirming Official or Hearing Official

13. Reviewing Submitted Applications • Determining Official reviews each submitted application for completeness • Any application missing required information, containing inconsistent information, or is unclear is considered incomplete and cannot be processed • Reasonable efforts need to be made to obtain or clarify information from household • U.S. citizenship or immigration status is NOT a condition of eligibility for free and reduced price meal benefits

14. Definition: Categorically Eligible • Those children who are automatically eligible for free meal benefits because of their status: • A member of a household receiving Food Share, W-2 cash benefits, or FDPIR • Enrollment in Head Start/Early Head Start or Even Start • Homeless, migrant, runaway child

15. Categorical Eligibility • Determined on an individual basis • Direct Certification takes precedence over a paper application submitted by a household • Not extended to children receiving assistance from the State’s Medicaid program • Children participating in Head Start, Early Start or Even Start programs may be categorically eligible, but need documentation from the program they are enrolled in • Migrant, homeless, runaway – identified by program coordinators or educational liaisons

16. Determining Eligibility: Categorical • Make sure the case number provided on the application is a valid case number • Usually 10 digits • Not Quest card number: 16-20 digits • Not Social Security Number: 9 digits • Contact household or local Food Share/W-2/FDPIR officials with questions • Applications containing a valid case number must be approved as free • Applications with invalid case numbers should not be approved

17. Complete application: Food Share, W-2, or FDPIR • Names of children • A Food Share, W-2 cash benefit, or FDPIR case number for each child • Usually 10 digits • NOT Social Security Number – 9 digits • NOT Quest card numbers – 16-20 digits • Signature of an adult household member

18. Definition: Migrant Child • A child that has moved across school district lines within the last 3 weeks in order to accompany or join a parent or guardian who has moved to seek or obtain temporary or seasonal work in agriculture or fishing

19. Migrant Education Program (MEP) • Child is categorically eligible if identified as meeting definition of migrant by the State/local MEP coordinator or local educational liaison • Must have acceptable documentation from MEP coordinator/local educational liaison • Used in lieu of a paper application • Should be sought as much as possible before having the household complete an application

20. Homeless and Runaway • Identified as homeless or runaway through a local educational liaison or director of a homeless shelter • Must have acceptable documentation • Used in lieu of a paper application • Homeless child residing with another household • May still be considered homeless • Household size and income of host family not taken into consideration • Host family can include the homeless child as a household member if they are providing financial support to that child

21. Complete application: Homeless, Migrant, Runaway • Name of child(ren) • Box checked in Part 2 • Signature of adult completing the application on behalf of the child, or State/local program coordinator or liaison

22. Definition: Income Eligible • Those children who are eligible to receive free or reduced price meals based on their household size and household income • Household must complete paper application • School compares household size and income to the most current Income Eligibility Guidelines to determine if child qualifies for free or reduced price meals • Income Eligibility Guidelines are updated every year and are effective from July 1 – June 30. Be sure you are using the most current guidelines!

23. Definition: Income Eligibility Guidelines • Household size and income levels prescribed annually by the Secretary of Agriculture for determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and milk. • Free guidelines are at or below 130% of the Federal poverty guidelines • Reduced price guidelines are between 130% and at or below 185% of the Federal poverty guidelines

24. Reported Income Information • Each household must provide the total amount of current income • Current income based on the most recent information available • Must identify the individual who receives the income, its source, and the frequency • Could be multiple sources and intervals, e.g. paycheck weekly, child support monthly • Those with no income should report $0 by the name or check the appropriate box • Be sure to date and initial any information received from the household over the phone right on the application!

25. Reportable Income • Any money received on a recurring basis • Gross income: all money earned before deductions, e.g. income taxes, employee’s Social Security taxes, insurance premiums, and bonds • Earnings from work • Welfare/child support/alimony • Retirement/disability benefits • Any other income • Current income: income received by the household for the current month, the amount projected for the first month the application is made for, or the month prior to applying • If higher or lower than usual and does not fairly or accurately represent the household’s actual circumstances, the household may project its annual rate of income

26. NO! Only one source of income All sources of income received in the same frequency To calculate: Total all sources of income Compare to Income Eligibility Guidelines YES! Multiple sources of income with more than one frequency Income should be annualized To calculate: Annualize all income (see next slide) Do not round! Total all annualized amounts Compare to Income Eligibility Guidelines Do I need to do an income conversion?

27. Annualizing Income • Weekly: multiply by 52 • Bi-weekly/Every other week: multiply by 26 • Twice a month: multiply by 24 • Monthly/Once a month: multiply by 12 DO NOT ROUND!!

