Finding Text
Federal Program Affected
Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Pass-Through Entity: California Department of Education (CDE)
Program Name: Child Nutrition Cluster
Assistance Listing Number: 10.553, 10.555
Compliance Requirement: N (Special Tests and Provisions – Verification of Free and Reduced
Price Applications)
Criteria or Specific Requirements
Per Title 7, U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Subtitle B, Chapter II, Subchapter A, Parts 245.6a.
The local education agency must verify the current free and reduced-price eligibility of
households selected from a sample of applications that it has approved for free and reducedprice
meals, by November 15 of each school year. The verification sample size is based on the
total number of approved applications on file October 1.
Condition
The District did complete the verification process by November 15th of the school year. As a
result, the nine students selected for verification process were incorrectly categorized as free or
reduced until December 9, 2022, the date on which the District completed the verification
process and changed the status of these nine students to paid.
Questioned Costs
There were no questioned costs associated with the identified condition, as the estimated costs
for the nine overclaimed students would be below the questioned costs threshold.
Context
The condition was identified through inquiry with District personnel and through review of
available supporting documentation.
Effect
The District does not appear to be in compliance with Special Test and Provision requirements
for the Child Nutrition cluster.
Cause
The condition identified appears to have materialized due to the District’s lack of established
procedures to ensure compliance with the requirements Title 7, U.S. Code of Federal
Regulations, Subtitle B, Chapter II, Subchapter A, Parts 245.6a.
Repeat Finding
No.
Recommendation
The District should establish procedures to ensure the verification process is completed timely
and the appropriate eligibility changes are made.