The following forms have an MAY 11, 2012 DEADLINE for return
The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Child Nutrition Unit (CNU) will mail each school district two sets of the Renewal of Agreement between ADE and the School Food Authority (SFA)/Local Education Agency (LEA). This Agreement must be completed to participate in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Afterschool Snack Program, Seamless Summer and/or the Special Milk Program for the regular school term and/or for the summer sessions of the 2012-13 school year.
COMPLETION OF ADOBE FORMS:
All of the forms required for the Renewal of Agreement and Policy Statement are links in this Commissioner’s Memo, with the exception of the school district’s individualized Child Nutrition Program (CNP) Schedule A. Linked forms at the end of this memo in Adobe format (.pdf) and can be saved, completed on the computer and then printed for mailing back to ADE, CNU. It is not possible to save the form AFTER it has been completed; it is only possible to print the completed form while it is still showing on the computer screen. Not all forms are available in this format. A free version of Adobe Reader may be downloaded if needed from: http://get.adobe.com/reader/
DISTRIBUTION OF APPLICATIONS TIMELINE REQUIREMENT:
The 2012-13 Free and Reduce Price Meals Application CANNOT BE DISTRIBUTED prior to July 1, 2012, unless the LEA has year round school or the charter school plan requires early opening prior to July 1. If the LEA has year round school, then the LEA may distribute the 2012 applications no earlier than 10 days prior to July 1, 2012.
RENEWAL OF 2006-07 ORIGINAL AGREEMENT:
Please be reminded that the 2006-07 Original Agreement and Policy Statement as well as all Renewal of Agreements and Policy Statements (including all attachments) are subject to change based on changes in federal and state laws, rules and regulations. Over the next four (4) years the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will continue to issue the changes in the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act law that were included in the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 through federal rules, regulations and policy memos. Those changes will be included in each annual renewal packet. All persons in the district that have responsibilities for program compliance must have copies of the 2006-07 Original and all Renewals of Agreements and Policy Statements.
PROVISION 2:
In addition to all required forms of the Renewal of Agreement and Policy Statement, districts/schools approved for participation in the USDA Provision 2 Alternative for feeding children must complete the required Provision 2 Addendum to the Federal Child Nutrition Agreement and Policy Statement between the Arkansas Department of Education and the Local Education Agency mailed to the district with the Renewal of Agreement and Policy Statement packet. The Provision 2 Addendum outlines the major commitments of Provision 2 and emphasizes the federal requirements specific to the Provision 2 Alternative. The Provision 2 federal regulations can be found in Title 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 210, 220 and 245.9.
RENEWAL OF AGREEMENT 2012-13 School Year
Please complete BOTH copies of the Renewal of Agreement, indicating the programs the school district plans to continue operating, dates of operation, and any new programs the district plans to implement for the 2012-13 school year. Also complete TWO copies of both of the Renewal of Agreement Attachments: Health Inspection Statement and Wellness Committee Members. All three sets of the forms must have original signatures.
On the Renewal of Agreement indicate if changes have been made from the 2006-2007 Original Agreement attachments on the following items: District Wellness Policy, Civil Rights/504 Procedures, Food Safety/HACCP Plan for each school in the district. Also indicate if changes have been made from the 2009-2010 Renewal of Agreement attachments for Procurement Procedures, including if the district has a new or revised beverage/vending contract. If a new or revised beverage/vending contract is in effect, a copy of the contract MUST be sent with the Renewal of Agreement. All new or revised beverage/vending contracts MUST meet Arkansas Nutrition Standards as stated in Commissioner’s Memo FIN-06-016.
Remember that any new kitchen facility must have a Food Safety/HACCP Plan available for use by employees and for inspection by the Arkansas Department of Health.
WITH EACH RENEWAL OF AGREEMENT the SFA/LEA must indicate the number of serving days for each program that will be operating during the 2012-2013 school year (for example: 178 serving days for lunch).
