FNS Documents & Resources

FNS is issuing this memorandum in an effort to clarify the characteristics of BBCE programs and the actions states must take to ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.

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. 

The proposed action would implement four sections of the Agricultural Act of 2014, (2014 Farm Bill), affecting eligibility, benefits, and program administration requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Since the Sept. 10, 2015 (80 FR 54410) publication of the final rule, Clarification of Eligibility of Fleeing Felons, FNS received several questions regarding its implementation. FNS released a Q&A in response to those questions on March 8, 2016. Since that time, FNS has received additional questions and therefore, issued this second Q&A to address them.

This White Paper examines whether any additional means-tested programs might be feasible for use in the direct certification of school-age children participating in school meals or for verification of household income on meal applications.

This memo clarifies both how states must treat Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) for the purposes of the ABAWD work requirement and identifies obsolete statutory references to programs under the WIOA.

Section 17 of the National School Lunch Act, authorizes the Child and Adult Care Program. Under this program, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to provide cash reimbursement and commodity assistance, on a per meal basis, for food service to children in nonresidential child care centers and family or group day care homes, and to eligible adults in nonresidential adult day care centers. 

The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.