INDEPENDENT REVIEW PROCESS

SY 2014-15

USDA Requirement

•Any district that is determined to have a 10% error rate of applications determined as a result of Administrative Review.

ALSDE Requirement

•Any district/SFA with an identified error related to free and reduced meal applications during an Administrative Review.

•Form FNS-742a will be embedded in the annual Verification Summary report.

Independent Review (Second Review)

•Independent Review is referred to in USDA memos and the Eligibility Manual for School Meals, August 2014 as “second review”.

•Second Review should not be confused with the original review of the Free and Reduced School Meal Applications which requires a Determining Official and Confirming Official signature.

•Independent Review requires a third person to review the application. The third person cannot be the Determining or Confirming Official.

Independent Review SFA Process

•Re-evaluation of 100% free and reduced applications.•Confirmation that the application was correctly approved based on current income eligibility guidelines or categorical eligibility information as applicable.

•The master list or roster of student names correctly records the student’s eligibility.

•The application must be complete including:•Signature of an adult household member•Last four digits of a social security number or indication of “none”•Names of all household members including the student for whom application is made

• Income amount for each household member identified • Income source• Income frequency or categorical information, if applicable

SFA Process (continued)•The Independent Review must be completed within the same 10 days and before the household is notified of eligibility.

•The person completing Independent Review must be a third person who was not involved in original determination.

•Independent Review will be completed yearly unless otherwise determined by the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) staff.

•Results of Independent Review will be entered into the online Verification Summary. The deadline will be determined and published yearly by the ALSDE.

SFA Independent Review Reporting •In lieu of requiring the FNS-742a form, the State Agency has chosen to embed this document in the online Verification Summary.

•The area in the Verification Summary is numbered 1-1 through 1-3 and is located between Sections 4 and 5.

•Only SFAs selected for Independent Review will be able to view and complete this area.

References •Eligibility Manual for School Meals, August 2014,

page 40•USDA Memos:

•SP 62-2014, Release of the new Local Educational Agency Second Review of Applications Report (form FNS-742a)

•SP 44-2014, Questions and Answers Related to the Independent Review of Applications