This memorandum clarifies the flexibility available to local educational agency officials for establishing the effective date of eligibility for children certified for free or reduced price meals in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and free milk in the Special Milk Program based on household applications.
The purpose of this memorandum is to consolidate our policy regarding the participation of Head Start Programs in the child nutrition programs. For more information about the Head Start Program and Early Head Start Program.
This memorandum provides guidance to state administrators in making household eligibility determinations in all nutrition assistance programs administered by FNS.
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.