Direct Certification

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Free and Reduced Eligibility Manual
Direct Certification Part 6
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Free and Reduced Eligibility Manual
What is Direct Certification?
Direct Cert is a simplified method of determining
free meal eligibility Families that qualify
with direct cert do not have to submit a meal
application Children Receiving SNAP qualify for
direct certification
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Free and Reduced Eligibility Manual
Everyone MUST complete Direct Certification!
Section 104, Child Nutrition and WIC
Reauthorization Act of 2004 Requires Direct
Certification for Children in Food Stamp
Households (which is now SNAP)
As of the 2008-2009 all schools, regardless of
size must complete direct certification
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Free and Reduced Eligibility Manual
How does direct Cert work?

• We upload a human services file, that contains a
  list of all children in CO receiving SNAP
• Districts upload their file to the state created
  database
• Any student that matches is Directly certified

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Free and Reduced Eligibility Manual
The Rules of Direct Certification

• It is NOT fool proof, some students receiving
  SNAP may not match because of a different
  address, or their last name was recorded
  differently
• Just because one child in a family is directly
  certified it does not mean all the children in
  the family are direct cert.
• Any family that not all children are directly
  certified must be given an application for the
  remaining children

• If a family has some children that are direct
  Cert and others that are not the SFA has the
  option to contact the County Social Services
  Office to confirm any missing children
• If the SFA chooses to do this and the children
  are found to be receiving SNAP an application
  does NOT need to be sent to the household

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Free and Reduced Eligibility Manual
What Information do Districts Need to Complete
Direct Certification?

• District Number
• Student ID number
• Students First and Last name
• Students Birthdates
• Students addresses
• City
• Zip Code
• (pg. 48 of manual)

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Free and Reduced Eligibility Manual
Results of Match Report

• Four types of matches
• SS, Last Name, Birth date
• SS, Birth date
• Last Name, First Name, Birth date, Zip code
• Last Name, First Name, Birth date

Any student with an asterisk in their row needs
to be reviewed by the SFA and confirm that it is
the correct student!
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Free and Reduced Eligibility Manual
Examples
District Information
Social Services Info
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Free and Reduced Eligibility Manual
Record Keeping

• Once all of the files with an asterisk have been
  reviewed, the person completing the review must
  sign and date the front page of the match report
• The hard copy needs to be kept on file for 3
  years plus the current school year
• The computer copy should be saved to a CD or
  flash drive
• Download the district file into your districts
  Free and Reduced eligibility software
• Be sure to send out letters to families to
  notify the household that their child is eligible
  for free meal benefits

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Free and Reduced Eligibility Manual
Mail To CDE
Attachment E
Yearly Agreement between SFA CDE
Attachment F
Notification Methods
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Free and Reduced Eligibility Manual
Time Line
Direct Certification MUST be complete by
September 4th 2009
The upload must be complete and Attachments E
and F must be sent to CDE