Appendix E1: 2016 2017 SY Eligibility Manual Cover Memo

Food and
Nutrition
Service
Park Office
Center
3101 Park
Center Drive
Alexandria
VA 22302

DATE:

July 29, 2016

MEMO CODE:

SP 50-2016; CACFP 19-2016; SFSP 17-2016

SUBJECT:

2016 Edition of the Eligibility Manual for School Meals

TO:

Regional Directors
Special Nutrition Programs
All Regions
State Directors
Child Nutrition Programs
All States

Attached is the school year (SY) 2016-2017 version of the Eligibility Manual for
School Meals. The manual provides comprehensive information on Federal
requirements, policies, and procedures, and is intended to help State agencies and local
educational agencies (LEAs) accurately determine, certify, and verify children’s
eligibility for free and reduced price school meals and free milk.
This revised version incorporates clarifications requested by State agencies and Food
and Nutrition Service (FNS) Regional Offices, as well as applicable guidance issued
since the last revision in July 2015. Notable changes are highlighted throughout the
manual. Formatting changes, which are significant in this version, are not highlighted,
as they do not represent a change in policy. Consistent with previous years, the
highlighted version will be removed after three months and the un-highlighted version
will remain available for use.
The most significant changes are included in Section 3: Establishing Eligibility and
Section 4: The School Meal Application. Section 3 incorporates regulatory changes
codified in the final rule, National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast
Program: Eliminating Applications through Community Eligibility as Required by the
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, published in the Federal Register on
July 29, 2016, 81 FR 50194. The revision includes changes to the requirements
regarding carryover and transfer of eligibility for children transitioning from schools
participating in a special Provision, including the Community Eligibility Provision
(CEP).
Section 4 provides an overview of requirements for the Application for Free and
Reduced Price School Meals effective for SY 2016-2017. It also highlights
requirements that will be required in SY 2017-2018 and optional design modifications
intended to simplify the application for households and improve application processing
by local officials. This section also expands the overview of longstanding State agency

USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider, Employer and Lender

Regional Directors
State Directors
Page 2
and LEA responsibilities for ensuring meaningful access for individuals with limited
English proficiency throughout the application process.
Other changes to the 2016 edition include:
x Clarification of how the notice of denial and notice of adverse action apply when
a household’s benefits expire after the carryover period ends;
x An updated USDA Nondiscrimination Statement, which was new as of
November 2015; and
x A revised definition of “Determining Official” and new definitions for the terms
“Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations,” “Food Service Management
Company,” and “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.”
State agencies are reminded to distribute this information to Program operators
immediately. Program operators should direct any questions regarding this memorandum
to the appropriate State agency. State agency contact information is available at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Contacts/StateDirectory.htm. State agencies should direct
questions to the appropriate FNS Regional Office.

Angela Kline
Director,
Policy and Program Development Division
Child Nutrition Programs