Finding Text
7 C.F.R. § 245.6(a) provides that each local educational agency participating in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program, or a commodity only school, shall provide meal benefit forms for use by families in making application for free or reduced-price meals or free milk for their children. Furthermore, 7 C.F.R. § 245.6(c)(4) provides the local educational agency must use the income information provided by the household on the application to calculate the household’s total current income. When a household submits an application containing complete documentation and the household’s total current income is at or below the eligibility limits specified in the Income Eligibility Guidelines as defined in § 245.2, the children in that household must be approved for free or reduced-price benefits, as applicable.
Of the applications tested for fiscal year 2023, 31.8% were not signed by the food service director to indicate review of application and agreement with the benefit determination. Additionally, the benefits on 4.5% of the applications were incorrectly calculated based on the household’s total current income and household size and the income eligibility limits. Failure to properly review applications and calculate household income and household size resulted in incorrect eligibility determinations.
The District should review procedures for determining eligibility and implement additional control practices which will ensure eligibility is properly and accurately determined based on applicable criteria and updated in the system if the determination changes.