Meal Counting and Claiming Requirements

This is a reminder that while universal meals are required to be served to students at no charge, meals must be claimed based on each student’s determined eligibility. School food authorities (SFAs) must continue to collect required meal applications when operating standard counting and claiming and during a Provision 2 base year. In addition, meal counting and claiming procedures must follow all federal requirements for the meal counting and claiming option that each school site is operating.

Meal Counting and Claiming and Provision Options:

Standard Meal Counting and Claiming:

• Conduct direct certification at least three times per year, including once at the beginning of the school year.
  • Distribute, collect, and certify meal benefit forms to determine each student’s eligibility as Free, Reduced-price, or Paid (F, R, P).
• Transfer each student’s determined eligibility (F, R, P) to the point of service (POS) system or roster. A POS is the point at which a reimbursable meal is identified and served to an eligible child.
• Menu records must demonstrate meal pattern requirements are met to ensure a meal is reimbursable.
• Count each reimbursable meal at the POS based on eligibility (F, R, P). Meal counts may be taken using an electronic system, rosters with eligibility, etc.
• Complete edit checks prior to submitting a claim for reimbursement.
• Submit accurate reimbursement claims in Child Nutrition Information Payment System (CNIPS) based on the monthly POS meal counts determined by eligibility.
• SFAs must complete the verification process before November 15 of each year.
• Retain all documentation referenced above to support the reimbursement claim.

For more information on standard meal counting and claiming you may visit: School Nutrition Programs Eligibility.

Alternate Meal Counting and Claiming: Provision 2 (P2)

Provision 2 Base Year (year one)

• An SFA must apply and be approved by the California Department of Education (CDE) prior to operating P2.
• A base year is the first year of P2. During the base year, SFAs must follow the standard counting and claiming process outlined above.

Provision 2 Non-base Years (years two–four)

The P2 base year eligibility and meal counts are used to establish claiming percentages that will be applied to meal counts in the reimbursement claims for non‑base years.

• Menu records must demonstrate meal pattern requirements are met to ensure a meal is reimbursable.
• Count each reimbursable meal at the POS. Meal counts do not need to be recorded by individual eligibility because claiming percentages were determined during the P2 base year. Meal counts may be taken using an electronic system, tally sheets, clickers, etc.
• Complete edit checks prior to submitting a claim for reimbursement.
• Submit accurate reimbursement claims in CNIPS based on the monthly POS meal counts.
• Retain all documentation referenced above to support the reimbursement claim.

For more information on P2 web page.

Alternate Meal Counting and Claiming: Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)

Eligibility claiming percentages are determined during the CEP approval process. The CEP reimbursement is based on approved claiming percentages which will be applied to meal counts in the reimbursement claims in subsequent years.

• An SFA must apply and be approved by the CDE prior to operating CEP.
• Menu records must demonstrate meal pattern requirements are met to ensure a meal is reimbursable.
• Count each reimbursable meal at the POS. Meal counts do not need to be recorded by individual eligibility because claiming percentages were determined during the CEP approval process. Meal counts may be taken using an electronic system, tally sheets, clickers, etc.
• Complete edit checks prior to submitting a claim for reimbursement.
• Submit accurate reimbursement claims in CNIPS based on the monthly POS meal counts.
• Retain all documentation referenced above to support the reimbursement claim.

For more information on CEP web page.

Recordkeeping

Recordkeeping is vital when participating in the School Nutrition Programs.

Lack of documentation or inability to provide documentation to support claims for reimbursement may result in fiscal action. SFAs operating a provision may also be removed from P2 or CEP.

Be KIND—Keep Important Nutrition Documents.

For questions regarding this Listserv, you may contact your assigned Child Nutrition Consultant.