Welcome to the Verification Workshop

Department of Agriculture

School Nutrition Programs609.984.0692

www.nj.gov/agriculture

Objectives

To understand and conduct verification correctly

To file required reports in a timely manner

To understand how to complete the new Verification Collection Report

What is verification?

Verification is the confirmation of eligibility for free and reduced price meals

Verification of eligibility

Must include either confirmation of:

Reported income

or NJ SNAP or TANF eligibility

Why is verification important?

It identifies children who are receiving benefits improperly

Children receiving benefits improperly result in the misuse of federal funds

The New SFA Verification Collection Report

Overview of Changes Report’s layout is different

Report has 5 separate sections

All SFAs participating in the NSLP must complete the new form in the applicable sections

SFAs with alternate provisions must complete the report in the applicable sections

Save the dates October 1st

Report number of applications in SNEARS

October 31st

Complete and submit the Verification Collection Report in SNEARS

Are you ready?

Be certain: applications are complete and

correctly determined a second look for accuracy is

strongly suggested applications have been identified

as error prone the district has developed a

Benefit Issuance Document (BID)

Number to verify?

Selection criteria

Must select applications identified as “ERROR PRONE”

Error prone is . . .

Weekly: $0 - $25 Every two weeks or twice a month: $0

- $50 Monthly: $0 - $100 Annually: $0 - $1200

below the free or reduced price income eligibility limits.

Household of 4 Income $565.00/week Eligibility = free

Is this application error prone?

$565.00 is within the range of error proneIs this application error prone?

$589.00 weekly IEG- $ 25.00 error prone identifier $564.00Range is $564.00 $589.00

YES!

Household of 2 Income

$1695/monthly Eligibility = reduced

Is this application error prone?

$2392 monthly IEG -$100 error prone identifier$2292 Range is $2292 $2392

$1695 is not “within” the range of error proneIs this application error prone?

NO!

Not enough/Too many

Insufficient Number of Error Prone

Randomly select from remaining applications

Excess Number of Error Prone

Randomly select from error prone

What should I do?

Random selection

Any method which gives each application an equal chance of being selected

Selection must not involve discrimination

Never to be included in the random selection. . .

Directly certified students (SNAP/TANF) Homeless, migrant, and runaway children Children in RCCIs (Group Homes) FPM or SSMP (Milk Programs) Denied applications Schools participating in Provision 1 and 2,

except in the base year Foster child with documentation from DYFS

Confirmation review of selected applications

Prior to notifying the household of verification the applications selected must be reviewed by the confirming official

Confirming official: Validates determination

If incorrect, notify household of change Correctly identifies application as “error

prone” Signs and dates application May not be the determining official

Keeping on Task

Set up verification folder Complete and attach “Verification

Tracker” (Form #242) Households must be notified in writing

”We Must Check Your Application” (Form #236)

Attach all documents and correspondence to verified application

And the task continues…

Must verify all income on the application

Acceptable proof of income documents must be from the month prior to applying up to the current time

Incomplete verification

An attempt must be made to obtain the information “Letter to Notify Household of Incomplete Verification” (Form #237)

When the household fails to respond . . .

SECOND ATTEMPT must be made by: mail “Second Notice We Must Check

Your Application” (Form #21) or phone or Email

And the task still continues . . .

Document on “Verification Tracker” (Form #242) attempts and results

Verification must be completed for all applications which have been selected

If all students in the household withdraw, must select a new application to verify

Acceptable documentation

for income JOBS

Dated paycheck stub indicating gross income amount and frequency

Signed and dated letter from employer indicating gross income amount and frequency “Letter to Verify Employment” (Form #241)

Documentation (cont.)Social Security, Pensions or Retirement Social Security retirement benefit letter

Statement of benefits received

Pension award notice

Paystub or copy of check

Documentation (cont.)Unemployment, Disability, or

Worker’s Compensation

Notice of eligibility from state employment security office

Check stub

Letter from worker’s compensation

Documentation (cont.)

Welfare Payments

Benefit letter from welfare agency

Other Income (such as rental)

A dated letter indicating amount of income and frequency

Documentation (cont.)Child support or Alimony

Court decree or agreement Copies of checks received

Military Housing

Letters/rental contract from the military housing privatization initiative

Documentation (cont.)

