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A Unique Opportunity to Improve School Meals Applications

| By

Zoë Neuberger and Abby Lane

Overview

The school meals programs can play a critical role in supporting the healthy development of children and helping to ensure that low-income school-aged children have access to adequate nutrition. The process of enrolling for free or reduced-price meals and the application form itself are the gateway to these benefits. Typically school districts send home school meals applications and parents complete them at home without assistance. [1] In contrast to many other income-tested programs, there are no caseworkers dedicated to helping parents navigate the application process. Thus, it is particularly important that these applications be easy to use, provide clear directions, and avoid steps that might deter eligible families from applying.

As a result of changes in recent legislation reauthorizing the federal school meals programs, every school district in the country will have to revise its school meals application for the 2011-2012 school year.[2] While only three specific changes will be necessary, the fact that all applications will be revised and reprinted offers a unique opportunity to go beyond the required changes to improve the content and design of the application and related materials that are sent to households.

This paper is intended as a resource for states and school districts as they revise their materials for households related to the school meals programs.[3] It is not a comprehensive guide to developing these materials; rather, it highlights some best practices in school meals applications from around the country and points out areas where current materials often fall short. Fortunately, eligibility for the school meals programs is relatively straightforward, making a user-friendly application an achievable goal for states and school districts.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture makes available a prototype application and related materials to assist states and school districts as they design household materials.[4] USDA recently published prototype materials that reflect the changes in the reauthorization legislation and will soon provide translations of those materials.[5]

This paper includes four sections. The first section explains the new requirements that necessitate changes to household materials. The second section describes our review of applications and related materials. The third section highlights opportunities to improve program access by making changes to applications (and related materials) and summarizes the findings of our review of these materials. The fourth section undertakes a similar discussion of verification materials (the notice school districts send to a small sample of households that have to provide documentation to confirm their eligibility). Appendices A and B provide more information about the materials we reviewed. Appendices C and D summarize all of the legally required elements of application and verification materials, respectively, including requirements adopted as part of the reauthorization legislation. Appendix E includes a link to each state’s school meals program homepage and school meals forms (where available). Alternatively, readers can access state school meals program web sites by clicking on a state name in the list or map below. Appendix F includes links to the school meals web site for the 100 largest school districts.

State School Meals Program Web Sites
Alabama Kentucky North Dakota
Alaska Louisiana Ohio
Arizona Maine Oklahoma
Arkansas Maryland Oregon
California Massachusetts Pennsylvania
Colorado Michigan Rhode Island
Connecticut Minnesota South Carolina
Delaware Mississippi South Dakota
District of Columbia Missouri Tennessee
Florida Montana Texas
Georgia Nebraska Utah
Hawaii Nevada Vermont
Idaho New Hampshire Virginia
Illinois New Jersey Washington
Indiana New Mexico West Virginia
Iowa New York Wisconsin
Kansas North Carolina Wyoming

Click on state abbreviations below for each state's School Meal Program:

To read the full text of this report, click here.

A Checklist of Key Features of School Meals Application Materials to Improve Program Access

As a result of changes in recent legislation reauthorizing the federal school meals programs, every school district in the country will have to revise its school meals application for the 2011-2012 school year. The following changes will have to be made to applications and related materials:

  • The application may not ask for income information to determine the eligibility of foster children and foster children may be included on applications with other children in the household.
  • The application may ask only for the last four digits of the Social Security number of the signing adult or an indication that he or she does not have one.
  • The verification notice may not ask for Social Security numbers for any household member.

While making these changes, state and school districts have a unique opportunity to do a comprehensive review of their applications and related materials and revise them to make it easier for eligible low-income parents to enroll their children for free or reduced-price school meals.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reviewed both printable and online applications available on the web for each state and the 100 largest school districts. Based on that review, program administrators may wish to consider the following features when revising their applications and related materials.

