Nevada School Nutrition Association 2014 Conference -Directors Training

July 7th, 2014

Nevada Department of AgricultureFood and Nutrition Division

NSNA Directors Training

USDA Foods

DoD Fresh

Open Session with outside moderatorHow can NDA help you be more successful?

Introductions

Direct Certification

Community Eligibility Provision

Verification

Professional Development Standards

New Meal Pattern

Today’s Agenda

Deputy Administrator- Food and Nutrition Division

Jenelle Gimlin

Administrator- Food and Nutrition Division

Donnell Barton

Introduction/Welcome

Catrina Peters, MS, RDNutrition Programs Professional


The BasicsWho, What, Where, When and How

What does DC impact?

Best Practices

Electronic DC matchingReports from Districts using electronic match

Questions and Discussion


The Basics- What is Direct Certification?

The process under which School Districts certify children who are members of households receiving assistance (SNAP, TANF, FDPIR) as eligible for free school meals

Once a student is directly certified, no application is needed to qualify for free meals

https://files.nv.gov/


The Basics- The Who of Direct Certification

Eligibility is extended to all household members, these children are considered directly certified as well

Children are Free status for the remainder of the school year plus the 30 day rollover period

Districts are required to notify households that are directly certified and also provide information on how notify the district of other children in the household***Important for reducing application paperwork burden!!


The Basics- Where does it happen?

In Nevada, DC matches are made at the local level

Local matches allow districts to have more control over matches

Been wondering about those kids on the list that aren’t in your district? DC list divided up according to zip code, there may be overlap with your

neighboring county School Districts can share DC list information


The Basics- When is Direct Certification done?

Districts must conduct DC matches at least 3x per year

At a minimum those times must be:At or around the start of the school year (July 1)3 months after the beginning of the school year6 months after the beginning of the school year

Monthly matches are strongly encouraged!


The Basics-The How

Student lists are downloaded off Mustang

Child’s names on the DC list are matched to student rosters

Students are then entered as Free, Directly Certified

Due to changes in Verification Reporting, Districts are required to report the following types of DC matchesDC-SNAPDC-Other (TANF, FDPIR, Homeless, Migrant, Runaway, Head Start…)Reported on the FNS 742 form


Using the sample DC list, how do you know what children are DC SNAP? DC Other? Under “Program” header

“FB”, “F” and all others are DC SNAP “A” = TANF

On the sample FNS-742 form find the …..

Box where DC-SNAP matches are reported (3-2)

Box where DC-Other matches are reported (3-3)

Who is entering in DC-SNAP/DC-Other into their POS system? Who is tracking it manually?

Activity

What does it impact?

Reduces number of paper applicationsLowers number of applications to be verifiedLowers workload for processing applications

Increased DC match effects eligibility for Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)


Best Practices

Do your matches early and notify households that they are a match

Match frequently-monthly is highly recommended

Don’t forget about other household members!

Work with your homeless coordinator, those count as DC matches too!!

Every DC match is one less paper application…….


Reports from the field

What districts have used an electronic match?What company did you use?What was your experience like?

Electronic DC Match

We met the 2013/14 benchmark (95%)Nevada achieved 98% for the 2013/2014 school year

Not meeting future benchmarks could result in districts creating and implementing corrective action plans for Direct Certification

NDA has explored the possibility of purchasing software that would conduct DC match at the state levelDiscussion?


Questions & Discussion

The Basics Must serve breakfast and lunch for no charge to all students

Count number of breakfasts and lunches served to student daily

Must cover, with non-federal funds, the costs above the federal reimbursement

School Meal benefit applications cannot be taken and processed by staff paid out of the non-profit food service account

No student level Free/Reduced price lunch information is collected

Can group schools, schools not be physically near each other to be grouped


Identified Student Percentage

Low income children who are certified for free school meals without the use of a household application All Direct Certification matches!

Students certified based on documentation of benefit receipt or categorical eligibility as described in 7 CFR part 245 (e.g. directly certified with SNAP, TANF, FDPIR,

categorically eligible – migrant youth, homeless, etc)


The identified student percentage may be determined by: an individual participating school a group of participating schools in the School District entire District if all schools participate

Identified

Student %

# of Identified Students (All DC

Matches)

Total # of Enrolled Students with access

to NSLP/SBP


Must be at least 40% for an individual school, the group of schools, or entire SFA if all schools participate

Grouping schools: divide the total number of identified students for all grouped schools by the total enrollment for all grouped schools to determine eligibility Not all schools in the group or in the SFA, if electing for the entire

SFA, have to meet the 40% threshold Schools do not have to be adjacent to each other or be in close

proximity

What About The Claiming Percentage?

