Teacher of the Year Ceremony
Due to inclement weather, the Teacher of the Year Ceremony has been postponed to December 16, 2025 from 5-7pm. Doors will open at 4pm. The Ceremony will take place at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford, and the order of events will remain the same.

Direct Certification for School Nutrition Programs

Overview

School Nutrition Programs | Program Guidance | Forms | Resources | Nutrition Education

Direct certification is a process conducted by states and local educational agencies (LEAs) to certify eligible children for free meals without the need for household applications. The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) provides the district’s direct certification contact person with a login ID and password to access the CSDE’s Direct Certification Web Application. Each week, the Direct Certification Web Application matches enrolled students to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Family Assistance (TFA), and Medicaid (coded as free Medicaid (FM) or reduced Medicaid (RM)) lists of children provided by the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS). On a monthly basis, the Direct Certification Web Application matches directly certified foster children (coded as Other or OT) with the Connecticut Department of Children and Family Services. The district’s direct certification contact person may access this information at any time.

Effective with school year 2025-26, students who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals though the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (S-EBT) program will now be included in the CSDE’s Direct Certification web application. However, these students are not considered directly certified since the household submitted a benefit application to determine eligibility. The two new codes below are now on the Direct Certification S-EBT List.

  • FE = Free S-EBT
  • RE = Reduced S-EBT.

The S-EBT is a permanent, nationwide program that began in summer 2024. It was established under the Consolidated Appropriations Act passed in December 2022. The S-EBT gives families with children extra benefits, like SNAP, to help pay for food in the summer. S-EBT benefits can also determine a student to be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. 


Direct Certification Web Application Sign In

Reminder: The Web Application is updated on Monday unless Monday is a holiday. Please wait until Tuesday (or Wednesday for weeks with Monday holidays) to check for updates. Remember to check Case Management weekly.