FNS Documents & Resources

This memorandum provides guidance and clarification regarding individual income eligibility determinations and duration in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program.

This memorandum addresses inquiries regarding flexibility in determining the effective date of eligibility for students who are directly certified to receive free meals or free milk in the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the Special Milk Program.

Section 4 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act provides general cash for food assistance payments to states to assist schools in purchasing food. The NSLA provides two different section 4 payment levels for lunches served under the NSLP.

This memorandum provides guidance and clarification regarding individual income eligibility determinations and durations in the CACFP and the SFSP.

This memorandum provides guidance to state administrators in making household eligibility determinations in all nutrition assistance programs administered by FNS.

This memo is in response to requests for us to clarify what takes place when a confirmation review finds an error in the eligibility determination after a household has been initially notified of its status.

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 amended sections of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act affecting the eligibility determination process for free and reduced price benefits under the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and the Special Milk Program for Children.

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 requires that children in food stamp households be directly certified for free school meals. To prepare for the phased in implementation of mandatory direct certification, which begins for the largest school districts in July 2006 and covers all school districts by July 2008, we convened a work group on Jan. 26–27, 2005.

We have recently received questions regarding the child nutrition policy on the treatment of income from deployed military personnel engaged in long-term military campaigns overseas.