Provide materials in a language and at a level that parents can understand by
  • Explaining how to obtain materials or assistance in languages other than English
  • Providing a link to USDA’s translated materials
  • Providing a link to translations of local materials
  • Using language that parents with limited literacy can understand
Ask only for information necessary to determine eligibility by
  • Explaining clearly on printable applications that households that provide a case number do not have to provide income information or information about a Social Security number
  • Placing the request for information about a Social Security number in the income-information section on printable applications so parents who provided a SNAP/TANF/FDPIR case number will not mistakenly think they have to provide this information
  • Omitting from online applications the request for income information or information about a Social Security number if the household has provided a SNAP/TANF/FDPIR case number
  • Prominently stating on the application that a Social Security number is not required to apply and that an indication that the signing adult does not have one will suffice
  • Clarifying on the application that one SNAP/TANF/FDPIR case number for any child or adult in the household is sufficient
  • Providing in the direct certification notice instructions to parents about how to make other children in the household known to the school district
Reduce math errors by
  • Providing options on the application to note different frequencies of income without doing calculations
Encourage families that may be eligible to apply by stating clearly on the web site and application
  • That a household may apply for benefits at any time during the school year
  • That children of parents who become unemployed may become eligible for free or reduced-price meals
  • That a single application will be accepted for all children in the household attending schools in the same district l That household members do not have to be U.S. citizens for children to qualify for free or reduced-price meals
  • The required non-discrimination statement
  • The income eligibility limit for reduced-price meals
Encourage eligible families selected for verification to respond by including in the verification notice
  • A toll-free number for assistance and an explanation that families will not be charged
  • Clarification that documentation may be provided for any point in time between the month prior to application and the time of verification
  • Instructions about how households with homeless, runaway, or migrant children can verify their eligibility
  • Instructions about how households with no income can verify their eligibility

State School Meals Program Web Sites

USDA Model Application

School Meals Homepage: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/

Forms: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/FRP/frp.process.htm

  • For school year 2011
  • Application, parent letter, instructions, disclosure forms, verification notices, notice of direct certification

Translations: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/FRP/frp.process.htm (out-of-date applications)

  • Only English and Spanish applications are updated from 2006 (but the Spanish application does not yet reflect the changes necessitated by reauthorization)
  • English, Arabic, Cambodian, Chinese (Mandarin), Farsi, French, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Kurdish, Laotian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Samoan, Serbo-Croatian, Somali, Spanish, Sudanese, Tagalog, Thai, Urdu, Vietnamese
  • Only English and Spanish applications are updated from 2006

Reauthorization Policy Memoranda: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/CNR_2010.htm

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State School Meals Information

Alabama

School Meals Homepage: http://www.alsde.edu/html/sections/section_detail.asp?section=53&footer=sections

Forms: http://www.alsde.edu/html/sections/documents.asp?section=53&sort=44&footer=sections

  • For school year 2010-11
  • USDA model application, parent letter, instructions, disclosure forms, verification notices, notification of approval/denial, notice of direct certification
  • Sample public release 2009-10
  • Online application

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Alaska

School Meals Homepage: http://www.eed.state.ak.us/tls/cns/NSLP.html

Forms: http://www.eed.state.ak.us/tls/cns/NSLP2.html

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Arizona

School Meals Homepage: http://www.ade.state.az.us/health-safety/cnp/nslp/

Forms: http://www.ade.state.az.us/health-safety/cnp/nslp/parentforms/2010-2011/default.asp

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Application, parent letter, instructions, disclosure forms, verification notices, notice of expiration of temporary benefits
  • English and Spanish
  • Sample public release

Policy Memorandum: http://www.ade.state.az.us/health-safety/cnp/nslp/Memos/

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Arkansas

School Meals Homepage: http://cnn.k12.ar.us/

Forms: http://cnn.k12.ar.us/documents/forms.aspx

  • Application, parent letter, instructions, verification notices, notice of direct certification
  • English and Spanish

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California

School Meals Homepage: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/

Forms: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/eligmaterials.asp

  • Flexible school year
  • Application, parent letter, notice of expiration of temporary benefits, notification of approval/denial, notification of direct certification, notice of expiration of temporary benefits, verification notices
  • Sample Public Release
  • English and Spanish

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Colorado

School Meals Homepage: http://www.cde.state.co.us/index_nutrition.htm, http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdenutritran/nutriprograms.htm

Forms: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdenutritran/nutriformsbook.htm

