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Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0049 2018 Direct Certification Improvement Grant RFA

The fiscal year 2018 Direct Certification Improvement Grant Request for Applications are available to state agencies that administer the National School Lunch and the School Breakfast programs to fund the costs of improving your direct certification rates with SNAP, and other needs-based assistance programs.

SP41-2017
08/15/2017
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations Direct Certification in the National School Lunch Program Report to Congress: State Implementation Progress, SY 2014-15

This report responds to the requirement of PL 110-246 to assess the effectiveness of state and local efforts to directly certify children for free school meals. Direct certification is a process conducted by the states and by local educational agencies to certify eligible children for free meals without the need for household applications. 

12/02/2016
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations School Nutrition Program Operations Study - SY 2012-13

The information in this second year report (school year 2012-13), the first year new lunch standards were implemented, will provide data for observing the improvements resulting from the implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Data was collected from a survey of all state child nutrition directors and a nationally representative sample of school food authorities.

10/31/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0044 Using Federal Funds to Support FoodCorps Service Members

This memorandum clarifies how state agencies and school food authorities can use federal funds to support FoodCorps service members.

SP48 CACFP16 SFSP16-2016
07/13/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0045 Unpaid Meal Charges: Local Meal Charge Policies

The purpose of this memorandum is to address the need for school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program to institute and clearly communicate a meal charge policy, which would include, if applicable, the availability of alternate meals.

SP46-2016
07/08/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0012 Reporting Instructions for Form FNS-874: Local Educational Agency Second Review of Applications

Section 304 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires local educational agencies that demonstrate high levels of, or a high risk for administrative error associated with certification, verification and other administrative processes to conduct an independent review of the initial eligibility determinations for free and reduced price school meal applications for accuracy prior to notifying households of eligibility. 

SP29-2016
03/09/2016
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations HHFKA Implementation Research Brief Series

This series of research briefs examines best practices in school food authorities' implementation of key provisions and their impacts in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, including fruits and vegetables, plate waste, sodium, participation, revenue, whole grains, smart snacks, and a special view of obesity.

01/28/2016
Resource | Research | Participation Rates Direct Certification in the National School Lunch Program Report to Congress: State Implementation Progress, SY 2013-14

This report responds to the requirement of PL 110-246 to assess the effectiveness of state and local efforts to directly certify children for free school meals. Direct certification is a process conducted by the states and by local educational agencies to certify eligible children for free meals without the need for household applications. 

05/01/2015
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2015-0016 Q&As Regarding the Use of SAE Funds and SA Funds for Farm to School Related Expenses

This memorandum and attached Q&As clarify and highlight the use of state administrative expense funds, both as initially allocated and when reallocated, and state administrative funds for state-level coordination of farm to school activities related to the administration of the child nutrition programs.

SP28-2015
03/13/2015
Resource | Research | Demonstrations Evaluation of Demonstrations of NSLP and SBP Direct Certification of Children Receiving Medicaid Benefits: Access Evaluation Report

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 required the Food and Nutrition Service to conduct a demonstration that adds Medicaid to the list of programs used to directly certify students for free school meals. Although students receiving Medicaid are not categorically eligible for free meals, the DC-M demonstration authorizes selected States and districts to use income information from Medicaid files to directly certify those students found to be eligible for free meals.

01/27/2015
Page updated: October 14, 2021