Eligibility for Free and Reduced-price Meals and Free Milk in School Nutrition Programs--Determining Eligibility Training

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Eligibility for Free and Reduced-price Meals and Free Milk in School Nutrition Programs

Determining Eligibility Training

CSDE Training Program: Determining Eligibility in the School Nutrition Programs, Summer Food Service Program, and S-EBT

The CSDE's Determining Eligibility training program is a series of recorded modules that provide guidance on complying with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations for determining a child’s eligibility for:

free or reduced-price meals or free milk in the school nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Afterschool Snack Program (ASP) of the NSLP, Seamless Summer Option (SSO) of the NSLP, and Special Milk Program (SMP);
free meals in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP); and
eligibility for the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (S-EBT).

Target audience: This training program is intended for the staff responsible for approving applications for free and reduced-price meals or free milk and conducting direct certification.

Accessing the modules: The training module videos are housed in Qualtrics. To view the videos, click on the module, then enter the required contact information (name and title, email, school/district/institution, city/town, and state).

Navigating the modules: The videos include a toolbar that can be used to pause, rewind, and resume the video, adjust the sound, turn on closed captioning, and search for topics. The chapters feature (the icon with three dots and three lines on the far right of the toolbar) allows easy navigation to each topic. To access the toolbar during the video, move the mouse to the green bar at the bottom of the video.

Knowledge check and training documentation: After viewing modules 1-3 and 5, participants will complete a brief knowledge check. The score will display after all questions are complete. Participants may print their knowledge check score to document participation in these training modules. Note: Scores below 80 percent indicate that certain topics require additional review. Participants should review the relevant materials and retake the assessments.

Professional development training hours: School nutrition personnel may use the CSDE's Determining Eligibility training program to count toward the annual training hours required by the USDA’s Professional Standards for School Nutrition Program Professionals. For more information, refer to the CSDE’s Professional Standards Topics and Training Hours for the Determining Eligibility Training Modules.

Training Modules for School Year 2025-26

The CSDE's Determining Eligibility training modules for school year 2025-26 reflect the current requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s regulations for the Child Nutrition Programs.

Module 1: Introduction to Application Certification
Module 2: Processing Applications Part 1 – Starting the Application Process
Module 2: Processing Applications Part 2 – Receiving and Processing Applications
Module 2: Processing Applications Part 3 – Reviewing Applications and Special Consideration
Module 2: Processing Applications Part 4 – Notification, Documentation, and Final Steps
Module 3: Direct Certification
Module 4: Test Your Knowledge About Processing Applications
Module 5: Confidentiality and Disclosure

Module 1: Introduction to Application Certification

This module introduces the training modules, provides an overview of the application and verification process, identifies important terms and documents, and highlights relevant resources for managing requirements and deadlines.

Module (length 29:28): Module 1: Introduction to Application Certification
Handout: Handout for Module 1: Introduction to Application Certification
Resource List: Resource List for Module 1: Introduction to Application Certification

Module 2: Processing Applications
Part 1 – Starting the Application Process

This module reviews information about starting the application process for free and reduced-price meals or free milk, or free Summer Meals, or S-EBT eligibility. Topics include common acronyms and abbreviations for processing applications, flagging applications based on the different types of eligibility, error-prone applications, the requirements for notifying households about the application certification process, and the required addenda to include with the annual application materials.

Module (length 22:40): Module 2 Part 1 – Starting the Application Process
Handout: Handout for Module 2 Part 1 – Starting the Application Process
Resource List: Resource List for Module 2 Parts 1-4

Module 2: Processing Applications
Part 2 – Receiving and Processing Applications

This module reviews the requirements for receiving and processing for free and reduced-price applications. Topics include the local educational agency’s system for receiving applications, processing timeframes, carryover of eligibility, transfer of eligibility, point of service, and how to determine if an application is complete.

Module (length 23:10): Module 2 Part 2 – Receiving and Processing Applications
Handout: Handout for Module 2 Part 2 – Receiving and Processing Applications
Resource List: Resource List for Module 2 Parts 1-4

Module 2: Processing Applications
Part 3 – Reviewing Applications and Special Considerations

This module reviews the requirements for reviewing free and reduced-price applications. Topics includes how to calculate income, foster children, handwritten case numbers, the accountability of the determining official, and the requirements for web-based applications.

Module (length 26:28): Module 2 Part 3 – Reviewing Applications and Special Considerations
Handout: Handout for Module 2 Part 3 – Reviewing Applications and Special Considerations
Resource List: Resource List for Module 2 Parts 1-4

Module 2: Processing Applications
Part 4 – Notification, Documentation, and Final Steps

This module reviews the requirements for notification, documentation, and final steps for processing free and reduced-priced applications. Topics includes notifying households about eligibility status, verification for cause, the benefit issuance document, the claims consolidation process, independent review of applications, records retention, appeal procedures, and civil rights.

Module (length 26:18): Module 2 Part 4 – Notification, Documentation, and Final Steps
Handout: Handout of Slides for Module 2 Part 4 – Notification, Documentation, and Final Steps
Resource List: Resource List for Module 2 Parts 1-4

Module 3: Direct Certification

This module reviews the requirements for the direct certification process, including the types of direct certification, hierarchy of eligibility, CSDE's Direct Certification Web Application, direct certification of foster children, and records retention for direct certification.

Module (length 41:09): Module 3: Direct Certification
Handout: Handout for Module 3: Direct Certification
Resource List: Resource List for Module 3: Direct Certification

Knowledge Check for Module 3: Direct Certification

This module is the knowledge check for Module 3: Direct Certification, DC or Not DC. This quiz tests participants’ knowledge about direct certification.

Module (length 9:47): DC or Not DC Knowledge Check Module
Worksheet: Module 3 Worksheet: DC or Not DC
Worksheet Answer Key: Answer Key for Module 3 Worksheet: DC or Not DC

Module 4: Test Your Knowledge About Processing Applications

This module provides an activity to test participants' knowledge about processing applications by reviewing seven examples of a completed Application for Free and Reduced-price School Meals or Free Milk and S-EBT. This module is based on the information provided in modules 1-3. Before beginning this module:

Review modules 1-3
Download and print Module 4 Worksheet
Download and print the CSDE's Income Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced-price School Meals or Free Milk and S-EBT
Have a calculator and pencil available

Module (length 31:33): Module 4: Test Your Knowledge About Processing Applications
Handout: Handout for Module 4: Test Your Knowledge About Processing Applications
Resource List: Resource List for Module 4: Test Your Knowledge About Processing Applications
Worksheet: Module 4 Worksheet: Test Your Knowledge About Processing Applications
Worksheet Answer Key: Answer Key for Module 4 Worksheet: Test Your Knowledge About Processing Applications

Module 5: Confidentiality and Disclosure

This module reviews the confidentiality requirements for directly certifying students and processing applications, including preventing overt identification of students’ eligibility status and restrictions for disclosing student’s personal information.

Module (length 20:58): Module 5: Confidentiality and Disclosure
Handout: Handout for Module 5: Confidentiality and Disclosure
Resource List :Resource List for Module 5: Confidentiality and Disclosure