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, income eligibility guidelines, notification of approval/denial, direct certification instructions, disclosure form
  • Sample public release
  • English and Spanish (scroll to end of packet), information that USDA has translations in other languages

Policy Memorandum: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdenutritran/nutripdfdocs.htm

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Connecticut

School Meals Homepage: http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2626&q=320676

Forms: http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2626&q=320680

  • For school year 2010-11
  • Application, instructions, parent letter (meals and milk), disclosure letter, notification of approval/denial, health insurance form, notification of direct certification, information on SNAP
  • English, with link to USDA applications in 26 languages
  • Sample public release

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Delaware

School Meals Homepage: http://www.doe.k12.de.us/infosuites/students_family/nutrition/

Forms: http://www.doe.k12.de.us/infosuites/students_family/nutrition/

  • For school year 2010-11
  • Application
  • English and Spanish

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District of Columbia

School Meals Homepage: http://osse.dc.gov/seo/cwp/view,a,1224,q,536434.asp

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Florida

School Meals Homepage: http://www.fldoe.org/FNM/natlschoollunch/

Forms: http://fnmcnpwebprd.fldoe.org/floridaprd/FormDownload/FormDownloadMngr.asp?Mode=NSFD

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, notification of direct certification, notification of approval/denial, verification notice, disclosure form
  • Sample public release

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Georgia

School Meals Homepage: http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/fbo_nutrition.aspx

Forms: http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/fbo_nutrition.aspx?PageReq=FBOPricePolicy

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, notification of direct certification, notification of approval/denial, verification notice, disclosure form
  • Sample public release
  • Relevant policy documents
  • English and Spanish

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Hawaii

National School Lunch Program Homepage: http://ohcnp.k12.hi.us/programs/lunch.html

School Breakfast Homepage: http://ohcnp.k12.hi.us/programs/breakfast.html

Forms: http://ohcnp.k12.hi.us/programs/lunch.html (under “Forms”)

  • School year 2008-2009
  • USDA model application, parent letter, instructions, disclosure forms, verification notices

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Idaho

School Meals Homepage: http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/cnp/nslp/

Forms: http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/cnp/nslp/freeReducedApp.htm

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, notification of approval/denial, modified application and instructions
  • English and Spanish
  • Verification and direct certification information for sponsors

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Illinois

School Meals Homepage: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/nutrition/htmls/national_school_lunch.htm

Forms: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/nutrition/htmls/forms_sbn.htm (under “Household Eligibility Information” click “Household Eligibility Applications and Documents”)

  • For school year 2010-11
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, notification of approval/denial, disclosure form, notice of direct certification, notice of expiration of temporary benefits, health insurance flyer, verification notices, notification of the ending of the carryover period
  • Sample public release
  • English and Spanish, with link to USDA applications in 26 languages

Policy Memorandum: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/nutrition/pdf/sp38_2009.pdf,

“Extending Categorical Eligibility to Additional Children in a Household”

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Indiana

School Meals Homepage: http://www.doe.state.in.us/food/schoolnutrition/welcome.html

Forms: http://www.doe.state.in.us/food/schoolnutrition/cnpbenefitforms.html

  • For school year 2010-11
  • Application, parent letter, instructions, notification of approval/denial, notification of direct certification, notification of temporary approval, disclosure form
  • Free milk application materials
  • English and Spanish, with link to USDA applications in 26 languages

Policy Memorandum: http://scnweb.doe.state.in.us/Nutrition/external_forms/SPFandRInfo.doc ,

“Free and Reduced Price Notes”

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Iowa

School Meals Homepage: http://www.iowa.gov/educate/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=369&Itemid=1326

Forms: under link above, “Resources for Administrators”

  • For school year 2010-11
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, Medicaid information form, notification of approval/denial, waiver of confidentiality, verification notice
  • Sample public release
  • English and Spanish

Policy Memos: http://www.doe.in.gov/food/schoolnutrition/programinstruct.html

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Kansas

School Meals Homepage: http://www.kn-eat.org/SNP/SNP_Menus/SNP_Home.htm#top

Forms: http://www.kn-eat.org/SNP/SNP_Menus/SNP_Admin_Program_Renewal.htm

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Kentucky

National School Lunch Program Homepage: http://scn.ky.gov/nslp.htm

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Louisiana

School Meals Homepage: http://www.doe.state.la.us/offices/nutritionsupport/nslp.html

