Direct Certification
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/directcert.asp
FREE/REDUCED Meal Eligibility Clarification Guide
https://documentation.calpads.org/OnlineMaintenance/StudentDataMaintenance/StudentDetailsSPRG/
Extending Categorical Eligibility Q and A
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/mbusdacnp052010.asp
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/mbusdacnp032009.asp
Categorical Eligibility: Automatic eligibility for free meals or free milk due to a child’s (or any household member’s) receipt of benefits under an assistance program (e.g., CalFresh, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations [FDPIR], or CalWORKs). Categorical eligibility for free meal benefits is extended to all children in a household (Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations [7 CFR], Section 245.6[b][7]).
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/directcert.asp
F/R Meal Program and Direct Cert Reports in SchoolWise
CALPADS Enrollment Numbers On a Given Day
Free/Reduced List Alpha - This Year By Verify Type
Names of Students By Meal Status Day w/Verify Type
Families With Direct Certify Children This Year
Number of Students By Meal Status Date Range (10/02 - 10/31)
Number of Students By Meal On a Day w/Verify Type
Check SPRG (Free/Reduced Data)
Free/Reduced List Alpha - This Year
Names of Students by Meal Status w/Verify Type
Meal Count Worksheet (Daily)
The numbers should match 'Meals Served in a Date Range'. Also, since they don't state whether it's just for Lunch or not, the Meal Item Name parameter is required.
CNIPS SNP Point of Sale Data Preview
CNIPS SNP-53 Benefit Insurance Document Export
Generic Student Action - (CNIPS BID)
SchoolWise F/R meal program verification status of NOT VERIFIED
If you choose for us to roll over the F/R meal status of a student during EOY rollover, students will be marked as NOT VERIFIED. The status of NOT VERIFIED is a placeholder used only to comply with the CNIPS (30-day grace period) for food service program billing purposes. To update the NOT VERIFIED status in SchoolWise,
This 30-day grace period is used at the local level to allow the provision of meals while FRPM applications are processed; it should NOT be considered part of the eligibility period for the prior or current academic years. The start date of a student’s eligibility for FRPM should be determined annually. Once this determination is made in the current year, the Education Program Membership Start Date should reflect the first day the student started school for the current academic year (this date must be on or after July 1 of the current academic year). Additionally, the student’s FRPM record for the prior year should have an Education Program Membership End Date which reflects the last day of school, but no later than June 30 of the prior academic year.
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sp/cl/calpadsfaqs.asp
CALPADS - The F/R program enrollment eligibility is per school year (in and out)
Food Service Purposes - The 30-day grace period is for the food service program (not CALPADS F/R program eligibility)
The direct certification status of a student is valid for a school year. Direct Certification status will be purged at the end of each school year. The Direct Certification process starts each July.
To establish meal eligibility, no eligibility from Previous School Year is to be reported to CALPADS during the 30-day carry-over period.
Eligibility end dates should be populated for the previous year’s records.
BEST PRACTICE: Don't submit an SPRG file until you eligibility data is populated for the current Academic Year.
What to do during the year when a status changes
As a student transitions between statuses in the current school year (Free, Reduced, Paid), close out old FRE records and add new ones to express the new status. Do not overwrite existing records to report this information to CALPADS accurately.
Do not create new F/R meal program records in SchoolWise when updating or making changes to the verification type.
In CALPADS, when reporting a student's free or reduced meal program status through the SPRG file, you should end the program record at the end of the school year, meaning the "end date" should be set to the last day of school, as eligibility for the program is typically considered valid for the entire academic year unless a new application is submitted indicating a change in circumstances.
- Key points to remember:
- No mid-year updates needed:
- You don't need to update the free/reduced meal status mid-year unless there is a significant change in the student's household income that would affect their eligibility.
- New application required for change:
- If a student's eligibility changes during the school year, a new meal application must be submitted to adjust their status, and a new SPRG record with updated start and end dates should be created.
- End date aligns with school year:
- The end date for the free/reduced meal program record should align with the last day of the school year.
CALPADS Update FLASH #254
National School Lunch Program Meal Application and Alternative Income Form Requirements.
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sp/cl/calpadsupdflash254.asp
CALPADS Direct Certification
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/directcert.asp#calpads
Resource Link for Forms and Details
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/mbnsdsnp082012.asp
Webinars
Direct Certification—The Basics
(Video; 12:45)
This webinar is intended for all agencies that perform direct certification (DC). It covers basic information regarding the DC requirements and process.
Direct Certification Best Practices
(Video; 15:36)
This webinar is intended for all agencies that perform DC. It covers the best practices for maximizing DC results.
Direct Certification with Medicaid
(Video; 8:23)
This webinar is intended for all agencies that can perform DC through California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). It covers the administrative requirements and regulations regarding the Medicaid demonstration project.
Direct Certification and the Verification Collection Report
(Video; 9:22)
This webinar is intended for all agencies that perform DC. It covers the reporting requirements for the DC section of the verification collection report.