SY 24-25 Eligibility Guidance

School Nutrition Program ~ July 2024

Prepare for Student Eligibility

Process Begins in July!

Pricing Schools (students pay for meals)

Determining Eligibility

If the household income is within the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines, children may qualify for no cost or reduced-price meals. A student may also qualify for certain nutrition programs if they or their household meets the following criteria:

• Any person in the household participates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps) or receives Temporary Assistance for Need Families (TANF or welfare) benefits

• The student is a foster child under the legal responsibility of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) or a court

• The student is enrolled in Head Start, is homeless, a runaway, or is a member of a migrant family

**TDA also offers an income-based tool to determine if the household qualifies for meals before they submit an application. That tool is available at: SquareMeals.org/AmIEligible

Preparation for Upcoming SY (pricing schools)

Duties beginning in July:

Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) Tool -The PLE tool is provided by USDA for School Food Authorities to calculate the average weighted price of the paid lunch meal prices. School Food Authorities use the PLE tool to calculate the paid lunch price(s) requirement and/or non-Federal source contributions to meet the requirements specified in 7 CFR 210.14€.

Confirm your POS system has student carryover eligibility for the first 30 operational days.
After July 5 - Run the TXELMS Direct Certification Match Report. Update student eligibility in the point of service (POS) system. **CEs do not have to send a household application to households with directly certified students. This includes direct certification for Categorical Assistance Eligible programs as well as direct certification for Other Source Categorical Eligible programs. However, these households must be sent a notice of eligibility. (reference ARM section 04)
Provide Information about Household Applications as outlined in the ARM Section 04 Eligibility Determination, pages 15-22 to include the media release.
Due October 31 - Attachment B Upload in TXUNPS opens July 1. CEs must provide its certification and benefit issuance templates to TDA.

Considerations (pricing schools)

Official Roles - Consider who fulfills the official roles for eligibility and verification processes per ARM Section 06, Verification of Eligibility, page 8.
Technology-Based Verification System - The requirement for a confirmation review may be waived if the CE has a technology-based system that demonstrates a high-degree of accuracy. Any CE that has an automated system for processing household applications must request approval for this flexibility. ARM Section 06 Verification of Eligibility, page 19

Submission of Flexibility Waiver in TXUNPS > Download Forms > SNP-000 Request for Exemptions/Waivers for Program Operation

The Technology-Based Confirmation jotform provides additional details for the approval process.

Community Eligibility Provision (non-pricing schools)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1putIDVltu9JwO5ZTyRrs30fdkIBUTC2m/view?usp=sharing

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Eligibility - Implementation Chart

By June 30 - Review/update CEP schedule in Application. Review/update Attachment B: Meal Count/Collection Procedures

Prior to first day of school - Submit Media Release for CEP sites to local media

After July 5 - Run the TXELMS Direct Certification Match Report. Provide data to PEIMS. Update student eligibility in the point of service (POS) system. This is a monthly requirement for Verification and CEP reporting.

Records Retention: Pages 28-29 ARM Section 5 Special Provision Understand the timeline for eligibility documentation according to the CEP cycle. Eligibility Documentation- proof of the DC Students and Enrollment data listed in the base year CEP Report.

Resources:

CEP Implementation Chart
ARM Section 05 Special Provision Options
squaremeals.org > Programs > National School Lunch Program > Eligibility and Verification > Special Provisions

Consideration for non-pricing schools

PEIMS Recording

When School Nutrition Programs implement the Community Eligibility Provision meal applications are no longer valid. School meal applications are strictly used for the purpose of determining a student meal price. The PEIMS Coordinator may have the use of a household income survey form to determine Eco-disadvantaged status for a student who is not considered directly certified.

Resources:

Title 1 and E-rate
- Title I Guidance for Schools Electing Community Eligibility (SP35-2015)
- E-Rate Guidance for Schools Electing CEP (SP08-2015)
Income Eligibility Guidelines used are the same as the SNP. Located on squaremeals.org.
USDA Community Eligibility Provision Resource Center

Squaremeals.org

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Where is the Eligibility Guidance information, letters and forms located?

Programs > NSLP > Eligibility and Verification
ARM Section 04 Eligibility Determination This section provides detailed information on certification and benefit issuance: distributing and processing household applications, direct certification, second (or independent) review of applications, notification of eligibility, and the appeals process.

Media Release Prototype

Pricing and Non-Pricing Schools

Regulations require that prior to or during the first week of school, a public release be made to the local news media, the unemployment office and any major employers who are contemplating layoffs within the school’s attendance area. When sent to the news media, the letter to parents, application form, and a complete income scale (free and reduced-price guidelines) or the same information put in a narrative form will constitute a public release. TDA has consolidated these media prototypes into single English and Spanish documents. Prototypes in each include the standard media release, media release for Provision 2, and media release for CEP. Choose the appropriate prototype from the below documents and customize as needed.

Income Eligibility Guidelines

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Determining Income Eligibility

The following income eligibility guidelines are used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals or free milk for the nutrition assistance programs administered by TDA. Also included are income guidelines for determining eligibility for the food distribution program administered by TDA.