A. REQUIRED CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM (CNP) SCHEDULE A for the 2012-13 SY
Two copies of the individualized school district CNP Schedule A are enclosed in the packet mailed to the district. Please make corrections and additions to the CNP Schedule A to reflect the correct information for the 2012-2013 school year. Also enclosed in the mailed packet is a Blank Schedule A. The Blank Schedule A should only be completed for new schools in the district for the 2012-13 school year. DO NOT SUBMIT THIS AGREEMENT WITHOUT THE UPDATED CNP SCHEDULE A that is mailed to the district as part of the renewal packet.
NEW REGULATORY CHANGES to the CNP Schedule A for the 2012-13 School Year:
1. LUNCH Meal Pattern Information
NEW: On the right side of the individual SCHOOL information section of the CNP Schedule A, there are NEW boxes to be completed to indicate the grade grouping the district will use to plan lunch menus. This same grade grouping will be used in monitoring reviews by ADE, CNU to determine the compliance with the new meal pattern requirements. Based on the new meal pattern for lunch that goes into effect on July 1, 2012, the grade group choices have been changed. The new grade group choices are K-5, 6-8 and 9-12. For further explanation of portion sizes for each grade group see Commissioner’s Memo FIN-12-070 New Meal Patterns - The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Based on the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 all child nutrition programs will be required to use the Traditional Meal Pattern using the new grade groups for all lunch meals served beginning July 1, 2012. Please check the appropriate grade grouping box(s) for EACH SCHOOL.
2. BREAKFAST Meal Pattern Information (by school):
NEW: For the 2012-13 school year ONLY the school district is allowed to use the current meal pattern for breakfast. For more information about the new breakfast meal pattern see Commissioner’s Memo FIN-12-070 New Meal Patterns - The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The district has the option of using the current meal pattern or changing to the new breakfast meal pattern. The district will be required to use the new breakfast meal pattern beginning July 1, 2013. Indicate on the CNP Schedule A the meal pattern that will be used for the breakfast program at each school by using the number 4 if the school will be using the current meal pattern and the number 5 if the school will be using the new meal pattern at breakfast. Please remember that the new meal pattern is required at lunch for 2012-13 school year.
3. BREAKFAST – Alternative Meal Service Systems
NEW: Please indicate for each school if an alternative breakfast program will be used for the 2012-13 school year. An alternate breakfast is breakfast served outside of the traditional cafeteria format (for example breakfast served in the classroom). Each school must have a “yes” or “no” box checked for this question. If the “yes” box is checked, there must be an indication of the TYPE of alternative breakfast program that will be used based on the following:
A = Grab & Go served in cafeteria
B = Grab & Go served outside of cafeteria (for example kiosk in high school hallway)
C = Breakfast served in classroom
D = Second breakfast meal period
E = Other, attach explanation
4. Adult Meal Pricing:
School Child Nutrition Program funds may not subsidize non-program meals. Meals purchased by adults (and other non-reimbursable meals) must be priced high enough so that the cost of the meal is fully paid by the customer.
Adult meal pricing will continue to require districts to charge adults the FULL COST of the reimbursable meal. At a minimum, the total of the federal free student meal reimbursement plus the value of commodities per meal determines the adult meal charge.
5. ADDITIONAL FUNDING reflected on CNP Schedule A
a. ELIGIBILITY FOR SEVERE NEED BREAKFAST REIMBURSEMENT
Schools eligible for Severe Need Breakfast Reimbursement for the 2012-13 school year HAVE been updated on the CNP Schedule A enclosed with the mailed renewal packet. Commissioner’s Memo FIN-12-067 outlines the application process that was to be completed for Severe Need Reimbursement for the 2012-13 school year. School districts will receive written notification from Louann Griswood, Assistant Director, Finance, Child Nutrition Unit designating the schools eligible for severe need for the 2012-13 school year.
b. SAFETY NET
The Safety Net List indicates school districts that served 60% or more of the total lunches to students eligible for free or reduced price meals in the SECOND preceding school year (2010-2011) These districts will receive an additional two cents reimbursement for each lunch served. Based on the Safety Net List please verify Safety Net designation on the CNP Schedule A enclosed in the mailed packet.
