ADE Director's Communication Memo Form


Memo Number : FIN-10-080

Date Created : 04/22/2010

Attention:

Superintendents
Co-op Directors
other: Principals
Co-op Directors
Child Nutrition Directors

Type of Memo: Regulatory
Response Required: Optional
   
Section:   Fiscal and Administrative Services - William J. Goff, Assistant Commissioner
Subject:
Summer Meals 2010

Regulatory Authority:
7 CFR Parts 210 and 225

Contact Person:
Donna Ratliff

Phone Number:
501-324-9502

E-mail:
donna.ratliff@arkansas.gov

The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Child Nutrition Unit continues to offer two options for public schools to feed students after the regular school year ends.

ADE Option 1. Regular Summer Meals Program serves breakfast and lunch as a continuation of the regular school meal programs. Any of the child nutrition programs (breakfast, lunch, afterschool snack and special milk) may be served as part of the summer educational programs operated by the school district. With the regular summer meals program, the approved collection procedure must be used to collect money and count/claim the students by eligibility category. The regular summer meals program may be operated by any public school regardless of the percentage of children receiving free and reduced-price meals.

To continue the existing breakfast, lunch and/or afterschool snack programs, notify the Child Nutriotion Unit office of the dates these meal programs will be offered if this information was not listed on the renewal agreement for the 2009-2010 school year and approved by the Child nUTRITION Unit prior to July 2009. Reimbursement for regular summer meals cannot be paid unless ADE's Child Nutrition Unit has been notified in writing and the district agreement amended.

ADE Option 2. Seamless Summer Program may be operated in a site or in the attendance area of a site with 50 percent or more of the students eligible for free- and reduced-price meals. All children, age 18 or under, participating in a Seamless Summer Program will eat at no charge regardless of income status and all meals will be claimed at the free reimbursement rate. In this program the district will serve one or two meals per child at no charge including: breakfast, lunch, AM or PM snack or supper. However, the district will not claim both lunch and supper meals for a student at the same site on the same day. These sites are not required to conduct an education program, but summer school, remedial or regular education can be part of the Seamless Summer Program. For reimbursement rates see Attachment #3, Comparison of Reimbursement Rates. New meal reimbursement rates will be effective as of July 1, 2010. Districts will be notified as soon as USDA announces these new rates.

To participate in the ADE Seamless Summer Program, the School Food Authority/school district will be required to:
1. Submit at least two weeks before the start of meal service, a Schedule C-10 Seamless Summer Program Option (See Attachment #1). List only sites where summer meals will be served.
2. Receive written approval from ADE's Child Nutrition Unit before meals can be served or a program can begin. Child Nutrition Unit approval prior to meal service is required in order to receive federal reimbursement.
2. Mark a school district’s monthly claim for reimbursement with an “X” in the upper right hand corner next to “Seamless Summer.”
3. Remember that all meals must be counted and claimed at the “point of service” (that point when it can be determined that a reimbursable meal has been served to an eligible child).

According to USDA guidance issued in policy memo SP 11-2009, the Arkansas Department of Education Child Nutrition Unit cannot approve seamless or regular summer program participation in school district programs that fail a CRE/SMI or have program administration problems (for instance legislative audit findings; school breakfast, lunch or snack program violations; etc.). Furthermore, schools that have been determined to be seriously deficient in the administration of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) cannot be approved for participation in the SSO. ADE's Child Nutrition Unit must also report school district programmatic violations to the Special Nutrition Section of the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS). This would prohibit DHS from funding these schools or school districts for the Summer Program until such time that ADE's Child Nutrition Unit verifies corrective actions have taken place.

To assist school district child nutrition directors in determining whether to participate in the ADE Regular Summer Meals Program, ADE Seamless Summer Program or the Department of Human Services (DHS) Summer Food Service Program, see Attachment #2 – Comparison of 2009-2010 Summer Programs.

Deadlines:

Arkansas Department of Education:
The ADE Seamless Summer Program Application Deadline is no later than two weeks prior to beginning the program. The application must be approved by the Child Nutrition Unit before the program starts. If a district’s renewal agreement for school year 2009-2010 indicated the ADE Regular Summer Meals Program with established dates, there is no need to submit a notice for that program. To change the status of a summer program previously reported on the agreement, please submit the Seamless Summer Option Schedule C-10 with summer site(s).

Should there be any questions about ADE summer meal programs, please contact the assigned ADE Child Nutrition Unit's area specialist for the school district at 501-324-9502.

Arkansas Department of Human Services:
The application deadline for the DHS Summer Food Service Program is May 15, 2010. If there are any questions regarding the DHS Summer Food Service Program, please contact Shelia Bailey at 501-682-8869. You may apply online at https://dhs.arkansas.gov/dccece/snp

(If you cannot click the link(s) above, copy and paste it into your browser.)


Attachments:

#1 – Schedule C-10
#2 – Comparison of ADE and DHS Summer Programs
#3 – Comparison of ADE and DHS Reimbursement Rates

Attachments:

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