Verification Updates

All CEs must submit a Preliminary Verification Report (PVR) in November and the Verification Report (FNS-742) between November 15 - February 1.

October 1, 2021 Count of approved meal applications on file

Last operating day in October Count of students for annual Preliminary and SFA Verification Reports

November 1, 2021 Preliminary Verification Report (PVR) opens – TX-UNPS > Download Forms SNP-123 Verification Report Resources and email link

November 15, 2021 Verification Process Completed and PVR due

December 1, 2021 Verification Collection Report (FNS-742) opens in TX-UNPS

February 1, 2022 Verification Collection Report (FNS-742) due

Required Forms: www.SquareMeals.org > NSLP > Eligibility and Verification > Application Verification

✓ Verification Report | Individual Household Form – Summary of the verification process for each household.

✓ Verification Notification – Selection Letter for Households – this is required by regulation. Not required for households directly verified.

✓ Verification of Free and Reduced-Price Eligibility | Information for Households – must be included with the letter to the households selected for verification of eligibility.

✓ Verification Notification Results | Adverse Action or Continuation of Benefits Letter

Required Forms: www.SquareMeals.org > Programs > National School Lunch Program > Eligibility and Verification > SSO Templates and Resources

NEW! Verification Letter Templates - All districts operating SSO are still required to conduct verification using a sample size based on the number of approved applications on file as of October 1, 2021, even if only processing select applications for P-EBT. However, TDA has created the below verification letter templates with language explaining the purpose of conducting verification in a school year when all students are eligible for free meals.

• Annually, the CE must randomly select and verify a sample of applications approved for benefits. This includes all applications for the CE, not by campus.
• The verification process may begin any time after the CE begins receiving applications. An estimate of applications to be verified can be based on last verification numbers. The CE may not verify more applications than are required based on the sampling method.
• CEs will conduct a Texas ELMS match the end of September to identify any new students since the September 5th upload. Update the Master List to reflect any changes for students identified as Directly Certified (DC) in Texas ELMS; this could reduce the total number of applications counted on October 1.
• On October 1, the CE counts the actual number of approved applications on file.
• CEs that utilize computer systems are advised to be certain the computer system has correctly calculated verification numbers. Some systems use normal rounding procedures to round down for decimals less than .5 causing the CE to be short of the verification requirement based on the October 1 count.
• At least one application must be verified.
• When determining the required verification sample size of applications to be verified, round all fractions upward.
• CEs should review the USDA School Food Authority (SFA) Verification Collection Report FNS-742 instructions to ensure accurate data collection from applications on October 1 and students the last operating day of October.
• CEs may utilize the form fill USDA School Food Authority (SFA) Verification Collection Report (FNS-742) located in the NSLP Administration/Forms section on the www.SquareMeals.org website to track data that will be entered into the required Preliminary and Verification Collection Reports.
• Preliminary Verification Report Data - The count of students reported on the Preliminary Verification Report MUST equal the count of students reported on the SFA Verification Collection Report.

➢ All CEs will need to count the number of students enrolled as of the last operating day in October. This includes the number of students with approved applications and the number of students directly certified BY EACH CATEGORY.

➢ The count of students with applications does not apply to RCCIs or sites that participate in CEP or P2. CEs that participate in CEP and P2 are required to report the count of students directly certified.

➢ The Preliminary Verification Report will open November 1st and is due Monday, November 15th. This is a Jot Form in TX-UNPS Download Forms (SNP-123). A link to the form will be emailed to each child nutrition director.

• October 1: CEs must count all currently approved applications (SY 2021-22 applications only).
• Applications INCLUDED – free income, SNAP /TANF (those with EDG #s), foster, reduced income.
• Students EXCLUDED – Children certified under direct certification procedures including children documented as Direct Certified as SNAP, TANF, Medicaid Free, Medicaid Reduced (and extended benefit students), Head Start, Early Head Start, Migrant, Homeless/Runaway, or certified Foster; children on RCCI lists; and students on denied applications.

• The required sampling method is based on the CE’s last verification results. TDA will notify each CE by email of sample methods the CE may use. However, any CE may choose to use the Standard Sampling Method.
• New CEs must use Standard (Error Prone) Sampling.

