RENEWAL OF AGREEMENT:
School Districts will receive by mail two sets of the Renewal of the Agreement between the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) and the School Food Authority (SFA)/Local Education Agency (LEA). This agreement must be completed to participate in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Afterschool Snack Program and/or the Special Milk Program for the regular school term and/or the summer sessions of the 2005-2006 school year.
Please complete the Renewal of Agreement, indicating the programs the school district plans to continue operating, dates of operation, and any new programs the district plans to implement.
Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-265) Changes for School Year (SY) 2005-2006:
* Household Applications Mandated *
School districts are required to use household applications beginning in SY 2005-06.
* WIC Benefit Notification Required *
Households must be informed on the free and reduced price application that WIC participants may be eligible for free or reduced price meals.
* Groups Categorized with Free Eligibility *
Homeless, migrant and runaway youth are categorically eligible for free meals. To date, runaway guidance has not been issued from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
* Military Housing Change *
Privatized military housing allowance is excluded from income eligibility determinations.
* No-charge Telephone Number Required *
School Districts must have a no-charge telephone number for verification inquiries from households.
* Eligibility Timeline *
Eligibility determinations are valid for the entire school year unless changes are required due to verification results.
Breakfast Mandate:
Reminder: Ark. Code Ann. Sec. 6-18-705 requires all schools with 20% or more of the students eligible for free and reduced price meals during the preceding school year, to provide students with a school breakfast program.
Direct Certification:
Each school district in Arkansas will participate in the Direct Certification of free eligibles. For additional information, please see Director's Memo IA-05-102.
Verification:
USDA will require each school district to report to the Department of Education the results of the verification process for the 2005-2006 school year. Other changes to verification include (1) new procedures for selecting applications to verify, (2) school district requirement to have a Confirming Official, and (3) a requirement that districts must make an additional effort to collect income documentation before a household is terminated for non-response.
There is a NEW TIMELINE for Verification. Verification will be based on the number of approved applications on file October 1, 2005, and must be completed by November 15, 2005. In the past this deadline was December 15.
SCHEDULE A
Program Renewal Schedule A:
Two copies of the individual district's Schedule A are enclosed in the packet mailed to the district. Please make corrections and additions to the Schedule A to reflect the correct information for the 2005-2006 school year.
To receive CNU, ADE approval, this UPDATED INDIVIDUALIZED Schedule A, mailed to each district, must be returned to CNU, as part of the renewal of agreement packet.
DO NOT SUBMIT THIS AGREEMENT WITHOUT THE PROGRAM RENEWAL SCHEDULE A that was mailed to the district as part of the renewal packet.
New Program Schedule A
AFTERSCHOOL SNACK Schedule A:
Reimbursement is available for afterschool snacks served to students who are 18 years old or under and participate in a program to provide an afterschool education program. If one or more of the schools in the district plan to have afterschool programs and would like to provide snacks, complete the attached Schedule A SY 2005-06 for Afterschool Snack Programs. REMEMBER, NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE AFTERSCHOOL SNACK PROGRAM CAN BE PAID UNLESS THE AFTERSCHOOL SNACK PROGRAM SCHEDULE A IS COMPLETED AND APPROVED PRIOR TO THE START OF THE PROGRAM. See Agreement 2001-2002 School Year Between School Food Authority and Arkansas Department of Education (the Agreement) page 5 for specific program requirements.
SEAMLESS SUMMER OPTION APPLICATION and Schedule A:
The Seamless Summer Option is for the summer of 2006. This program makes it possible to serve up to two (2) meals per day (breakfast, lunch, morning snack, afternoon snack and/or supper) free to students participating in summer programs, other than regular summer school. To participate in the program option during the summer of 2006, complete the Seamless Summer Option Application FY 2006 and Schedule A-Seamless Summer Option (SSO) Funded through the Arkansas Department of Education at least two (2) weeks prior to the start of the program. Remember, all sites requesting a Seamless Summer Option will be checked with the Special Nutrition Program, Arkansas Department of Human Services to eliminate duplication of effort.
RENEWAL OF POLICY STATEMENT FOR FREE AND REDUCED PRICE MEALS:
The mailed packet has enclosed TWO COPIES of the Renewal of the Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meals for the 2005-2006 school year and one set of the Free and Reduced Price Meal Application Packet. Complete, sign and return BOTH copies of the Renewal of Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meals 2005-2006 School Year. Please read the Policy Statement and Free and Reduced Price Meals Application Packet carefully.
The Free and Reduced Price Meals Packet Forms should not be returned with the Policy Statement unless changes have been made to the forms. Send two copies of any changed forms for approval by CNU, ADE with the two signed copies of the Renewal of the Policy Statement.
Note the addition of Confirming Official and Verifying Official position titles to the Renewal of the Policy Statement. This is a new requirement and must be completed by each district.
FORMS:
The Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application and Verification forms can be printed from the internet (from this Director's Memo) and modified to include school district information.
MAY 25, 2005 DEADLINE:
Complete and return both copies of the Renewal of Agreement and Program Renewal Schedule A along with both copies of the Renewal of Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meals and additional program Schedule A's by May 25. Please DO NOT HOLD for a new superintendent?s signature and/or meal prices. The Agreement and Policy Statement can be updated at anytime during the school year with a letter from the superintendent. Please complete and return the checklist enclosed with the mailed packet to be sure that all requested materials are returned.
Mail to:
Child Nutrition Unit, ADE
2020 West Third Street, Suite 404
Little Rock, AR 72205-4465
A Renewal of Agreement, Schedule A and Renewal of Policy Statement will be returned to the Food Service Authority after it has been approved and signed by the ADE Child Nutrition Director.
ELIGIBILITY FOR SEVERE NEED BREAKFAST REIMBURSEMENT:
Schools eligible for Severe Need Breakfast Reimbursement for the 2005-2006 school year are designated severe need on the Schedule A enclosed with the mailed renewal packet. ADE Director?s Memo IA-05-080 outlined the application process to be completed by March 10, 2005, for SY 2005-06 severe need reimbursement. School districts received written notification designating the schools eligible for severe need.
SAFETY NET:
School districts that served 60% or more of the total lunches to students eligible for free or reduced price meals in the second preceding school year (2003-2004) are designated ?Safety Net? districts. These districts will receive two cents additional reimbursement for each lunch served. Please verify "Safety Net" designation on the Schedule A enclosed in the mailed packet.
SPECIAL MILK PROGRAM:
The Special Milk Program is available for students who do not have access to lunch, breakfast, or afterschool snacks. If the district is interested in this program, please contact Barbara Smith at (501) 324-9502.
SCHOOL MEAL INITIATIVE (SMI):
The Three Steps to Healthy School Meals was developed to assist districts in meeting the USDA nutritional goals. Please check the appropriate box by each school on Schedule A if this resource is being used to plan menus. This will assist the Child Nutrition Unit in monitoring and soliciting grant funds to update these materials.