nevada school nutrition association 2014 conference -directors training
DESCRIPTION
NSNA Directors Training 2014 presented by Nevada Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Division. Presentation covers Direct Certification, Community Eligibility Provision, Verification, Professional Development Standards, New Meal Pattern, USDA Foods, and DoD FreshTRANSCRIPT
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
Direct Certification
The BasicsWho, What, Where, When and How
What does DC impact?
Best Practices
Electronic DC matchingReports from Districts using electronic match
Questions and Discussion
Direct Certification
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/
Direct Certification
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!!
Direct Certification
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
Direct Certification
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!
Direct Certification
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
Direct Certification
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)
Direct Certification
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…….
Direct Certification
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?
Direct Certification
Questions & Discussion
Catrina Peters, MS, RDNutrition Programs Professional
Community Eligibility Provision
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
Community Eligibility Provision
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)
Identified Student Percentage
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
Identified Student Percentage
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
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
Community Eligibility Provision
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
Community Eligibility Provision
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
Questions?
Discussion from the field
Who is opting to pursue CEP?
What are you concerns/challenges?
Community Eligibility Provision
Catrina Peters, MS, RDNutrition Programs Professional
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
Break
Catrina Peters, MS, RDNutrition Programs Professional
Professional Development Standards
The Basics
What is required of who?
What Directors need to know
Documentation Requirements
Resources Available
Professional Development Standards
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
Professional Development Standards
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
Professional Development Standards
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
Professional Development Standards
**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
Professional Development Standards
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
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 one year of relevant experience
Food Service Director Requirements for Districts with 2,500-9,999 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
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
Professional Development Standards
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?
Professional Development Standards
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
Professional Development Standards
Questions?
DiscussionHow do you plan on providing training?How do you plan on tracking trainings?How can we work together on this?
Professional Development Standards