Recommended: complete the TDA Sample Method Worksheet for Verification to prove the correct sample pool is selected.

• Standard (Error Prone) *required, if the non-response rate percent is >20% -

➢ Standard Sample Size method requires CEs to select 3% of all applications on file October 1 or 3,000 (whichever is less), to determine the number of applications to be verified. CEs may not exceed the 3%.

➢ Once the number of applications is determined, the selection of applications must first be selected from error prone applications, those within $100 per month (or $1,200 per year) of the current Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEGs). If there are not enough error prone applications, select non error prone applications to complete the sample size

➢ For manual systems, it is suggested that error prone applications be identified at time of determination. A colored dot is one way to identify error prone applications. Automated systems should be able to identify error prone applications. Check with your software provider to ensure that this is possible.

• Alternate 1 (Random) Sample Size Method *option, if the non-response rate percent is <20% 3% or 3,000 (whichever is less) randomly selected from all approved household applications as of October 1.
• Alternate 2 (Focused) Sample Size Method *option, if the non-response rate percent is <20% Sample size equals 1,000 or 1% (whichever is less) of all approved applications plus 500 or .005 (whichever is less) of approved SNAP/TANF applications on file as of October 1. The sample is selected from all approved applications as of October 1. CEs should use the Verification Sample Method Worksheet available in TX-UNPS>Download Forms > SNP-123 Verification Report Resources to determine the verification sample number.

• CEs should utilize the TDA Verification Sample Method Worksheet located in TX-UNPS > Download Forms > SNP-123 Verification Report Resources to determine the number of applications to be selected and to track Direct Verification matches for the Preliminary Verification Report.
• CEs must randomly select the required number of applications based on the sampling method information above.
• CEs must conduct the Confirmation Review on applications selected for verification. A Confirmation Review is not required if CEs utilizing electronic systems have requested a Technology-Based Confirmation exemption from TDA via TX-UNPS.

➢ Confirming Official: someone other than the Reviewing Official must review the accuracy of initial eligibility before sending out the letter of notification to the household (See Administrator's Reference Manual (ARM), Section 6, Verification for Confirmation Review details).

➢ Documentation: Sign/date in appropriate area on household application or electronic note.

• NOTE: The CE may elect to replace up to 5% of the applications selected for verification if the household is considered a “fragile” household. Fragile is defined as those households where it is highly probable that they will not respond to verification due to language barriers or life crisis in the household. CEs must randomly select another household that meets the same criteria as the household being replaced. For example, if the household application was error prone then a new error prone application should be selected and documentation of why this replacement was made should be recorded.
• If the chosen application(s) are matched through one of the following methods, the application is considered verified and process is considered complete. The CE does not send letter/instructions to households. When the CE is not able to verify the household through direct verification, or DC on October 5th the CE sends the Verification Notification – Selection Letter and Verification of Free and Reduced-Price Eligibility | Information for Households to selected households.
• ➢ Direct Certification Run on October 5 th - students identified on the October 5th DC match list are considered directly verified. The DC list will serve as documentation of direct verification and no further action needed.
• ➢ Direct Verification – upload student names identified for verification into the Texas ELMS Direct Verification module for possible matches prior to sending out notification letters. If the CE is able to directly verify eligibility, the CE does not have to collect documentation from the household. If the CE is able to directly verify eligibility, the CE will take the following steps to finish the verification:

o The CE prints the match screen, do not send letter to household (verification is complete for these households).

o The CE completes the Verification Report/Individual Household Form.

The Verification Official identified in the TX-UNPS application packet must review all documents submitted by the household. Documentation of income or receipt of assistance may be provided from any point in time between the month prior to application and the time the household is required to provide documentation.

• Responded—decreased, continued, or increased benefits:

➢ Verification is complete.

➢ The CE must complete the Verification Report|Individual Household Form for each household selected for verification. The Verification Official’s signature should be entered on the back of the paper applications and on the bottom of the Verification Report/Individual Household Form.

➢ The CE must notify household of results by sending Continuation of Benefits letter (optional) or Results/Adverse Action letter (required if benefits decrease).

• Non-responding—Follow Up

➢ The CE MUST follow-up with a second notification prior to termination (may be via personal contact, phone, email, or letter).