Self-employed

Ledger books

Last quarterly tax estimate

Prior year’s tax return

Documentation (cont.)Foster Child Documentation from an appropriate State

or local agency indicating the child is the responsibility of the State or has been placed with a caretaker by the court.

Foster families receive a “Resource Family Parent Identification Letter” (DYFS 5-49)

Acceptable documentation for categorical (NJ SNAP or

TANF)

NJ SNAP or TANF certification notice that shows dates of certification

Letter from NJ SNAP or TANF office that shows dates of certification

Unacceptable documentation

W-2 Forms

EBT

NJ SNAP photo identification card

Medicaid identification card

WIC identification card

Family First card

Verification through collateral contacts

Collateral contact is used when the household is not able to provide written evidence

Collateral contact is an individual outside the household who is knowledgeable about the household’s circumstances

And the task never ends . . ..verifying for cause

May verify any questionable application for cause anytime during the school year

Excluded from sample size

Must include results on “Verification Collection Report” (Form #742) if verified for cause before November 15th

Verifying School District Employees For Cause

Verification for cause must not be conducted on all district employees’ approved lunch applications

The LEA could identify questionable applications from school district employees and then conduct verification for cause on those questionable applications only

Results of verification

No change in benefits

Increase in benefits

Reduction in benefits

Termination of benefits

No change in benefit level

Documentation supports approved benefit level

The LEA should send the “We Have Checked Your Application” (Form #244)

Increase in benefit level

Documentation qualifies the household for free meals

The LEA must send the “We Have Checked Your Application” (Form #244)

Benefits are increased immediately

R→F

Reduction in benefit level

Documentation exceeds the original reported amount

The LEA must send the “We Have Checked Your Application” (Form #244)

The households must be given 10 calendar days prior to reducing benefits

F→R or F→D or R→D

Termination of benefit level after 2nd attempt

Failure to respond to verificationor

Incomplete response to verification

The LEA must send the “We Have Checked Your Application” (Form #244)

The households must be given 10 calendar days prior to reducing benefits

Household responds to termination notice

If household responds with required documents within 10 calendar days and eligibility is supported, benefits continue

If household responds and eligibility is not supported, benefits remain terminated/denied

The LEA must send the “We Have Checked Your Application” (Form #244)

Recordkeeping Staff must be notified of changes in

meal eligibility Meal status changes must be

extended to all children in the household

Meal status changes are applied to all school nutrition programs offered

Appeal Process Households request hearing during the 10

calendar day period LEA must continue to provide original

benefits until final determination is made If hearing official rules:

a termination or reduction, benefits takes place within 10 operating days

an increase in benefits takes place within 3 operating days

ReapplyingHouseholds that are affected by reduction

or termination in benefits: May reapply any time during the school

year These applications are NOT considered

new applications Required to submit income or proof of

participation in NJ SNAP or TANF documentation at time of reapplication

Steps to complete the Verification Summary

Report the results of all applications verified in Section 5 on the “Verification Collection Report” (Form #742)

It’s October 31st

Final submission of the Verification Collection Report is available October 31st through November 30th

SFA’s must complete all applicable fields

General Information

Section 1- All SFAs Must Fill Out

Section 2 – SFA’s Operating Provisions

N/AN/A

Section 3- Students Approved Free Not Subject to Verification

Section 3, Line 3-2 – Students Directly Certified through SNAP

• Include all SNAP direct certifications in this count.

• If a student is SNAP directly certified along with another program (i.e. SNAP/TANF), classify it as a SNAP direct certification. Include it in the count on this line, not on another line—SNAP takes precedence.

• If a student is extended eligibility for free meals because someone else in the household receives SNAP, classify it as SNAP direct certification, and include it in this count.

Section 4 – Students approved as Free or Reduced through an application

As of Octobe

r 1st

Last operatin

g day Oct.

Totals – T-1 and T-2

T-1 = Total FREE eligible students reported

T-2 = Total REDUCED PRICE eligible students reported

Section 5 - Results of Verification

Results of Verification

Verified For Cause

VC-1: Report the total number of household applications verified for cause, as of Nov. 15th, if applicable;

These applications are outside the standard verification process; i.e., they are NOT considered part of the required sample size;

You MUST include the results of verification for cause by original benefit type in 5-8.

Consequences when verification incorrect:

Reimbursement may be withheld

May have to “re-do” verification

Thank you for attending the

Verification Workshop

Department of Agriculture

School Nutrition Programs609.984.0692

www.nj.gov/agriculture