7 CFR 245.2 – Definitions
Adult means any individual 21 years of age or older.
Categorically eligible means considered income eligible for free meals or free milk, as applicable, based on documentation that a child is a member of a Family, as defined in this section, and one or more children in that family are receiving assistance under SNAP, FDPIR or the TANF program, as defined in this section. A Foster child, Homeless child, a Migrant child, a Head Start child and a Runaway child, as defined in this section, are also categorically eligible. Categorical eligibility and automatic eligibility may be used synonymously.
Commodity school means a school which does not participate in the National School Lunch Program under part 210 of this chapter, but which enters into an agreement as provided in § 210.15a(b) to receive commodities donated under part 250 of this chapter for a nonprofit lunch program.
Current income means income, as defined in § 245.6(a), received during the month prior to application. If such income does not accurately reflect the household’s annual rate of income, income shall be based on the projected annual household income. If the prior year’s income provides an accurate reflection of the household’s current annual income, the prior year may be used as a base for the projected annual rate of income.
Direct certification means determining a child is eligible for free meals or free milk, as applicable, based on documentation obtained directly from the appropriate State or local agency or individuals authorized to certify that the child is a member of a household receiving assistance under SNAP, as defined in this section; is a member of a household receiving assistance under FDPIR or under the TANF program, as defined in this section; a Foster child, Homeless child, a Migrant child, a Head Start child and a Runaway child, as defined in this section.
Disclosure means reveal or use individual children’s program eligibility information obtained through the free and reduced price meal or free milk eligibility process for a purpose other than for the purpose for which the information was obtained. The term refers to access, release, or transfer of personal data about children by means of print, tape, microfilm, microfiche, electronic communication or any other means.
Documentation means:
(1) The completion of a free and reduced price school meal or free milk application which includes:
(i) For households applying on the basis of income and household size, names of all household members; income received by each household member, identified by source of the income (such as earnings, wages, welfare, pensions, support payments, unemployment compensation, and social security and other cash income); the signature of an adult household member; and the last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member who signs the application or an indication that the adult does not possess a social security number; or
(ii) For a child who is receiving assistance under SNAP, FDPIR or TANF, as defined in this section, the child’s name and appropriate SNAP or TANF case number or FDPIR case number or other FDPIR identifier and signature of an adult household member.
(2) In lieu of completion of the free and reduced price meal application:
(i) Information obtained from the State or local agency responsible for administering SNAP, FDPIR or TANF, as defined in this section. Documentation for these programs includes the name of the child; a statement certifying that the child is a member of a household receiving assistance under SNAP, FDPIR or TANF, as defined in this section; information in sufficient detail to match the child attending school in the local educational agency with the name of a child who is a member of one of the applicable programs as defined in this section; the signature of the official from the applicable program who is authorized to provide such documentation on behalf of that program and the date that the official signed the certification statement;
(ii) A letter or other document provided to the household by the agency administering FDPIR or the TANF program, as defined in this section or by the court, entity, or official authorized to administer an eligible program for a Foster child, a Homeless child, a Migrant child, a Head Start child, or a Runaway child as defined in this section.
(iii) Information from the local educational agency, such as enrollment information or information from applications submitted for free or reduced price meals, or from SNAP, FDPIR or TANF program officials that indicate there are children in a Family, as defined in this section, who were not documented as receiving assistance under SNAP, FDPIR or TANF, in order to extend categorical eligibility to such children as found in § 245.6(b)(7). Documentation for these purposes is the information discussed in paragraph (2)(i) of this definition, plus a written statement by a local educational agency official briefly explaining how the presence of additional children in the family was determined.
(iv) Information obtained from an official responsible for determining if a child is a Foster child, a Homeless child, a Migrant child, a Head Start child, or a Runaway child, as defined in the section. Documentation for these children includes the name of the child; a statement certifying that the child has been determined eligible for that program or is enrolled in the Head Start Program; information in sufficient detail to match the child attending school in the local educational agency with the name of a child who has been determined eligible for that program or is enrolled in an eligible Head Start Program; the signature of the official from the program who is authorized to provide such documentation on behalf of that program and the date that the official signed the certification statement. Documentation may also be a list of children, a computer match, or a court document that includes this information.
(v) When a signature is impracticable to obtain, such as in a computer match, the local educational agency shall have a method to ensure that a responsible official can attest to the accuracy of the information provided.
Family means a group of related or nonrelated individuals, who are not residents of an institution or boarding house, but who are living as one economic unit.
FDPIR means the food distribution program for households on Indian reservations operated under part 253 of this title.
FNS means the Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of Agriculture.
FNSRO where applicable means the appropriate Food and Nutrition Service Regional Office when that agency administers the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program or Special Milk Program with respect to nonprofit private schools.
