• Free and Reduced-Price Applications - Processing and Approving
• Free and Reduced-Price Applications - Parts
• Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Reference Sheet
• Accessing Free and Reduced Price Meals for Students Experiencing Homelessness and Foster Students

SY 2021-22 Materials

• 2021-22 Income Guidelines - Effective July 1, 2021 
• Application for Free and Reduced-Price Meals Template
  • Public Schools | PDF Version | Spanish Version 
  • Private Schools | PDF Version | Spanish Version 
• Letter to Households Template
  • Public School Districts | Spanish Version
  • Non-Pricing/Provision | Spanish Version 
  • Private Schools/RCCI | Spanish Version
  • Seamless Summer Option (SSO) | Spanish Version
• Consent to Share Eligibility Template | PDF Version | Spanish Version 
• Notice of Eligibility Template (Public) | Notice of Eligibility (Private) | Spanish Version 
• Notice of Eligibility - Direct Certification Template | Spanish Version 
• Notice of Eligibility - Direct Certification Medicaid Template | Spanish Version 
• Notice of Denied Eligibility Template | Spanish Version 
• Notice of Approval/Denial of Benefits Template (Public) | Notice of Approval/Denial of Benefits Template (Private)  | Spanish Version 
• Sample Public Release Template 
• Translated School Meal Applications
• USDA Application Materials

• Direct Certification Reference Sheet
• Direct Certification - Medicaid Reference Sheet
• Direct Certification System User's Manual
• Direct Certification - Medicaid Training

• Free and Reduced-Price Disclosure Reference Sheet
• Disclosure Chart
• Confidentiality Requirements of Common Programs
• Consent to Share Eligibility Template | PDF Version | Spanish Version
• Sample Data Share Agreement
• Implementing HB 1660 - Guidance

This toolkit is designed to help districts promote the importance of families filling out the Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application each year. The information collected on these forms can help schools receive funding for important programs.

Flyers & Templates

• Email and Robocall Option - English | Arabic | Chinese (simplified) | Khmer | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Ukrainian | Vietnamese 
• It's More Than a Meal Application Flyer (color and black &white) - English | Arabic | Chinese (simplified) | Khmer | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Ukrainian | Vietnamese 

Social Media

• Social Media Post Ideas - English | Arabic | Chinese (simplified) | Khmer | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Ukrainian | Vietnamese 
• It's More Than a Meal Application Social Media Graphics
  • Graphic 1: It's More Than a Meal Application - English | Arabic | Chinese (simplified) | Khmer | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Ukrainian | Vietnamese 
  • Graphic 2: Reduced Fees - English | Arabic | Chinese (simplified) | Khmer | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Ukrainian | Vietnamese 

Are These Materials Editable?

Yes, we have created an editable version of the flyer in both color and black & white options. You may choose to add your school colors, contact information, links, district logos, or other information.

Here are the steps you must complete: 

1. Click the appropriate link below and go to Canva, you must create an account if you don't already have one (it's free). 
2. IMPORTANT: Before you start editing, you must make a copy of the items to avoid multiple edits to the same image.
   •  Go to the upper left-hand corner and select "File".
   • Select "Make a Copy". 
3. A new page will populate and you can start editing! 
   • Edit the More Than a Meal Flyer in Canva. 
   • Edit the More Than A Meal Social Media Graphics in Canva.

This toolkit is modified from the LA Unified School District's More Than a Meal Toolkit. 

Verification of free and reduced-price meal applications is an annual requirement for all local education agencies (LEAs) that include public school districts, private schools, and Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs) that collect eligibility applications to determine free and reduced-price meal benefits for students. Verification is the confirmation of current eligibility for free and reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). Verification is only required when eligibility has been approved through the application process (not directly certified students). 

Instructions & Tools for Completing the Verification Process

• Verification Reference Sheet
• Verification for Cause Reference Sheet
• General Instructions
• General Instructions (FY 21)
• Tool 1: Timeline for Completing Verification Tasks
• Tool 1: Timeline for Completing Verification Tasks (FY 21)
• Tool 2: Verification Non-Response Rate 20% or Greater for SY 2019-20
• Tool 3: 3% Focused Sampling Worksheet
• Tool 4: 3% Random Sampling Worksheet
• Tool 5: 1% plus 1/2% Focused Sampling Worksheet
• Tool 6: Explanation of Method Used to Select Verification Sample
• Tool 6: Explanation of Method Used to Select Verification Sample (FY 21)
• Tool 7: Waiver of Second Party Confirmation Review
• Tool 8: Documentation of the Verification Process Form
• Letter 1: We Must Check Your Application | Spanish
• Letter 2: Follow Up / Second Notice to Households | Spanish
• Letter 3: We Have Checked Your Application | Spanish

Verification Summary Report

Starting SY19-20, the Verification Summary Report (VSR) is completed in the Washington Integration Nutrition System (WINS). To learn more about this process, please view the School Meal Programs Training webpage and select the Program Training dropdown.

To discover more about this process, we recommend the following:

1. Review the VSR Update Training
2. If you are new to verification, review these two trainings:
   • Verification Training 
   • Completing the Verification Summary Report in WINS

To assist in collecting data, you can use the old VSR template. Here are instructions for the old VSR template, and previous training, if you would like to view them.