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Maine

School Meals Homepage: http://www.maine.gov/education/sfs/

Forms: http://www.maine.gov/education/forms/childnutrition/agreeappl/agreeapplforms.htm

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, notification of approval/denial, disclosure form, verification form packet
  • English and French and link to USDA applications in 26 languages (Somali packet links to USDA web site)
  • Policy statement for free and reduced-price benefits

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Maryland

School Meals Homepage: http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/schoolnutrition/school_lunch.htm

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Massachusetts

School Lunch Program Homepage: http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/nprograms/nslp.html

School Breakfast Homepage: http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/nprograms/sbp/

Forms: http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/free_red/

  • For school year 2010 – 2011
  • USDA model application, parent letter, instructions, disclosure forms, verification notices, notification of approval/denial, notice of direct certification
  • Hearing procedure form
  • Healthcare flyer
  • Link to USDA applications in 26 languages

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Michigan

Nutrition Homepage: http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-6530_6569_29919---,00.html

Forms: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Family_App_Instructionsandform4458c023_32766_7.pdf

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Minnesota

School Meals Homepage:

http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Learning_Support/FNS/SNP/index.html

Forms: http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Learning_Support/FNS/SNP/Applications_Materials_and_Forms/index.html

  • For school year 2010-11
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, notice of approval/denial, procedures for school nutrition programs meal benefits
  • English, Arabic, Hmong, Khmer-Cambodian, Laotian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese, with link to USDA web site for other translations
  • Sample media release
  • Various policy statements

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Mississippi

National School Lunch Homepage: http://www.healthyschoolsms.org/nutrition_services/nslp.htm

School Breakfast Homepage: http://www.healthyschoolsms.org/nutrition_services/nsbp.htm

Forms: http://www.healthyschoolsms.org/nutrition_services/MealApplications.htm

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, disclosure forms, verification forms, notice of approval/denial, notice of direct certification
  • Link to USDA applications in 26 languages

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Missouri

National School Lunch Homepage: http://dese.mo.gov/divadm/food/Lunch_Program.html

School Breakfast Homepage: http://dese.mo.gov/divadm/food/Breakfast_Program.html

Forms: http://dese.mo.gov/divadm/food/PDF/direct_cert05_06.pdf

  • For school year 2005-06
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, direct certification eligibility letter, notification of approval/denial, disclosure form, health insurance form
  • Link to USDA applications in 26 languages
  • Sample public release
  • Verification materials are from 2010 school year ( http://dese.mo.gov/divadm/food/VerificationInfoIndex.html under “verification letter”)

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Montana

School Meals Homepage: http://www.opi.mt.gov/schoolfood/index.html

Forms: http://www.opi.mt.gov/Programs/SchoolPrograms/School_Nutrition/index.html#gpm1_6 (under “Free and Reduced School Meals”

  • For school year 2010-11
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, notification of change in eligibility letter, notification of direct certification, notification of results of verification eligibility letter, verification notice
  • Sample public release

School Nutrition Flyer: http://www.opi.mt.gov/pdf/SchoolFood/10SNPBrochure.pdf

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Nebraska

School Meals Homepage: http://www.education.ne.gov/ns/nslp/overview.htm

Forms: http://www.education.ne.gov/ns/forms/nslpforms/index.htm

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Application, instruction, parent letter, approval/denial letter, disclosure form, verification notice, notice of change in benefit, verification results letter
  • USDA model packet in Spanish for flexible year and link to USDA application in 26 languages.

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Nevada

School Meals Homepage: http://www.doe.nv.gov/CNSH.htm, http://www.doe.nv.gov/NSLP.htm

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New Hampshire

School Meals Homepage: http://www.education.nh.gov/program/nutrition/school_lunch.htm

Forms:http://www.education.nh.gov/program/nutrition/nslp_application.htm, http://www.education.nh.gov/program/nutrition/verification.htm

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Application, parent letter, instructions, notification of approval/denial, disclosure forms

Back to table.

