12 Steps to Conducting Verification

12 Steps to Conducting Verification

Step 1 - Determine if your Local Educational Agency (LEA) must complete an Improvement Plan

• Schools Required to Submit an Improvement Plan for Certification and Verification for SY 2013-2014
• If the LEA is on the list required to submit an Improvement Plan use the following documents:
• Requirements for an Improvement Plan for Certification and Verification for SY 2013-2014
• Improvement Plan for Certification and Verification SY 2013-2014

Step 2 - Determine the sampling method your LEA must use to identify applications for verification.

• Schools Required to use Basic Sampling (Standard Sample) for SY 2013-2014
  • Basic Sampling (Standard Sample)
• If the LEA is not on the list for Basic Sampling one of the two alternate methods may be selected.
• Alternate-Random Sampling
• Alternate-Focused Sampling

Step 3 - Establish the Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application pool.

• Only approved current school year applications as of October 1 must make up the pool.
• Applications that should not be included in the application pool are:
  • Students directly certified; students certified as migrant, homeless, or runaway; students in Headstart or Evenstart programs.

Step 4 - Calculate the sample size/number of applications that must be verified.

• Follow the instructions on the sampling method information sheet.
• Be sure to round up.

Step 5 - Conduct a Confirmation Review of the applications selected for verification.

• LEAs that use electronic systems are exempt from this requirement.
• Document on the back of the original application the date of when the Confirmation Review was conducted.

Step 6 - Notify the selected households.

• Use the We Must Check Your Application form.
• Give the households a due date.

Step 7 - Contact the local Department of Human Service (DHS) office to verify applications with a Food Assistance Program (FAP) or Family Independence Program (FIP) case number by using the following two forms located at the link below:

• Letter to the Department of Human Services From the Local Educational Agency

Step 8 - Conduct a Follow-up Review for any household that has not responded by the original due date.

• Document on the back of the original application the date of when the Follow-up Review was conducted.

Step 9 - Notify all households of the final verification determination.

• Use the We Have Checked Your Application form.
• Households must be given 10 day advance, written notification that benefits will be decreased.
• The first day of the ten calendar day advance notice is the day the notice is sent.

Step 10 - Make any required changes to benefit issuance documentation as required from the outcomes of the Verification process by November 15.

• Be sure to wait until the 10 day advance notification period has passed.

Step 11 - Complete all required Verification documents.

• Verification Worksheet
• Verification Check List
• These forms must remain on file as part of the Verification documentation.

 Step 12 - The Verification Results Reporting System formerly known as LEARs is in the process of being updated.  All specific details and directions for submitting the verification results to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) will be forthcoming.  Thank you for your patience while we work on the new and improved verification results reporting system.

Please note the verification results reporting will open earlier this year.  The reporting system will open December 15, 2013, and must be submitted to (MDE) by February 1, 2014.  If your LEA needs to designate a new indivdual to access the verification results reporting system, the Child Nutrition Program Security Agreement must be completed.  The form is available at http://michigan.gov/meis.