B. EQUITY IN MEAL PRICING:
The amount that Child Nutrition Programs should be charging for paid student meals, adult meals and other non-reimbursable meals (for example: contract meals for Pre-K programs, banquets, etc.) is increasing due to the increased cost of food as well as the anticipated increase in cost of preparing reimbursable meals based on the new meal pattern requirements for reimbursable meals.
Paid Student Lunch Prices for School Year 2012-13:
Section 205 “Equity in School Lunch Pricing” is a provision of the federal child nutrition reauthorization bipartisan legislation passed by Congress in 2010 which amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. The law requires that local education agencies participating in the federal National School Lunch Program (NSLP) ensure that schools are providing the same level of support for lunches served to students who are not eligible for free or reduced price lunches (i.e. paid student lunches).
In Arkansas the average paid student lunch price for the School Year 2011-12 was $1.77 with prices ranging between $.90 and $3.30 based on the local district decision to put money into the program or to increase student lunch prices. These two options (raising student meal prices or local district funding) have not changed under this provision.
The latest guidance regarding Equity in Pricing that has been issued from USDA has been published in Commissioner’s Memo FIN-12-089.
NEW REQUIREMENT regarding Paid Lunch Equity (PLE):
SFA/LEAs are required to complete the PLE Tool found in Commissioner’s Memo FIN-12-089. Save and print the entire workbook of this PLE Tool. Send a printed copy of the entire PLE Tool workbook, signed by the district Superintendent and Child Nutrition Director as part of the Renewal Agreement. The Renewal Agreement will not be processed or approved by ADE, CNU without this PLE Tool documentation.
Special Note: The CNP Schedule A must be updated at any time during the school year with meal price changes. To decrease confusion for the households in the school district it is suggested that any changes in meal prices be made prior to the beginning of the school year. Changes to any information on the CNP Schedule A MUST be reported to ADE CNU in order to provide current programmatic data to USDA for all programs administered by ADE.
C. DISTRICT WELLNESS COMMITTEE FORM
Based on new federal regulations as outlined in Commissioner’s Memo FIN-12-076 each school district is required to “designate one or more LEA official to ensure that each school complies with the local school wellness policy”. The District Wellness Committee form has a place for the district to indicate the name of the Designated District Official that has this responsibility.
D. HEALTH INSPECTION STATEMENT
SFA/LEAs are required to report the status of meeting the federal requirement of two health inspections at each serving and preparation site. On the Health Inspection Statement attachment to the Renewal of Agreement the SFA/LEA must indicate how many serving and preparation sites met the federal requirement of two (2) health inspections, how many sites had more than two (2) inspections and how many sites had less than the required two (2) health inspections. For sites with less than two (2) health inspections the SFA/LEA must include documentation of correspondence, phone calls, email, etc. with Arkansas Department of Health to verify efforts to obtain the two required inspections; or submit an explanation as to the problem, such as tornado, fire, building closure, etc. The total number of serving sites listed on this form must equal the number of serving sites listed on the CNP Schedule A for the 2011-12 school year.
E. AFTERSCHOOL SNACK SCHEDULE B
Reimbursement is available for afterschool snacks served to students 18 years old or under and participate in an afterschool education program. If one or more of the schools in the district plan to have Afterschool Programs and would like to provide snacks, complete the attached “Schedule B School Year 2012-2013 Afterschool Snack Programs.” NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE AFTERSCHOOL SNACK PROGRAM CAN BE PAID UNLESS THE AFTERSCHOOL SNACK PROGRAM SCHEDULE B IS COMPLETED AND WRITTEN APPROVAL RECEIVED PRIOR TO THE START OF THE PROGRAM. See the 2006-2007 Original Agreement between School Food Authority and Arkansas Department of Education (the Agreement), page 5, for specific program requirements.
