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PROGRAMS & SERVICES:
CHILD NUTRITION:
SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS:
FREE & REDUCED PRICE MEAL PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
(Updated 2/8/12)

   

School Meal Eligibility Extension and Information Update

The previous year's student eligibility for school meals has been extended for an additional period of 30 operating days based a waiver from USDA granted to VT due to the flooding and damages from Tropical Storm Irene and its impact on schools, families, roads and the infrastructure of our state.

Read more about extension information
for school meal eligibility
PDF

 
FREE & REDUCED PRICE MEAL PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
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Unless a school provides meals to all students at no charge, schools must permit families to apply for free and reduced price meals. Schools must designate an Approving Officer to review and approve applications. Schools must also conduct verification of a sample of approved applications each year.

   
 

Current School Meal Free/Reduced Application
School Year 2011-2012 forms are available for printing. The pages are designed to be printed on 8.5 x 11 paper; the meal and milk applications must be printed on white paper. Some pages may be printed front to back. You will need to identify benefits that your school offers such as breakfast and afterschool snacks. The [bold bracketed fields] indicate where you need to insert your school specific data and information.

Required information that must be provided to households includes the letter to households, meal or milk application, the Notice of Direct Certification, and the Notice to Households of Approval/Denial of Benefits.

   
 

Approving Officer’s Manuals for 2011-2012
The Eligibility Manual being used by the department this year was developed by USDA and is more comprehensive than the state agency version, covering a wider variety of topics and issues.

   
 

Verification Tool
Starting in 2011, verification will be calculated and reported online. Use the links below to access the tool and to view the recorded training webinars:

   
 

Certification and Benefit Issuance Letters
These are letters that may be used by schools who are reviewed by Child Nutrition Programs and who must complete corrective action by contacting households to notify them of eligibility changes resulting from errors found during an Administrative or Program Review. These sample letters will save lots of time, will facilitate the corrective action process and may save fiscal action penalties for incorrect meal claiming errors by quicker corrective action response periods.

       
Word
RTF
 
   

Free to Reduced, Approval Error

 

 

RTF

   

Free to No Benefits, Approval Error

 

 

RTF

   

Reduced to Free, Approval Error

 

 

RTF

   

Reduced to No Benefits, Approval Error

 

 

RTF

   

Denied to Free or Reduced, Approval Error

 

 

RTF

   

No Application on File, Status Change

 

 

RTF

   

Zero income

 

 

RTF

   

Incomplete Application

 

 

RTF

   

Decreased Benefits, Miscategorized

 

 

RTF

   

Increased Benefits, Miscategorized

 

 

RTF

   

Student Continuing to Receive Benefits After No Response to Verification

 

 

RTF

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  Free and Reduced Eligibility Report for 2012 PDF
The department publishes an annual report showing the number and percent of students eligible for free and reduced price school meals for every school that participates in the National School Lunch Program.
   
   

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Program Eligibility Information
Policy & Administration | Publications & Resources

School Nutrition Programs | Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
After School Snack Program
Summer Food Service Programs (SFSP)

Child Nutrition

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