Audit 375455

Federal register section 7 CFR Part 245.6(b)(3) requires School Districts to conduct direct certification contacts with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) records a minimum of three times annually - at or around the beginning of the school year, three months after the initial effort and six months after the initial effort. Schools Districts are required to keep direct certification documentation on file for a minimum of three years after submission of the final claim reimbursement for the fiscal year in which the records apply. The School District was only able to provide supporting documentation for one direct certification verification from December 4, 2024 for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. If direct certification verifications were not performed on the required timeline, students may have been eligible for free or reduced meals under the Child Nutrition Cluster who were not claimed as such. This could result in higher reimbursement for meals from the State of Michigan rather than through the Child Nutrition Cluster. There was turnover in the Food Service Director position during the first half of the fiscal year. The former Food Service Director was familiar with the direct certification verification requirements, and had historically completed the verifications as required. The School District believes the direct certification verifications were performed timely. The School District believes that this is a documentation issue where, in the transition between Food Service Directors, the original documentation was likely misplaced.