[X] Action Required
[ ] Informational

June 17, 2008

TO: Child and Adult Care Food Program Sponsors of Child Care and Outside School Hours Centers

RE: Automatic Free Meal Eligibility for Oregon Head Start and Oregon Pre-Kindergarten Enrollees

Effective December 12, 2007, all children enrolled in Head Start became automatically eligible for free meals in Child Nutrition Programs, even if the child did not qualify for Head Start based on income. All reimbursable meals served to children who are enrolled in child care and outside school hours centers, and also enrolled in Oregon Head Start PreKindergarten (OHS PreK) programs may be claimed in the free rate when the center has proper documentation. This may provide increased income and reduced paperwork for some child care and outside school hours programs.

Background:
Since 1995, Head Start programs have been able to automatically claim children for free meals when they were enrolled in Head Start and qualified for Head Start based on income. When OHS PreK-enrolled children have also been enrolled in Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) centers, families have been able to provide certification from the Head Start program in lieu of a Confidential Income Statement (CIS) or have completed Confidential Income Statements to determine if children were eligible in the free category.

On December 12, 2007, President Bush signed “The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007” (PL 110-134), which amended the eligibility criteria in section 645 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840). Public Law 110-334 also amended sections 9(b)(12)(A)(iii) and 17(c)(5) of the National School Lunch Act to correspond with the new eligibility criteria. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service recently informed the Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs (ODE CNP) of this change.

How This Change May Affect Your Program:
A few center sponsors may be able to claim an additional limited number of OHS PreKenrolled children in the free category.

To claim OHS PreK children in the free category, families may provide an official enrollment verification document, in lieu of a CIS form, for OHS PreK-enrolled children who also attend the center. Pricing programs will provide a free meal to all affected children.

ODE CNP has formalized this process by requesting OHS PreK programs provide parents and guardians of participants with an official document certifying a child is enrolled in the OHS PreK program. The document must be on OHS PreK letterhead, state the name of the child(ren), the school year for which the child(ren) is enrolled, and be signed and dated by an OHS PreK official.

When the OHS PreK program busses children to the center, the program may provide the center with an official document on the sponsor’s letterhead, which lists the names of the OHS PreK-enrolled children and the school year (e.g. 2008-2009). The document must be signed and dated by an OHS PreK official.

Since the new law went into effect on December 12, 2007, sponsors may exercise one of two options:

If you have questions or plan to exercise Option 2, please contact me at (503) 947-5892.

Sincerely,

Lynne Reinoso
Manager, Community Nutrition
Child Nutrition Programs
Office of Finance & Administration