Expanded Learning Time:
Column J of the Schedule B indicates if the school regularly operates an expanded learning time. Expanded learning time is when a school is regularly operating longer than the traditional school day meaning it operates a school day that is at least one hour longer than the minimum number of school day hours required for the comparable grade levels by the local educational agency in which the school is located. Expanded learning time schools may be eligible for afterschool snack reimbursement through NSLP. For LEAs in which all schools operate an expanded learning time program, or in single-school LEAs, the State’s average length of the school day or the average length of the school day of surrounding LEAs may be used to determine the standard minimum number of school day hours. It is still a requirement that educational or enrichment activities be involved to qualify for Afterschool Snack reimbursement (see 2006-07 Original Agreement for more information).
F. SEAMLESS SUMMER PROGRAM SCHEDULE C-13
The Seamless Summer Program Schedule C-13 is for the summer of 2013. This program makes it possible to serve up to two (2) free meals per day (breakfast, lunch, morning snack, afternoon snack and/or supper) to students participating in summer programs other than regular summer school. (The two meals cannot be lunch and supper.) To participate in the Seamless Summer Program during the summer of 2013, complete the “Seamless Summer Option Schedule C-13” at least two (2) weeks prior to the start of the program. For information regarding Seamless Summer meals for the summer of 2012 see Commissioner’s Memo FIN-12-083.
G. SPECIAL MILK PROGRAM
The Special Milk Program is available for students who do not have access to lunch, breakfast or afterschool snacks. If the district is interested in this program, please contact Wanda Shockey at (501) 324-9502.
H. STATE LEGISLATIVE MANDATES
1. BREAKFAST MANDATE
Act 826 of 1991 requires all schools with 20% or more of the students eligible for free and reduced price meals during the preceding school year to provide students with a school breakfast program.
2. MENU REVIEW BY WELLNESS COMMITTEE
Act 2285 of 2005 requires menus for the school lunch program and other foods sold in the cafeteria to be reviewed quarterly by the Wellness Committee. The Wellness Committee is to provide recommendations concerning menus and other foods sold in the school cafeteria. Please see Commissioner’s Memo FIN-08-066 for more information on this requirement.
3. ARKANSAS NUTRITION STANDARDS
Act 1220 of 2003 requires that the Arkansas Child Health Advisory Committee revise the Allowable Competitive Foods/Beverages and Maximum Portion Size List each school year. The 2012-13 Maximum Portion Size List Commissioner’s Memo will be published at a later date.
RENEWAL OF POLICY STATEMENT
A. RENEWAL OF POLICY STATEMENT FOR FREE OR REDUCED PRICE MEALS
Complete, sign and return BOTH copies of the Renewal of Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meals 2012-2013 School Year and BOTH copies of the Meal Count and Collection Procedures, Computer Systems Utilized in Child Nutrition Programs and CN Contact Information. Please read the Renewal of Policy Statement and Free and Reduced Price Meals Application and Verification Forms packet carefully. If the district will utilize ANY application and verification forms other than the attached forms supplied by ADE, CNU two sets of the district forms must be sent to ADE, CNU for approval PRIOR to use by the district.
B. REQUIRED POLICY STATEMENT FORMS FOR 2012-2013:
Do not use any letters or forms from previous years Free and Reduced Price Meals Application and Verification Forms packet. Due to significant federal changes on forms and letters USE ONLY 2012-2013 SCHOOL YEAR FORMS OR LETTERS included with the 2012-2013 Renewal of Policy Statement packet. Failure to use 2012-2013 federally approved forms will cause a district to pay back federal reimbursement.
Send two copies of any changed or added forms or letters (including scanned application forms) for approval by CNU with Renewal of Policy Statement.
The 2012-2013 Free and Reduced Price Meals Application and Verification Forms packet should NOT be returned with the Renewal of Policy Statement UNLESS changes have been made to the forms or letters. ALL CHANGES TO FORMS OR LETTERS must have CNU approval PRIOR TO USE BY THE DISTRICT.
The 2012-2013 Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application and Verification Forms can be printed from this Commissioner’s Memo on the ADE Memos page of the CNU website at http://cnn.k12.ar.us. These forms can be modified to include school district information.
C. PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES BASED ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HHFKA 2010
1. FOSTER CHILDREN CATEGORICALLY ELIGIBLE:
Section 102 of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act 2010 amends Section 9(b)(12)(A) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) to provide categorical eligibility for free meals to any foster child whose care and placement is the responsibility of the State or who is placed by a court with a caretaker household. In addition, the Act amends Section 9(b)(5) of the NSLA to allow certification of a foster child for free meals, without application, if the local educational agency or other child nutrition program institution obtains documentation from an appropriate State or local agency indicating the status of the child as a foster child whose care and placement is the responsibility of the State or that the foster child has been placed with a caretaker household by a court.
It is important to note that these provisions only apply to foster children formally placed by a State child welfare agency or a court. The provisions do not apply to informal arrangements that may exist outside of State or court based systems.
This change to allow categorical eligibility for free meals for foster children necessitates changes in the way free and reduced price applications are handled. Previously, a separate application for free and reduced price meals was submitted for a foster child who was considered a household of one. The 2012-13 Free and Reduced Price Meal Application has been changed to reflect this categorical eligibility requirement.
Now, the foster child is categorically eligible and may be certified without an application. ADE, CNU is working with the Arkansas Department of Children and Family Services (ACFS) to determine if a system can be implemented to directly certify foster children in a manner similar to the one being used for SNAP Direct Certification.
Households with foster and non-foster children may choose to include the foster child as a household member on the same household application that includes the non-foster children. If this method is used the personal income earned by the foster child is included as income for the household. As before, foster payments received by the family from the placing agency are not considered income and do not need to be reported on the application. This will streamline the application process and may help the foster family’s non-foster children qualify for free or reduced price meals based on household size and income.
In processing the household meal application with both foster and non-foster children, the LEA would certify the foster child for free meals, and then make an eligibility determination for the remainder of the household based on the household’s income (including personal income earned by the foster child) or other categorical eligibility information reported on the application (such as SNAP benefits). Please note that the presence of a foster child in the household does not convey categorical eligibility for free meals to all children in the household. This is different from SNAP categorical eligibility for families and households.
2. COMPLETE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR
APPLICATION PROCESSING OR VERIFICATION ACTIVITIES
The adult household member signing the income application is no longer required to submit the entire social security number. The requirement now is that the adult signing the application submit only the LAST FOUR DIGITS of the social security number. In addition, the social security numbers for all adult household members are no longer required for Verification purposes. The application and verification letters have been updated to reflect this change in regulation.
3. SNAP HOUSEHOLD APPLICATIONS
For households submitting applications with SNAP (formerly food stamp) case numbers the LEA MUST certify all children categorically eligible for FREE meals. Any income information on the application is disregarded. Further, for purposes of carry-over into the new school year, categorical eligibility must, to the extent feasible, be extended to newly enrolled siblings.
4. APPLYING DIRECT CERTIFICATION ELIGIBILITY TO ALL STUDENTS IN HOUSEHOLD
Each school district in Arkansas will participate in the Direct Certification of free eligibles. The school district will be mailed a hard copy of the Direct Certification list AND students on the Direct Certification list will be automatically coded in APSCN to indicate free meal status in the district in which they attended the previous school year. Additional children living in the household with students on the Direct Certification list MUST also have access to free meal benefits. Please see Commissioner’s Memo FIN-10-021 “Federal Policy Change to Extend Categorical Eligibility to all students in SNAP Households” regarding this change in federal policy.
To meet the regulation that required no meal application by parents to certify all students in a Direct Certification household as categorically free, districts may use this optional form to give households the opportunity to complete Part B to advise school districts of other students in the same household as students on Direct Certification. The district CANNOT require households to complete this OPTIONAL form in order to certify other household members eligible based on living in the same household with a directly certified student.
The household with Direct Certification students CANNOT BE REQUIRED to submit a Free or Reduced Price Meal Application in order to allow other students in the household to receive free meal benefits. The school district is responsible to ensure that all children eligible in the Direct Certification household have access to free meal benefits.
