Free & Reduced Lunch Procedures

School food authorities, and school officials who claim reimbursement for free, reduced price, and paid meals under USDA programs must ensure that they have adequate documentation on file to support the claim.

Responsibilities

Executive Director of Business Services – It is the responsibility of the Executive Director of Business Services to oversee the program at the school level and the administrative level.  The Executive Director is in charge of the appeal process if an application is denied.

School Food Authority (SFA) – It is the responsibility of the School Food Authority to process all applications, notify the school lunch rooms through the food service computer network, and notify the parents/guardians of the final determination within 10 working days of receipt of the application.  The SFA must verify the validity of randomly selected applications between the months of October and December.

Lunchroom staff and school clerical staff – It is the responsibility of the staff at the school level to date stamp and forward all applications to the SFA immediately upon receipt. 

Process

1.   Distribution Applications

  • Applications including a letter to household are mailed in early August to each registered school family residing within the Snohomish School District. 
  • Additional applications (English and Spanish versions) will be sent to all buildings in early August and should be made available for students at registration. 
  • Applications in foreign languages are available by contacting the SFA (Sharon Jantz- RSC, #7314). 
  • Families only need to complete one application per family.
  • Foster Care:  Use a separate application for each foster child.


2.   Receiving Applications

  • As completed applications are turned in to the school, they must be date stamped and immediately forwarded to Sharon Jantz at the Resource and Service Center.


3.    Processing Applications

  • Upon receipt of completed application, the SFA enters information into the computer and approves or denies the application.  This information is immediately available to the food service staff through the food service computer network.  All applications must be processed within 10 working days of receipt.  
  • New applications cannot be processed unless the student(s) are enrolled in a school.
  • A letter is mailed to the household stating the final determination of the application.  Children are not eligible until the process is complete and the households have been notified.


4.    Direct Certification

  • DSHS will download the names of all children age birth to 20 into the OSPI’s core student record database.  The district SFA will access the database monthly.  All students matched on this database will automatically be eligible for free meals.  The SFA will enter this information into the food service computer network and mail an approval letter to the family.


5.    Verification

  • Between the months of October and November the verification process occurs.  The SFA must verify the validity of randomly selected applications.