28. Determining Eligibility: Income-based • Determining Official must calculate the household’s total current income and compare it to the Income Eligibility Guidelines • Incomplete applications cannot be approved if any of the required information is missing • All required information must be obtained before a determination can be made • To get the required information, the school may return the application to the household to complete, or the household can be contacted by phone or in writing • Date and initial any information received verbally from the household right on the application • Reasonable efforts should be made to obtain the required information before denying the application

29. Complete application: Income Eligible • Names of children in Part 1 • Names of ALL household members in Part 4 • Amount, source, and frequency of current income for each member of the household • Signature of an adult household member • Complete Social Security Number of the adult household member who signs the app (or an indication that he/she does not have one)

30. Remember! • There could be some members of a household that are receiving Food Share, FDPIR, or W-2 cash benefits and some that are not • In such cases, the household must complete Parts 1, 4, and 5, providing case numbers for those receiving aid and income information for those not receiving aid

31. Temporary Approval • When a household reports zero income or a temporary reduction in income, eligibility is determined based on that present rate of income • Zero income, temporary lay offs, strikes, temporary disability, • Flag application and re-evaluate after 45 days • If the household’s situation HAS NOT changed, the school can either recheck again in 45 days or make the eligibility valid for the duration of the current school year • If the household’s situation HAS changed, the school must either update the information on the original application or request a new application • New status must be implemented within 3 operating days

32. Special Situations • Seasonal workers • Self-employed • Both wages and self-employed • Military benefits • Deployed service members • Foster child’s income • Income for child residing in an RCCI • Child’s income • Alimony/child support • Garnished wages/bankruptcy

33. Seasonal Workers • Seasonal workers and others whose income fluctuates usually earn more in some months than in other months • Household may project its annual rate of income and report this as their current income • If the prior year’s income provides an accurate reflection, the household can use that level as a basis for projecting current income

34. Self-employed • Can use net income vs. gross income • Determined by subtracting business expenses from gross receipts • Those who are self-employed may use last year’s income as the basis for projection unless their current net income provides a more accurate measure

35. Both wages and self-employed • Each amount must be listed separately • When there is a business loss, income from wages may not be reduced by the amount of the business loss • If income from self-employment is negative, it should be listed as zero income

36. Military benefits • For example, housing benefits, food or clothing allowances, and GI bill monies • Report as income

37. Deployed service members • Only that portion of a deployed service member’s income made available by them or on their behalf to the household will be counted as income to the household

38. Foster child’s income • Only the child’s personal use income is considered for eligibility

39. Income for child residing in RCCI • Only the income a child earns from full-time or regular part time employment and/or personally receives while in residence

40. Child’s income • Earning of a child who is full time or regular part time employee must be listed as income

41. Alimony/child support • Money received by a household in the form of alimony or child support is considered income • Any money paid by a household in the form of alimony or child support is not excluded from income for that household

42. Garnished wages/bankruptcy • Gross income received by a household before deductions regardless of whatever portions are garnished or used to pay creditors

43. Income Exclusions: NOT reported on application • Value of benefits, such as Food Share • Payments received for the care of foster children • Student financial assistance • Loans, such as bank loans • Value of in-kind compensation, such as housing for clergy • Occasional earnings received on an irregular basis, such as lawn mowing or babysitting • Lump sum payments or large cash settlements • National Flood Insurance Program payments

44. Foster Care Legal guardianship with state or social service agency Household of one, separate application completed Only child’s personal use income reported If adopted, then becomes part of household Kinship Care Legal guardianship with family member or absent parent(s) Considered member of household they live with, include on that household’s application $215 per month All income and household members reported Foster vs. Kinship

45. Definition: Foster Child/Care • Child is a legal ward of the state courts or social service agency • Placed in licensed foster home under the foster care program • Because student’s income is low, they will likely qualify for free meals, but not guaranteed • Based on personal use income • Considered a household of one – foster child would not be included on an application submitted for other children in the household • Foster payments do not need to be listed as income on other application for other children in household • An adopted foster child is no longer a household of one because they are now a part of that household • Would be included on a household application • Adoption assistance payments must be listed as income

46. Definition: Kinship Care • Child resides with a family member, and that family member is usually granted legal guardianship • Guardianship occasionally remains with the absent parent • Household receives kinship care payments to aid with the support of the student • $215/month • Since the child is living with the household, they are considered a member of that household • All household members and their incomes must be reported on an app

47. Definition: Children in Need of Protective Services (CHIPS) • Child receiving social service agency services, but legal guardianship remains with the parent(s) • Often proceeds to foster or kinship care • All household members and their incomes must be reported on an income application

48. Complete application: Foster Child • Name of foster child • Child’s personal use income • Signature of an adult • Household member • Official of court or agency that has responsibility for the child

49. Completing the Bottom of the Application: Approved applications • Total income and frequency (if applicable) • Household size • Mark if categorically eligible • Space to record date withdrawn from school • Mark whether free or reduced • Signature of Determining Official and date (= approval date) • If app chosen for verification, signature of Confirming Official and date

50. Completing the Bottom of the Application: Denied applications • Total income and frequency (if applicable) • Household size • Mark denied and list reason why in space provided • Signature of Determining Official and date