Some methods to determine students as eligible for free meal benefits based on being a member of a household with a directly certified student are listed below. Districts should use as many methods as possible to ensure that all students eligible for free meals based on Direct Certification households receive free meal benefits. These include, but are not limited to:
a. When the district sends the required “Direct Certification Notice of Approval” to households with students that are listed on the Direct Certification list it is strongly recommended that districts also send the form “Notification to School District of Students Residing in Households with Direct Certification Students” which is now part of the 2012-2013 Forms and Letters Packet (district may not require this form from households);
b. The district can pull a COGNOS report called APSCN Family Address List. The report can be located in COGNOS (Public Folders > ADE APSCN – Student Management System > Demographics > General Demographic Reports); districts using E-School Plus should contact the APSCN student data help desk for information on similar reports;
c. Households may call the school district to indicate other students in the household (district must document the call); or
d. The household may complete Free or Reduced Price Meal application (households may not be required to complete application by the district).
Determining Officials MUST make sure that all students that can be considered categorically eligible based on this Direct Certification policy have access to free meal benefits.
D. RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES
Please review the Recommended Procedures for processing meal benefit source documents, child nutrition master roster and October 1 eligible reporting attachment. It is required that all district personnel with these responsibilities understand the district procedures for ensuring:
1. all students are allowed to eat on the previous year’s meal benefit for up to 30 operating days in the new school year (or until new benefit status is determined);
2. the child nutrition master roster for the current school year is kept current with updated meal benefit status;
3. appropriate source documents are available for all students receiving free or reduced price meal benefits;
4. all student meal statuses in APSCN are changed to paid at the beginning of the school year; the meal status must be updated as new determination is made throughout the school year;
5. accurate Cycle 2, October 1 enrollment and meal benefit eligibility data submission; ensure the information submitted through APSCN matches exactly the printed reports submitted to ADE CNU with the September Claim for Reimbursement.
E. MEAL COUNT AND COLLECTION PROCEDURES
Please complete the Meal Count and Collection Procedures indicating the method(s) used for meal counting, claiming and collection of money for each school. Procedures must be indicated for each LEA listed on the CNP Schedule A. Procedures must be completed for both Breakfast and Lunch meal service.
F. COMPUTER SYSTEMS UTILIZED IN CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS
Please complete the Computer Systems Utilized in Child Nutrition Programs form with information regarding any computerized systems used by the CNP for application processing, point of service meal counts or on-line meal payments.
G. CHILD NUTRITION CONTACT INFORMATION
Please complete the CN Contact Information page with specific information for the 2012-13 school year.
H. MEDIA RELEASE
The Media Release is included as part of the Renewal of Policy Statement. This notice must be provided to the local news media, the employment office and any major employers contemplating large layoffs in the attendance area of the district. Documentation of the public release must be made available upon request to any interested party. (Provision 2 schools will be provided a different media release that must be provided to local news media.)
I. SPANISH LANGUAGE FORMS AND LETTERS PACKET
Based on USDA Policy Memo SP 06-2012 SFA/LEAs are required to identify the primary language of households that might be eligible for free or reduced price school meals and communicate with households in that language. The Arkansas version of the Spanish Language Packet is provided to assists SFA/LEAs with this provision and has been translated into wording that is intended to be more easily understood by the Hispanic population in the state. For SFA/LEAs with households that need materials in other languages USDA has the Free or Reduced Price Meal Application form translated into 34 languages. The link to these materials: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/frp/frp.process.htm
J. TRAINING
Application materials and eligibility determination will be the subject of the ADE CNU Distance Learning scheduled for August 9, 2012. This class will include changes to eligibility requirements and will be from 1-4 pm. A Commissioner’s Memo will be published at a later date with viewing sites and additional information.
VERIFICATION
USDA requires each school district to report to the Arkansas Department of Education the results of the verification process for the 2012-2013 school year. Forms and instructions will be provided on the verification page of the Child Nutrition website http://cnn.k12.ar.us for the 2012-2013 verification process. The verification process must be completed by Thursday, November 15, 2012, and the Verification Summary Report (FNS-742) must be e-mailed to Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), CNU by Monday, December 17, 2012. Please remember that failure to complete verification is an audit finding that may affect other federal funding, i.e. E-rate. The verification process and regulations will be the subject of the ADE CNU Distance Learning scheduled for September 6, 2012. A Commissioner’s Memo will be published at a later date with viewing sites and additional information.
