The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the Verification Reporting Software in 2004 to be used in the implementation of the NEW reporting and recordkeeping requirements related to verification of applications for free and reduced-price meal benefits. This will be the third year for school districts to submit this report. The DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING A DISTRICT’S REPORT to the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Child Nutrition Unit (CNU) office is DECEMBER 15, 2006. Please see attached revised Verification Timeline for 2006.
Each district MUST report the summary of verification using FNS-742 “Verification Summary Report.” To follow a Step-by-Step Guide to Verification, go to the Child Nutrition Website at http://cnn.k12.ar.us/ and click on the red "Verification” button. The “Verification Summary Report” is at Step 14 of the verification guidance.
Each district MUST submit one report for the entire district. The form should be downloaded from the website, renamed (Use district’s LEA number), completed, saved, and then emailed to:
ade.chnutverify@arkansas.gov
When emailing this report you MUST INCLUDE the district’s LEA number in the subject line of the email.
Body of email MUST INCLUDE:
· District name
· Name of verification contact
· Phone number of verification contact
· Completed ADE “Verification Summary Report”
For assistance in submitting the report by email, contact Robert Ginder at robert.ginder@arkansas.gov
In order to complete the “Verification Summary Report,” a school district will need the following information:
· Total number of applications and students approved for free meals based on a food stamp case number
· Total number of applications and students approved for free meals based on household size and income
· Total number of applications and students approved for reduced price meals
· Total number of students directly certified (Homeless, Migrant, Direct Certification)
· Results of verification by application (Application Tracker, Step 12 of the verification guidance)
Attached is a list of school districts that are required to complete verification using Error Prone Sampling. Guidelines for Error Prone Sampling may be downloaded from Step 2 of the verification guidance. These school districts were selected for Error Prone Sampling based either on the 2005-2006 Non-Response Rate of Verified Applicants, or if errors were discovered in the district’s verification process.
For assistance with completing or submitting the “Verification Summary Report,” call the school district’s ADE Child Nutrition Area Specialist, Robert Ginder, Barbara Smith or Wanda Shockey at (501) 324-9502.