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Resource | Federal Register Documents Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (2024-2025)

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals, free milk, and Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer benefits for the period from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. 

02/20/2024
Resource | Federal Register Documents Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals and Free Milk

This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection for determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk as stated in FNS regulations.

05/08/2023
Resource | Notices Child Nutrition Programs Income Eligibility Guidelines (2018-2019)

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk for the period from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019.

05/08/2018
Resource | Proposed Rule Proposed Rule: Hiring Flexibility Under Professional Standards

This proposed rule would add four flexibilities to the hiring standards for new school nutrition program directors in small local educational agencies and new school nutrition program state directors under the professional standards regulations for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

03/06/2018
Resource | Notices Child Nutrition Programs Income Eligibility Guidelines (2017-2018)

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk for the period from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018.

04/10/2017
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 Special Nutrition Program Operations Study, SY 2013-14

The Special Nutrition Program Operations Study is a multiyear study designed to provide the Food and Nutrition Service with a snapshot of current state and school food authority policies and practices of the school meal programs, including information on school meal standards, competitive foods standards, professional standards, school lunch pricing and accounting, and Smarter Lunchrooms activities. 

10/31/2016
Resource | Research | Program Access Examining the Potential to Expand Data Matching in the School Meal Program Eligibility and Verification Processes

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.

10/24/2016
Resource | Notices Comment Request - Third Access Participation Eligibility and Certification Study Series (APEC III)

The purpose of this third study on Access, Participation, Eligibility and Certification is to provide FNS with key information on the annual error rates and erroneous payments for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs in SY 2017-18.

08/10/2016
Resource | Final Rule Final Rule: Eliminating Applications Through Community Eligibility as Required by the HHFKA of 2010

This final rule establishes requirements for state agencies, local educational agencies, and schools operating the Community Eligibility Provision, a reimbursement option that allows the service of school meals to all children at no-cost in high poverty schools without collecting household applications.

07/29/2016
Page updated: October 14, 2021