Foster child means a child who is formally placed by a court or an agency that administers a State plan under parts B or E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 621 et seq.). It does not include a child in an informal arrangement that may exist outside of State or court based systems.
Free meal means a meal for which neither the child nor any member of his family pays or is required to work in the school or in the school’s food service.
Free milk means milk served under the regulations governing the Special Milk Program and for which neither the child nor any member of his family pays or is required to work in the school or in the school’s food service.
Head Start child means a child enrolled as a participant in a Head Start program authorized under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. § 9831 et seq.)
Homeless child means a child identified as lacking a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, as specified under section 725(a) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. § 11434a(2)) by the local educational agency liaison, director of a homeless shelter or other individual identified by FNS.
Household means “family” as defined in this section.
Household application means an application for free and reduced price meal or milk benefits, submitted by a household for a child or children who attend school(s) in the same local educational agency.
Income eligibility guidelines means the family-size income levels prescribed annually by the Secretary for use by States in establishing eligibility for free and reduced price meals and for free milk.
Local educational agency means a public board of education or other public or private nonprofit authority legally constituted within a State for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service function for, public or private nonprofit elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a State, or for a combination of school districts or counties that is recognized in a State as an administrative agency for its public or private nonprofit elementary schools or secondary schools. The term also includes any other public or private nonprofit institution or agency having administrative control and direction of a public or private nonprofit elementary school or secondary school, including residential child care institutions, Bureau of Indian Affairs schools, and educational service agencies and consortia of those agencies, as well as the State educational agency in a State or territory in which the State educational agency is the sole educational agency for all public or private nonprofit schools.
Meal means a lunch or meal supplement or a breakfast which meets the applicable requirements prescribed in §§ 210.10, 210.15a, and 220.8 of this chapter.
Medicaid means the State medical assistance program under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1396 et seq.).
Migrant child means a child identified as meeting the definition of migrant in section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. § 6399) by the State or local Migrant Education Program coordinator or the local educational liaison, or other individual identified by FNS.
Milk means pasteurized fluid types of unflavored or flavored whole milk, lowfat milk, skim milk, or cultured buttermilk which meet State and local standards for such milk except that, in the meal pattern for infants (0 to 1 year of age) milk means unflavored types of whole fluid milk or an equivalent quantity of reconstituted evaporated milk which meet such standards. In Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the Virgin Islands, if a sufficient supply of such types of fluid milk cannot be obtained, “milk” shall include reconstituted or recombined milk. All milk should contain vitamins A and D at levels specified by the Food and Drug Administration and consistent with State and local standards for such milk.
Nonprofit means exempt from income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
Operating day means a day that reimbursable meals are offered to eligible students under the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program.
Reduced price meal means a meal which meets all of the following criteria: (1) The price shall be less than the full price of the meal; (2) the price shall not exceed 40 cents for a lunch and 30 cents for a breakfast; and (3) neither the child nor any member of his family shall be required to supply an equivalent value in work for the school or the school’s food service.
Runaway child means a child identified as a runaway receiving assistance under a program under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. § 5701 et seq.) by the local educational liaison, or other individual in accordance with guidance issued by FNS.
Service institution shall have the meaning ascribed to it in part 225 of this chapter.
School, school food authority, and other terms and abbreviations used in this part shall have the meanings ascribed to them in part 210 of this chapter.
SNAP means the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. § 2011 et. seq.) and operated under parts 271 and 283 of this chapter.
SNAP household means any individual or group of individuals currently certified to receive assistance as a household from SNAP.
Special Assistance Certification and Reimbursement Alternatives means the three optional alternatives for free and reduced price meal application and claiming procedures in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program which are available to those School Food Authorities with schools in which at least 80 percent of the enrolled children are eligible for free or reduced price meals, or schools which are currently, or who will be serving all children free meals.
State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) means the State medical assistance program under title XXI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1397aa et seq.).
TANF means the State funded program under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act that the Secretary determines complies with standards established by the Secretary that ensure that the standards under the State program are comparable to or more restrictive than those in effect on June 1, 1995. This program is commonly referred to as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, although States may refer to the program by another name.
Verification means confirmation of eligibility for free or reduced price benefits under the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program. Verification shall include confirmation of income eligibility and, at State or local discretion, may also include confirmation of any other information required in the application which is defined as Documentation in § 245.2. Such verification may be accomplished by examining information provided by the household such as wage stubs, or by other means as specified in § 245.6a(a)(7). If a SNAP or TANF case number or a FDPIR case number or other identifier is provided for a child, verification for such child shall only include confirmation that the child is a member of a household receiving SNAP, TANF or FDPIR benefits. Verification may also be completed through direct contact with one or more of the public agencies as specified in § 245.6a(g).