REVISED NEW ELIGIBILITY MANUAL FOR SCHOOL MEALS
The Eligibility Manual for School Meals contains information on Federal requirements regarding the determination and verification of eligibility for free and reduced price meals in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. As changes in federal requirements are implemented ADE CNU publishes Commissioner’s Memos to inform SFA/LEAs of changes in the eligibility determination requirements.
In 2011 USDA published a revised Eligibility Manual for School Meals which reflects changes in determining student eligibility for free or reduced price meals. ADE CNU is in the process of revising the Arkansas version of the Eligibility Manual to incorporate the changes made in USDA’s Eligibility Manual. As soon as the 2012 Revised Eligibility Guidance is available a Commissioner’s Memo will be published. The revised guidance WILL be used in place of the 2010 guidance manual for the 2012-2013 school year.
MAY 11, 2012 DEADLINE:
Complete and return by May 11, 2012, BOTH copies with original signatures when required of the following documentation:
1. Renewal of Agreement
2. Renewal of Agreement Attachments
a. Wellness Committee Members
b. Health Inspection Statement
3. CNP Schedule A (mailed with packet)
4. Renewal of Policy Statement
5. Renewal of Policy Statement Attachments
a. Meal Count and Collection Procedures
b. Child Nutrition Computer Systems
c. Child Nutrition Contact Information
6. Printed copy of ALL pages of the PLE tool (signed by Superintendent and Child Nutrition Director)
7. New or revised beverage/vending contract (if applicable)
8. Schedule B – Afterschool Snack (if applicable)
9. Schedule C-13 – Seamless Summer (if applicable)
10. Changes to Free and Reduced Price Meals Application Forms and Letters Packet (if applicable) – this includes ALL changes to letters and applications (including verification letters) as well as scanned applications.
DO NOT HOLD forms for a new superintendent’s signature and/or new meal prices. The Renewal of Agreement and Policy Statement and the CNP Schedule A MUST be updated at anytime during the school year with a letter from the superintendent or school board president. This includes changes in meal prices or personnel.
USE THE CHECKLIST to ensure that all requested materials are signed by the appropriate school district personnel and returned to ADE, CNU by May 11, 2012.
Mail to:
Child Nutrition Unit, ADE
2020 West 3rd Street, Suite 404
Little Rock, AR 72205-4465
AFTER APPROVAL:
ADE CNU will mail one signed copy of the renewal packet including the Renewal of Agreement, Renewal of Agreement Attachments (Health Inspection Statement and Wellness Committee Members), CNP Schedule A, PLE Tool, Renewal of Policy Statement, Renewal of Policy Statement Attachments (Meal Count and Collection Procedures, Computer Systems Information and CN Contact Information) as well as Afterschool Snack Schedule B and Seamless Summer Schedule C-13 (if applicable) to the School Food Authority (SFA/LEA) following approval by Wanda Shockey, Director, ADE Child Nutrition Unit. It is extremely important that ALL DISTRICT PERSONNEL that have responsibilities for child nutrition program compliance must have copies of the 2006-07 Original and all Renewals of Agreements and Policy Statements including the 2012-13 Renewal.
FORMS THAT MAY BE COMPLETED ON THE COMPUTER:
The following are forms that are in Adobe format (.pdf) which allow the district to open the form, save it to the computer, complete the form and print it for submission with the Renewal of Agreement. Not all forms are available in this format, the forms available are:
CHECKLIST.pdf
CN CONTACTS.pdf
COMPUTER SYSTEMS.pdf
RENEWAL OF AGREEMENT.pdf
RENEWAL OF POLICY STATEMENT.pdf
MEAL COUNT AND COLLECTIONS.pdf
WELLNESS COMMITTEE.pdf
HEALTH INSPECTION STATEMENT.pdf