Analysis of Verification Summary Data School Year 2008-2009

This report summarizes the results of the school year (SY) 2008-2009 review of applications approved for free or reduced-price benefits under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) selected nearly 279,000 applications for verification review from among 8.6 million applications approved for free or reduced-price school meals at the start of SY 2008-2009. LEAs confirmed the free or reduced-price status of 46 percent of applications selected for review. Nearly 22 percent of applicants selected were found to have been incorrectly certified. A small number of those applicants (10 percent) were undercertified (initially certified for reduced price meals but found eligible for free meals); the rest (90 percent) were overcertified. The free or reduced-price status of the remaining 32 percent of applications selected for review was terminated for household failure to respond to LEA requests for documentation. Over the past 5 years, LEAs have increasingly focused their verification efforts on error-prone applications. This is the result of program changes mandated by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-265), and increased use of direct certification by LEAs and State education agencies. A relatively high certification error rate among applications selected for review reflects this focus. It also signifies the value of the verification process in USDA efforts to improve program integrity. Appendices include: (1) Summary Tables; (2) Income Eligibility Guidelines, School Year 2008-2009; (3) School Food Authority Verification Summary Report (Form FNS-742); and (4) Flow Chart of the Verification Process. (Contains 11 tables, 10 figures and 16 footnotes.)