Identified student percentage multiplied by a factor of 1.6 equals the % of total meals served reimbursed at the Federal free rate The remaining % of total meals are reimbursed at the Federal

paid rate

Any meal costs in excess of the total Federal reimbursement must be covered through non-Federal sources

You cannot claim more meals than were served (62.5% of greater ISP)

Where Did the 1.6 Come From?

Analysis showed that on average for every 10 Direct Cert match students there were 6 more students certified based on an income application If you multiple the identified student percentage by 1.6 you are

approximating the free and reduced price percentage On average means that some schools will be on the higher end

and some on the lower but it serves as a proxy across many low income schools

How Do I Estimate Reimbursement?

USDA Reimbursement Estimatorhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/community-eligibility-

provision


Timeline for the Coming Year

Extensions for pursuing CEP can be granted Deadline extended to August 31st, 2014! Numbered Memo #2014-54

Watch numbers carefully for next year

April 1, reporting of DC match rate will continue

CEP data will continue to be posted on our website annually, similar to the Free and Reduced Price Eligibility report


Title I

Guidance was issued by US DOE

NDA Staff presented to NV Title I Coordinators in May

NDA is in communication with NDE about how student level data will be handled, will continue to work with NDE to work out issues related to CEP implementation

Other states have reported Title I as a significant challenge

Identify your Title I coordinator and work with them if you are considering pursuing CEP


USDOE Guidancehttp://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/SP19-2014os.pdf

USDA CEP Resource Pagehttp://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/community-eligibility-provision

Food Research and Action Councilhttp://frac.org/federal-foodnutrition-programs/national-school-lunch-program/community-eligibility/

School Nutrition Associationhttp://www.schoolnutrition.org/uploadedFiles/School_Nutrition/104_CareerEducation/ContinuingEducation/Webinar_Wednesdays/CommunityEligibilityOptionresources.pdf

Community Eligibility Provision-Resources

http://frac.org/federal-foodnutrition-programs/national-school-lunch-program/community-eligibility/



Questions?

Discussion from the field

Who is opting to pursue CEP?

What are you concerns/challenges?



Verification

The Basics

Annual Process to verify what is submitted on paper applications

FIRM DEADLINES

ONLY 3% of total number of applications are selected No more, no less

Select from error prone first, then select randomly Within $100 of income limit

Verification

Sample pool- # of applications on file as of October 1

If no response, must make at least one follow up attempt

If no response after second attempt, must provide 10 days notice before reducing benefit level (changing to paid status) Don’t forget to include information on how to appeal—Hearing Official

All activates must be complete by November 15th

Verification-Timeline

Include all required informationWhat timeframes are acceptable for documentation to be

submittedWhat kind of information is acceptable

Part of USDA template applicationhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/family-friendly-application-

translations

All required information on page 87 of Eligibility Manual

Verification-The Notification Letter

What about verification for cause?Do I include that in my 3%? NO

What if I know more people live in that household with income that isn’t reported?

Mom and dad don’t live together. Mom qualifies for free but Dad doesn’t. Dad doesn’t want free meals. What do I do?

Verification-Common Questions

It’s October 1 and I need help, what do I do?!?!?

1. Eligibility Manual

2. Verification Webinar- posted on the web

3. Call your assigned NPP

Verification

The Basics

What is required of who?

What Directors need to know

Documentation Requirements

Resources Available


Mandated by Section 306 of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010

Currently under Proposed Rule

Comment period closed April 7th, 2014

Final Rule to be published

USDA gathered a large group of stakeholders to get input on this rule State Agency staff, School District staff, SNA members


Why are we doing this?

School nutrition programs are complex- on-going training is necessary just to keep up

Training requirements will build skills

Enhance the image of school nutrition employees

Training of food handlers is crucial for the health of our students

Doesn’t just effect site staff, requirements for Stage Agency Directors as well Requirements for States to provide annual training opportunities for

Districts and school nutrition personnel


What’s it look like out there?

