meal eligibility residential child care institutions (rcci)

MEAL ELIGIBILITY RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE

INSTITUTIONS (RCCI)

Wyoming Department of Education 2

Target Audience

Executive Director Food Service Directors of

residential child care institutions

Staff who determine meal eligibility

May 2012


Objective Comprehend the

implementation procedures & timelines of eligibility following the USDA approved guidelines.

May 2012


Eligibility Meal eligibility is the process

that determines a student’s eligibility for free, reduced-price, and paid meal benefits in the following programs: National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

School Breakfast Program (SBP)

Afterschool Care Program

May 2012


Day Students Day students are community

students who attend a school operated by an RCCI, but who do not live in the RCCI

May 2012


RCCIs with and without Day Students

Need a Statement of Facts

May 2012

Statement of Facts is a written statement

outlining the general policy of an RCCI which

would cause all its institutionalized children (not day students) to be

eligible for free meal benefits.


Meal EligibilityThis is the simplest method of documenting

children’s eligibility. This Statement of Facts must be on file at the RCCI.

Example 1: All children are wards of the court. They are not permitted to earn, receive, or retain any money while in our custody.”

Example 2: Children may hold part-time jobs (up to 16 hours per week). The maximum earnings we have seen has been $_____ per week. We also permit students to receive up to $____ per week from home but require any money received or earned to be turned into our “bank” and to be drawn out only with permission.

May 2012

Wyoming Department of Education 8May 2012

Residents of the RCCI may attend a public school or attend a school operated by the RCCI.

If a student attends a public school, a meal application should be completed to receive meals at the public school.

Meals served to an institutionalized child who may be a ward of the court are not automatically eligible to be claimed as free simply because he/she resides in an RCCI.


An institutionalized child’s eligibility for free or reduced-priced meals is based on any income the child receives; family income is not considered.

Most meals for institutionalized children are claimed as free because the children’s personal income falls well within the eligibility guidelines.

May 2012


Enrollment List

All RCCIs must maintain a list of the names, ages (must be under twenty-one years of age), and entry and departure dates of all children participating in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program.

If the RCCI does not have a predetermined policy which dictates the allowable income to children, then it may record eligibility determination, by child, on a master list or an enrollment application.

May 2012


Enrollment List Both Master lists and rosters

must contain the following: Child’s name Child’s personal income (indicate zero if

no income is received) Frequency with which income is

received Date of eligibility determination Category of eligibility Approving official’s signature/initials

May 2012


Enrollment List

May 2012


Questions


All RCCIs Without Day Students Can Stop

Here

May 2012


Eligibility (RCCIs with Day Students)

Eligibility is determined each school year in one or more of the following ways for day students:

► Income eligibility► Categorical eligibility Both require eligibility

applications Check page 13 of the manual.

May 2012


Eligibility Income eligibility: Students are income eligible in

the free or reduced-price category if their household size and income are within the USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines.

May 2012


EligibilityINCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

(Effective from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012)

May 2012

FREE MEALS -- 130%

REDUCED PRICE MEALS -- 185%

Household Size

Annually

Monthly

Weekly

Every Two Weeks

Twice a Month

Annually

Monthly

Weekly

Every Two Weeks

Twice a Month

1

$14,157

$1,180

$273

$545

$590

$20,147

$1,679

$388

$775

$840

2

$19,123

$1,594

$368

$736

$797

$27,214

$2,268

$524

$1,047

$1,134

3

$24,089

$2,008

$464

$927

$1,004

$34,281

$2,857

$660

$1,319

$1,429

4

$29,055

$2,422

$559

$1,118

$1,211

$41,348

$3,446

$796

$1,591

$1,723

5

$34,021

$2,836

$655

$1,309

$1,418

$48,415

$4,035

$932

$1,863

$2,018

6

$38,987

$3,249

$750

$1,500

$1,625

$55,482

$4,624

$1,067

$2,134

$2,312

7

$43,953

$3,663

$846

$1,691

$1,832

$62,549

$5,213

$1,203

$2,406

$2,607

8

$48,919

$4,077

$941

$1,882

$2,039

$69,616

$5,802

$1,339

$2,678

$2,901

For each additional family member,

ADD

$4,966

$414

$96

$191

$207

$7,067

$589

$136

$272

$295


Eligibility Categorical eligibility:Students are categorically eligible in

the free category if their family/household receives assistance such as:SNAPFDPIRFoster ChildrenRunaway and Homeless

