FNS Documents & Resources

The purpose of this memorandum is to revise guidance on the use of school and census data to establish area eligibility in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the At-Risk Afterschool component of CACFP, the Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option of the National School Lunch Program.

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.

The purpose of this memorandum is to strongly encourage local educational agencies to accept eligibility determinations from a transferring student’s former LEA to minimize disruptions in meal benefits for low-income students and avoid student debt resulting from unpaid meal charges.

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.

The CEP Characteristics Study will include surveys of nationally representative samples of participating and eligible non-participating LEAs to obtain updated information on the characteristics of participating and non-participating districts and schools. 

This is a revision of a currently approved collection for determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk as stated in 7 CFR part 245.

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.

Tthe School Breakfast Program regulations outlines criteria for schools to qualify for severe need reimbursement. Included in these criteria is the requirement that 40 percent or more of the lunches served to students at that school in the second preceding school year were served free or at a reduced price. This criterion is intended to ensure that the severe need reimbursement rate is provided to schools which have already demonstrated that a high percentage of meals, defined as 40 percent or more of lunches, are being served to needy students.

This memorandum provides information about implementing requirements concerning confirmation activities, individual review of selected applications and follow-up in relation to verification of households’ eligibility for free or reduced price meals.