➢ The Verification Official’s signature should be entered on the back of the paper applications and on the bottom of the Verification Report/Individual Household Form. The CE MUST notify households in writing by sending Results/Adverse Action letter (10-calendar day notice).

➢ All CEs will need to count the number of students enrolled as of the last operating day in October. This includes the number of students with approved applications and the number of students directly certified BY EACH CATEGORY.

➢ The count of students with applications does not apply to RCCIs or sites that participate in CEP or P2. CEs that participate in CEP and P2 are required to report the count of students directly certified.

➢ The Preliminary Verification Report will open November 1st and is due Monday, November 15th. This is a Jot Form in TX-UNPS Download Forms (SNP-123). A link to the form will be emailed to each child nutrition director.

• Recommended: complete the TDA Sample Method Worksheet for Verification to prove the correct sample pool is selected.
• Confirming Official must confirm the original determination of an application unless CE has approval from TDA for an approved technology-based application.
• Recommended: upload the student's enrollment file into the Direct Verification of TXELMS prior to notifying the household.
• CEs must retain the Verification Report|Individual Household Form for each household verified.
• CEs will upload enrollment in Texas Elms mid-October to identify students for the Preliminary Verification Report, due November 15. The jot form report will open November 1st .
• The CE must complete the USDA School Food Authority (SFA) Verification Collection Report FNS-742 in TX-UNPS between December 1, 2021 and February 1, 2022.
• The CE must print a copy, sign, and file the Verification Collection Report to document completion of the process.
• The CE must retain records with supporting forms for 5 years (public and charter schools) or 3 years (private and Residential Child Care Institutions).

A CE must verify any questionable application that provides conflicting information on a case by-case basis. Verification for cause may be conducted at any time during the school year.

The CE will follow the same process using the same prototype notification letters used for required verification when conducing verification for cause.

The number of applications verified for cause as of November 15 must be reported in section 5-8 in addition to the verification requirement.

Reasons for Selection of Application for Verification for Cause

Verification for cause is not an automatic process. Any application that is selected to be verified for cause is chosen because it is considered to be a questionable application:

• The CE is unable to confirm a household’s participation in a Categorical Assistance Eligible program. • The CE determines that known or available information is conflicting.
• The CE determines that known or available information indicates a mistake or misrepresentation on the application form.

• NSLP Monthly Newsletter providing most current updates (sent via e-mail from TDA)
• TDA website: www.SquareMeals.org NSLP ˃ Eligibility and Verification ˃ Application Verification
• TDA website: www.SquareMeals.org NSLP ˃ Policy/ARM - Section 3: Civil Rights and Confidentiality Section 4: Determining Eligibility and Section 6: Verification of Eligibility
• TDA website: www.SquareMeals.org NSLP ˃ Administration/Forms ˃ USDA School Food Authority (SFA) Verification Collection Report – FNS 742
• TDA website: www.SquareMeals.org NSLP ˃ Training ˃ NSLP ˃ Verification of Eligibility training module
• TX-UNPS Download Forms ˃ SNP-123 Verification Report Resources and Jot Form required for reporting
• USDA Website: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/eligibility-manual-school-meals Eligibility Manual for School Meals

1.) Texas ELMS and Direct Certification - An Overview: Click Here

• How to Upload Files to Direct Certification - A 60-second Video: Click Here
• How to Download Match Reports in Direct Certification - A 60-second Video: Click Here
• How to Search for, Claim, and Unclaim Students in Direct Certification - A 30-second Video: Click Here

2.) How to use the Unclaimed EDG Number Matches Report to make the DC batch upload file: Click Here

Tona Holcombe

CN Program Administrative Assistant

936-435-8236

tholcombe@esc6.net

Julie A. Smith

CN Program Specialist, SNP/SSO

936-435-8238

jasmith@esc6.net

Cindy Scott

CN Program Specialist, SNP/SSO

936-435-8234

cscott@esc6.net

Dina Herrick

CN Program Specialist, CACFP/SFSP

936-435-8244

dherrick@esc6.net

This newsletter is not considered all-inclusive. Contact an ESC Specialist or go to squaremeals.org for further guidance.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. This program is funded by the USDA.