New Jersey

School Meals Homepage: http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/fn/childadult/school.html

School Lunch Homepage: http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/fn/childadult/school_lunch.html

School Breakfast Homepage: http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/fn/childadult/school_breakfast.html

Forms: http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/applic/forms/ (click on “Food and Nutrition,” scroll down to “Free/Reduced Price Application Determination Forms”)

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Letter of approval/denial, letter of direct certification, disclosure form
  • English and Spanish

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New Mexico

School Meals Homepage: http://www.ped.state.nm.us/nutrition/index.html

Forms: (Materials have been removed from the internet since reviewed.)

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • USDA model application, parent letter, instructions, disclosure form, notification of approval/denial, verification notice, direct certification forms (household materials begin on page 9 of Word document)
  • Sample public release
  • English, with link to USDA web site with application in 26 languages

Policy memos and program statistics: http://www.ped.state.nm.us/nutrition/index.html (follow links on left hand side for documents)

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New York

Child Nutrition Homepage: http://portal.nysed.gov/portal/page?_pageid=74,1&_dad=pref&_schema=PORTAL30

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North Carolina

School Meals Homepage: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/childnutrition/programs/

Forms: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/childnutrition/application/

  • For school year 2010-11
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, disclosure forms, verification notice, notification of approval/denial, notification of direct certification
  • Link to USDA web site with application in 26 languages

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North Dakota

National School Lunch Homepage: http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/child/snp/nslp/index.shtm

School Breakfast Homepage: http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/child/snp/sbp/index.shtm

Forms: http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/child/snp/tools/index.shtm

  • For School Year 2010-2011
  • Application, parent letter, notification of approval/denial, notification of change in benefits, verification notice

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Ohio

School Meals Homepage: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEPrimary.aspx?Page=2&TopicID=485&TopicRelationID=828

Forms: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=828&ContentID=1113&Content=90678

  • For school year 2010-11
  • USDA model application, parent letter, instructions, notification of approval/denial, verification package, notification of predetermined eligibility, disclosure forms, direct certification packet
  • Link to USDA applications in 26 languages
  • Health program flyer
  • Sample public release

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Oklahoma

School Meals Homepage: http://www.sde.state.ok.us/Schools/ChildNut/default.html

School Lunch Homepage: http://www.sde.state.ok.us/Schools/ChildNut/lunch.html

School Breakfast Homepage: http://www.sde.state.ok.us/Schools/ChildNut/breakfast.html

Forms: http://www.sde.state.ok.us/Schools/ChildNut/documents.html (under “Policy Statement/Attachments”)

  • Flexible school year
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, notice of approval/denial, verification notice, direct certification notice
  • Sample public release

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Oregon

School Meals Homepage: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=207

Forms: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1997, https://district.ode.state.or.us/apps/frlapp/ (online application)

  • For school year 2010-11
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, verification materials, disclosure forms
  • English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Vietnamese
  • Online application

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Pennsylvania

School Meals Homepage: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pa_food_and_nutrition_programs/18762

School Lunch Homepage: http://www.education.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/national_school_lunch/7487

School Breakfast Homepage: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pa_food_and_nutrition_programs/18762/pa_food_and_nutrition_-_school_breakfast_program/646216

Forms: https://www.humanservices.state.pa.us/COMPASS.Web/CMHOM.aspx (online application)

  • Click “Apply for Benefits” on the left hand side and select Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications once in the system

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Rhode Island

School Meals Homepage: http://www.ride.ri.gov/Finance/Nutrition/

School Lunch Homepage: http://www.ride.ri.gov/Finance/Nutrition/national.aspx

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South Carolina

School Lunch Homepage: http://ed.sc.gov/agency/Innovation-and-Support/Food-Services-And-Nutrition/old/sfsn/pages/nslp.html

School Breakfast Homepage: http://ed.sc.gov/agency/Innovation-and-Support/Food-Services-And-Nutrition/old/sfsn/pages/sbp.html

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South Dakota

School Meals Homepage: http://doe.sd.gov/cans/nslp.asp

Forms: http://doe.sd.gov/cans/nslp.asp (click on “Program Attachments” under “2010-11 Renewal Agencies”)

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, notification of approval/denial
  • Sample public release

