Overview

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

Thousands of children across Connecticut participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Child Nutrition Programs each day, receiving benefits that make an important contribution to their overall nutrition and academic success. The forms, policy guidance, and instructions in the Documents/Forms section provide information on the federal and state requirements for free and reduced-price meals and free milk. These resources assist local educational agencies (LEAs) and other program sponsors with determining children's eligibility for free and reduced-price meals and free milk in the USDA Child Nutrition Programs, based on the federal regulations 7 CFR 245, Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals and Free Milk in Schools.

Guidance for School Food Authorities

Application Forms  |   Civil Rights  |   Direct Certification  |   Disclosure
Eligibility  |   Limited English Proficiency (LEP)  |   Parent Guidance
Processing Applications and Notifying Households

Application Forms for Free and Reduced Meals and Milk

• Documents/Forms section in the left navigation bar

Civil Rights

• Civil Rights for Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE webpage)

Direct Certification

• Direct Certification for School Nutrition Programs (CSDE webpage)

Disclosure

• Disclosure Release Request for Free or Reduced Eligibility Status (CSDE)
• Final Rule (72 FR 10885): Disclosure of Children's Free and Reduced Price Meals and Free Milk Eligibility Information in the Child Nutrition Programs
• USDA Memo SP 16-2016, CACFP 06-2016 and SFSP 10-2016: Disclosure Requirements for the Child Nutrition Programs

Eligibility

• Eligibility Manual for School Meals (USDA)
• Income Guidelines for Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE webpage)
• Requirements Before Implementing Web-based Applications (CSDE)
• USDA Memo SP 45-2012: Preventing Overt Identification of Children Certified for Free or Reduced Price School Meals
• USDA Regulations 7 CFR 245: Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals and Free Milk in Schools.

Limited English Proficiency (LEP)

• Taglines and Providing Meaningful Access to the Child Nutrition Programs  (CSDE)
• Sample Taglines Form (CSDE)
• More resources: Limited English Proficiency (LEP) (CSDE's Civil Rights for Child Nutrition Programs webpage)

Parent Guidance 

• Parent Video: How to Fill Out the Application for Free and Reduced-price Meals or Free Milk (CSDE)  16-minute video for parents and guardians of schoolchildren
• Promotional Handout: It's More Than a Meal (CSDE)  Encourages households to submit a free/reduced-price meal application 

Processing Applications and Notifying Households

• Acronyms and Abbreviations: Common Acronyms and Abbreviations for Determining Eligibility in the School Nutrition Programs and SFSP (CSDE)
• Carryover of Eligibility
  • Carryover versus Transfer of a Child’s Eligibility (CSDE)
  • Operational Memorandum No. 13-22: Carryover of a Student’s Eligibility for School Year 2022-23
• Foster Children: Determining Foster Children’s Eligibility for Free Meals or Milk in the School Nutrition Programs and SFSP (CSDE) 
• Notifying Parents: Guidance for Notifying Parents of a Child’s Free or Reduced-price Eligibility (CSDE)
• Processing Applications: Processing Applications for Free and Reduced-price Meals and Free Milk in the School Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
• SNAP/TFA Number: Procedures for Processing Free and Reduced-price Meal Applications Providing a SNAP/TFA Number (CSDE)
• Web-based Applications: Requirements Before Implementing Web-based Applications (CSDE)

 

 Nondiscrimination Statements (USDA and CSDE)