May 2012


Foster Children Foster Children are also categorically

eligible for free meal benefits. However, they do not automatically qualify their household as categorically free. Appropriate documentation should be obtained from the State or local oversight agency indicating the status of the child as a foster child whose care and placement is the responsibility of the State or court. May 2012


Runaway and Homeless Children

The 2004 Reauthorization Act established the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, which granted automatic eligibility for free meals to migrant, homeless, and runaway youth.

RCCI’s may want to contact local school districts for information.

Migrant, homeless, or runaway youth on a list which has been certified, signed, and dated by the agency’s liaison or coordinator qualify for free meals without completing an application.

May 2012



Acceptable documentation to substantiate participation in a program for runaway children sponsored by RHYA must include:

Child’s name or a list of names of participating children;

Effective date(s); and Signature of the school district’s

homeless liaison.May 2012



The following is a website that may assist LEAs in obtaining more information about the operations of the RHYA programs in their State:

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/oro/For further information on FYSB, see their

web site at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/index.html

May 2012

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/oro/

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/index.html

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/index.html


Direct Certification Direct Certification is the

process that allows household members receiving assistance such as SNAP or TANF, eligible for free meals without completing an application.

May 2012


Direct Certification Refer to pages 59 – 62 of the

Eligibility Manual for School Meals

May 2012


Direct CertificationIf you already have a Fusion user account: Request access to the Direct Cert R2 website1. Navigate your browser to

https://portals.edu.wyoming.gov/DirectCert/2. Complete the User Registration Request form,

you will need the following information: --Your name and email address --Your phone number --The organization you work for (either district or

institution)

May 2012

https://portals.edu.wyoming.gov/DirectCert/


Direct Certification

3. Submit the form to request access to the website.

If you have any questions contact Keith Geringer at [email protected] or

307-777-2880

May 2012

mailto:[email protected]



If you don't already have a Fusion user account:

1. Navigate your browser to http://fusion.edu.wyoming.gov/MySites/Register.aspx

2. Complete the Request Login form, you will need the following information:

May 2012

http://fusion.edu.wyoming.gov/MySites/Register.aspx

http://fusion.edu.wyoming.gov/MySites/Register.aspx



--Your name and email address --Your WISE Staff ID --Your Phone Number --The organization you work for

(either district or institution) --Select "Direct Cert R2 Users" from

the Roles list

May 2012



May 2012

Need help? Contact Keith Geringer at [email protected] or 307-777-2880

mailto:[email protected]


QUESTIONS?


All RCCIs Who Do Have School Districts Determine

Free and Reduced Applications

Can Stop Here


What is an Application?

May 2012

An application is a free and reduced meal benefit form submitted by an individual household for ALL children in that household.


Application Process Must use application sent by “WDE”

1. You can add to the application without approval from Terry or Tamra.

2. You cannot delete any information from the application.

3. The FNS web site at: www.fns.usda.gov/cnd has prototype applications translated in a number of languages.

May 2012

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd


Application Process Informing households (pages 7-9)

1. Sent to all households at beginning of the School Year.

2. Applications must be supplied to new enrollments through out the School Year.

3. If computer or web-based applications are used, paper copies must still be issued to all families.

May 2012


Application Process Benefits prior to processing (page 15)

Households with approved applications from previous year.

New students in an LEA with prior approvalStudents who transfer from one school to

another with the same LEA• Carryover of previous year’s eligibility – 30

operating days

May 2012


Application Process Verifying that applications are complete

(pages- 16-18) Citizenship/legal status Income conversion of different income

frequencies (pages 18- 19) Determining Eligibility ( page 20)

1. Categorical2. Income

May 2012


QUESTIONS

meal eligibility residential child care institutions (rcci)

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