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Tennessee

School Meals Homepage: http://snp.state.tn.us/tndoe/ (select “Tennessee SNP” on top menu)

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Texas

School Meals Homepage: http://www.squaremeals.org/fn/render/parent/channel/0,1253,2348_2362_0_0,00.html

School Lunch Homepage: http://www.squaremeals.org/fn/render/channel/items/0,1249,2348_2363_0_0,00.html

School Breakfast Homepage: http://www.squaremeals.org/fn/render/channel/items/0,1249,2348_2364_0_0,00.html

Forms: http://www.squaremeals.org/fn/render/channel/items/0,1249,2348_2439_0_0,00.html

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, notification of predetermined eligibility (migrant, Head Start, and direct certification), verification notice (Spanish only)
  • Sample public release
  • English and Spanish

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Utah

School Meals Homepage: http://www.schools.utah.gov/cnp/

School Lunch Homepage: http://www.schools.utah.gov/cnp/National-School-Lunch-Program.aspx

School Breakfast Homepage: http://www.schools.utah.gov/cnp/National-School-Breakfast-Program.aspx

Forms: http://www.schools.utah.gov/cnp/National-School-Lunch-Program/applications.aspx

  • We reviewed the following forms for the 2010-2011 school year: application, instructions, parent letter, disclosure forms, verification notice, direct certification forms, fair hearing form
  • School Year 2011-2012 application now available in English and Spanish as well as instructions, parent letter, disclosure forms, verification notice, direct certification forms, fair hearing form
  • Link to USDA web site with application in 26 languages

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Vermont

School Meals Homepage: http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/pgm_nutrition/school_nutrition.html

Forms: http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/pgm_nutrition/school_nutrition/program_info.html

  • For school year 2010-2011
  • Application, instructions, parent letter, notification approval/denial, notification of pre-approval (SNAP), notification of previous year’s enrollment expiration, direct certification notice, verification notice, certification and benefits issuance letters
  • Link to USDA web site with application in 26 languages

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Virginia

School Meals Homepage: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/nutrition/programs/index.shtml

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Washington

School Meals Homepage: http://www.k12.wa.us/ChildNutrition/Programs/NSLBP/default.aspx

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West Virginia

School Meals Homepage: http://wvde.state.wv.us/nutrition/snp.html

Forms: http://wvde.state.wv.us/ocn-download/Forms/NSLP/2010/FreeRed/

  • For school year 2010-11
  • Application, parent letter, instructions, notification of approval/denial, income eligibility guidelines

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Wisconsin

School Meals Homepage: http://dpi.wi.gov/fns/

School Lunch Homepage: http://dpi.wi.gov/fns/nslp1.html

School Breakfast Program: http://dpi.wi.gov/fns/sbp1.html

Forms: http://dpi.wi.gov/fns/fincou1.html

  • For school year 2010-11
  • USDA model application, instructions, parent letter, notification of approval/denial, notification of direct certification, verification materials, disclosure forms
  • Sample public release
  • English and Spanish, with link to USDA site for application in 26 languages

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Wyoming

School Nutrition Homepage: http://edu.wyoming.gov/Programs/nutrition.aspx

School Lunch and Breakfast Homepage: http://edu.wyoming.gov/Programs/nutrition/national_school_lunch_program.aspx

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End Notes

[1] Any adult in the household may complete an application on behalf of a child in the household. There is no requirement that the adult be a parent or legal guardian of the child. For the sake of brevity, this paper refers to the adult completing the application as the parent.

[2] See P.L. 111-296, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-111s3307enr/pdf/BILLS-111s3307enr.pdf .

[3] The legal responsibility for developing applications and other household materials falls on local educational agencies, although many states provide model materials or approve local forms. This paper uses the term “school districts” to refer to local educational agencies.

[4] USDA’s prototype materials for school year 2011-2012 are available in English at http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/frp/2011_application.pdf.

[5] See http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/frp/frp.process.htm. Translations are currently available in Arabic, Cambodian, Chinese (Mandarin), Farsi, French, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Kurdish, Laotian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Samoan, Serbo-Croatian, Somali, Spanish, Sudanese, Tagalog, Thai, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

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