Renewal of Agreement
Enclosed are two copies of the Renewal of the Agreement between the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) and the School Food Authority (SFA). This agreement must be completed to participate in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program and /or the After School Snack Program for the regular school term and/ or the summer sessions of the 1999-2000 school year. Please complete the Agreement, indicating the programs you plan to continue operating and any new programs you plan to implement.
Schedule A is attached to the Agreement. It provides the current information for each school in your district. Please make corrections and additions to Schedule A to reflect the correct information for 1999-2000 school year.
Renewal of Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meals
Enclosed are two copies of the Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meals for the 1999-2000 school year. Please read the Policy Statement and attachments carefully. Complete, sign, and return both copies. Attachments (pages C1-C22) should not be returned with the Policy Statement unless changes have been made.
Return two copies of the Renewal of Agreement and Schedule A along with two copies of the Renewal of Policy Statement for Free and Reduced Price Meals by June 1 to:
Child Nutrition Unit, ADE
2020 West Third St., Suite 404
Little Rock, AR 72205-4465
One copy of the Renewal of Agreement, Schedule A, and Policy Statement will be returned to the Food Service Authority after it has been approved.
Provision I
Provision I is an alternative method for certification and public notification for children eligible for free meals. If any school within a school district has at least eighty percent (80%) of the enrollment eligible for free and reduced price meals based on March enrollment data, applications for free students may be used for two consecutive years. All other students must apply annually for meal benefits. If you believe you have a school that will qualify and benefit from Provision I, please contact Barbara Smith at (501) 324-9502.
Provision II
Provision II is an alternative method for counting and claiming meals in which all meals are served free. During the base year (the first year of a three year cycle), applications are distributed and meals are counted and claimed by category. For the second and third years of the cycle, applications are not distributed. Claims for reimbursement are based on the total meal count and the percentages developed during the base year to determine the count by eligibility category. If the reimbursement received is not sufficient to cover the costs, non-federal funds must be used to pay the difference for the paid and reduced price meals. Provision II extensions may be approved beyond the three year cycle if local data indicates there have not been significant changes in demographics. If you are interested in this option, please contact Barbara Smith at (501) 324-9502.
Provision III
Under Provision III, schools serve meals free to all children, but are not required to make annual free and reduced price eligibility determinations or take daily meal counts. Meal reimbursement and commodity assistance are provided at the same level as the school received in the last year that free and reduced price applications were taken and daily meal counts by category were made.
Meal reimbursement and commodity assistance are adjusted annually for inflation and enrollment. If the reimbursement received is not sufficient to cover the cost, non-federal funds must be used to pay the difference for the paid and reduced price meals. If you are interested in this option, please contact Barbara Smith at (501) 324-9502.
Eligibility for Severe Need Breakfast Reimbursement
USDA provides additional reimbursement for the School Breakfast Program for individual schools that meet the following criteria:
(1) The reimbursement rates under the regular breakfast program are insufficient to cover the cost of the program.
(2) The school is currently participating in or desiring to initiate the breakfast program.
(3) Forty percent (40%) or more of the lunches served to students at the school in the second preceding school year (1997-98) were served free or at a reduced price. (Records of meals served by category must be maintained by school. Eligibility cannot be determined based on combined records of two schools served in the same site.)
Applications for Severe Need Reimbursement for the School Breakfast Program for the 1999-2000 school year will be mailed to those schools approved last year. If you have one or more schools you believe to be eligible and wish to apply, you may contact Jimmy Burks at (501) 324-9502. Please remember that reports verifying breakfast meal costs are required. If reports verify that the full severe need reimbursement rate was not needed to cover costs, the unused funds must be returned.
After School Snack Program
Reimbursement is available for snacks served to students who are 18 years old or under and participate in a program to provide after school care. ADE Director's memo #IA-99-012 dated 03/03/99 contains the requirement to receive this reimbursement. If you have questions about this new program call Barbara Smith at (501) 324-9502
Special Milk Program
The Special Milk Program is available for students who do not have access to lunch, breakfast, or after school snacks. If your district is interested in this program, please contact Barbara Smith at (501) 324-9502.
ARKids First-School districts can help!
Enclosed is a flyer answering some of the commonly asked questions about ARKids First Insurance Program. Please consider including a copy of the flyer when you send the Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications home with students.
ARKids First is a state-sponsored insurance program for children that went into effect September 1997. ARKids First offers access to the Medicaid program to working families who cannot afford the high cost of insurance. For minimal co-payments, families are able to secure health care for their children.
Requirements to enroll in ARKids First, along with the income guidelines, include being under the age of 19 and being uninsured for the past year, unless insurance was lost involuntarily. When children are enrolled in ARKids First, their coverage includes the following:
Physician office visit, prescription drugs, immunizations, outpatient hospital, inpatient hospital, vision care, dental care, outpatient mental and behavioral health, home health, speech therapy, chiropractor, podiatry, laboratory and X-ray, medical supplies, durable medical equipment, nurse, midwife and nurse practitioner. Many of these services have limits on their coverage, and most require a $5-$10 co-payment.
For information regarding ARKids First program, contact the Arkansas Department of Human Services resource personnel at 1-888-474-8275.
Nutrition Education and Training (NET)
The United States Department of Agriculture did not fund the Nutrition Education and Training (NET) program in FY 99. NET grants will not be available for this school year. If funds become available, you will be notified.
ATTACHMENTS ARE BEING MAILED WITH A COPY OF DIRECTOR'S COMMUNICATION IA-99-015