For directors in LEAs with an enrollment of 10,000 or more students, more than 80 percent of current directors have a bachelor’s or graduate degree.

For directors in districts with an enrollment of 2,500 to 9,999 students, nearly 70 percent have an associate’s, bachelor’s or graduate degree, and another 22 percent have some college

34% of current directors in districts of 2,499 or less possess an associate’s degree or higher An additional 27 percent have completed some college without a degree 27 percent only possess a high school diploma.

Only 8 percent of current directors possess only a high school diploma


**SNDA IV (2011-12) data

School Food Service Director requirements for new hires

Divided into three LEA size categories recognizing increasing responsibility and complexity

1. Fewer than 2,500 students

2. 2,500-9,999 students

3. 10,000 or more students

**In proposed rule, broken into 10,000-24,999 and 25,000+ students


Must have 1 of the following:

A Bachelor’s degree/equivalent in specific majors

A bachelor’s degree/equivalent in any major, plus a State-recognized certificate

An associate’s degree/equivalent plus at least 1 year of relevant experience

A high school diploma (or GED) and 5 years of relevant experience

Food Service Director Requirements for Districts with < 2,500 students


A bachelor’s degree/equivalent in specific majors


An associate’s degree/equivalent plus at least one year of relevant experience

Food Service Director Requirements for Districts with 2,500-9,999 students


A bachelor’s degree/equivalent in specific majors


Food Service Director Requirements for Districts with 10,000 or more students

A master’s degree, or willingness to work toward a master’s degree

At least 3 college credits in food service management and at least 3 college credits in nutrition

At least one year of management experience, preferably in school nutrition

Food Service Director Preferred Standards for Districts with >10,000 Students

At least 8 hours of food safety training would be required either within 3 years prior to their starting date or completed within 30 days of employee’s starting date

Food Safety- District Directors

15 hours of annual training must be completed

A variety of formats are allowed

Training conducted by directors or staff may count toward their own training

Proposed Topics-

Administrative practices including:Application, certification Verification Meal counting Meal claiming procedures

Food Service Directors

Managers are those individuals directly responsible for the management of the day-to-day operations of school nutrition programs for a participating school(s)

No education requirements

Annual Training Requirement 12 hours annually must be completed

Proposed Topics identification of reimbursable meals at the point of service

nutrition

health and safety standards

School Nutrition Managers

School nutrition program staff are those individuals without managerial responsibilities

Involved in routine operations of school nutrition programs for a participating school(s)

8 hrs of training each year must be completed

Employees who work less than 20 hrs per week will have training requirements proportional to hours worked

Possible Topics:free and reduced price eligibility

application, certification, and verification procedures

identification of reimbursable meals at the point of service

nutrition

health and safety standards

Other School Nutrition Employees

What is my responsibility as a Director?

1. Make a training plan

2. Track employee training Sign in sheets and agendas Tracking each employee’s training progress Could combine training progress with annual employee performance

review Optional tool being developed by FNS

Encourage training opportunities

States will review compliance with the professional standards at the time of their normal administrative review


Does this mean I need to get a degree?

Does this mean I need to re-write managers position descriptions?

Should I be communicating this to my supervisor?


Resources Available

1. National Foodservice Management Institute-Lots of free, online modules

http://www.nfsmi.org/Templates/TemplateDefault.aspx?qs=cElEPTM=

2. School Nutrition Association

http://www.schoolnutrition.org/

3. USDA Team Nutrition-Resource Library

http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/resource-library/child-nutrition-program-resources/national-school-lunch-program

4. Get Creative!

Smarter lunchroom movement --SAMPLE TRAINING HANDOUT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ggTZ25osU

http://smarterlunchrooms.org


http://www.nfsmi.org/Templates/TemplateDefault.aspx?qs=cElEPTM

http://www.nfsmi.org/Templates/TemplateDefault.aspx?qs=cElEPTM



http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/resource-library/child-nutrition-






http://smarterlunchrooms.org/

Questions?

DiscussionHow do you plan on providing training?How do you plan on tracking trainings?How can we work together on this?


Nevada School Nutrition Association 2014 Conference -Directors Training

Education

Transcript of Nevada School Nutrition Association 2014 Conference -Directors Training