Refer to the following topics for more information:
•Who is exempt from verification?
•Which verification sampling method should I use?
•Who is qualified to use the Alternate Sampling methods?
•What must be included in the Verification Letter?
This information varies based on your state regulations. Contact your state agency for more detailed information. Verification efforts are not required:
•For children who have been certified under direct certification procedures including children documented as eligible migrant, runaway, homeless, foster, or participating in Head Start/Even Start;
•For children in Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs) with the exception of day students;
•In schools where Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) has approved special cash assistance claims based on economic statistics regarding per capita income, such as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands;
•In schools that only participate in the Special Milk Program (SMP);
•In schools where all children are served with no separate charge for food service and no special cash assistance is claimed (i.e., non-pricing programs claiming only the paid rate of reimbursement); and
•In LEAs where all schools participate in Provision 1, 2, or 3 except in those years in which applications are taken for all students in attendance (i.e., the base year).
2You MUST contact your state agency for regulations that are specific to your state. The sampling size method you use MUST be approved by your state agency.
There are three sampling methods available. Usually, you are required to use the standard sampling method unless you are approved to use one of the alternate methods.
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Standard (Formally known as Basic) |
Alternate 1 (Formally known as Random) |
Alternate 2 (Formally known as Focused) |
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What is the Sample Size? |
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The sample size equals the lesser of: •Three percent (3%) of all applications approved by the LEA as of October 1 of the school year, selected from error prone applications. •3,000 of all applications approved by the LEA as of October 1 of the school year, selected from error prone applications. |
The sample size equals the lesser of: •Three percent (3%) of all applications selected at random from all applications approved by the LEA as of October 1 of the school year. •3,000 of all applications selected at random from all applications approved by the LEA as of October 1 of the school year. |
The sample size equals the lesser of: •One percent (1%) of all applications approved by the LEA as of October 1 of the school year, selected from error prone applications. •1,000 of all applications approved by the LEA as of October 1 of the school year, selected from error prone applications. •PLUS the lessor of: •One-half of one percent (½%) of applications approved by the LEA as of October 1 of the school year that provide a case number in lieu of income information. •500 applications approved by the LEA as of October 1 of the school year that provide a case number in lieu of income information. |
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How are the applications selected? |
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•Selected from error prone applications first. •If the number of selected error prone applications is less than the required sample size, then additional applications are selected at random from all approved applications (both income based and categorical) to complete the required sample size. |
•Selected at random from all eligible applications.
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•Selected from error prone applications and categorical applications to meet individual criteria. •If any of the requirements for the number of applications is not met, then additional applications are selected at random from all approved applications, excluding error prone and categorical applications, to complete the required sample size. |
2You must be approved ANNUALLY by the state agency to use one of the alternate sampling methods. Special procedures may be required by your state agency to use the alternate sampling method. Contact your state agency for more detailed information.
If you are in any of the following situations, you may be able to use the Alternate Sampling methods.
•Low Non-Response Rate
Any LEA may use an alternate sample size for any school year when its non-response rate for the preceding school year is less than twenty percent.
In School Year 2015-2016, 16% of the households selected for verification did not reply. You may be qualified to use an Alternate Sampling method for verification in School Year 2016-2017.
•Improved Non-Response Rate
An LEA with more than 20,000 children approved by application as eligible for free or reduced price meals as of October 1 of the current school year may use an alternate sample size for any school year when its non-response rate for the preceding school year is at least ten percent below the non-response rate for the second preceding school year. Consult your state agency to see if your non-response rate improved by 10% last year.
The LEA must annually determine if it is eligible to use one of the alternate sample sizes. If the LEA determines it is eligible, it must contact its State agency in accordance with any procedures established by the State agency for approval prior to use of alternate sample sizes.
2The Verification Letter that you will use to notify the households must be approved by your state each year. Consult your state agency for specific guidelines.
The Verification Notice Letter must include all of the following information:
•A statement that the household has been selected for verification;
•Use of Information Statement;
•The types of acceptable information that may be provided to confirm current income, including pay stubs, award letters from assistance agencies for benefits such as social security or supplemental security income, and support payment decrees from courts;
•That the household may provide proof that a child or any household member is receiving benefits under the Assistance Programs (SNAP, TANF, or FPDIR) instead of providing income information or that a child is Other Source Categorically Eligible (i.e., children categorized as homeless, runaway, migrant, in Head Start Programs and, as applicable, foster children); that documentation of income or receipt of assistance may be provided for any point in time between the month prior to application and the time the household is required to provide income documentation;
•That information must be provided by a date as specified by the LEA and that failure to do so will result in termination of benefits;
•The contact information of the LEA official who can answer questions and provide assistance;
A toll-free number that households can call to ask questions.