SNP Meal Counting

Community eligibility provision (CEP) is the newest opportunity for schools with high percentages of low-income children to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students. In CEP schools, students are CEP eligible, eliminating free, reduced-price, and paid meal counting status.

Elements of an acceptable meal counting and claiming system include:

• Eligibility documentation
• Collection procedures
• Point of service meal counts
• Reports
• Claim for reimbursement
• Internal controls

On-Site Reviews

School food authorities (SFAs) are required to establish internal controls which ensure the accuracy of meal counts prior to the submission of the monthly Claim for Reimbursement. Every school year (as defined by 7 CFR Part 210.2), each SFA with more than one school must perform at least one on-site review of the meal counting and claiming system and the readily observable general areas of review (identified under 7 CFR 210.18(h)) in each school operating the National School Lunch Program—and 50 percent of schools operating the School Breakfast Program (SBP)—administered by the SFA. SFAs with only one school are not required to conduct such on-site reviews for their approved school. While the annual requirement is to complete 50 percent of the schools approved to participate in the SBP in the SFA’s jurisdiction, each school approved to participate in the SBP must be reviewed at least once every two years.

The on-site review must take place prior to February 1 of each school year. If the review discloses problems with a school’s meal counting and claiming procedures or general review areas, the SFA must ensure that the school implements corrective action, and within 45 days of the review, conduct a follow-up on-site review to determine that the corrective action resolved the problems. Each on-site review must ensure the school’s claim is based on the counting and claiming system, as implemented, and yields the actual number of reimbursable free, reduced price, and paid meals, respectively, served for each day of operation.

The On-Site Review Checklist

• One form must be completed for each school.
• If any of the thirteen questions have “No” as an answer, documented follow-up (corrective action plan) must be conducted within 45 days.
• If a corrective action plan is required, a follow-up site visit must also be conducted within 45 days.
• The checklist should be signed and dated.
• Maintain the checklists on file for three years plus the current year.

On-Site Review Checklist form

Reimbursement Rates for School Meal Programs

Each year the reimbursement rates are provided by the USDA. Reimbursement rates can be found here. There are separate reimbursement rates based on the meal type. Therefore, paid, reduced and free meals have different reimbursement rates each year.

National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

Base reimbursement rates are published each year for each meal type. However, there may be additional amounts added to the base rate dependent on multiple variables within the district and site. Each year the reimbursement rates are provided by the USDA. Reimbursement rates can be found here.

NSLP – Severe Need Lunch (Two Cent Differential)

School Food Authorities (SFAs) that served at least 60% free and reduced-price lunches two years prior to the current school year will receive an additional 2-cents to supplement the regular lunch reimbursement. New SFAs without prior data available qualify for severe need lunch reimbursement if at least 60% of lunches are served at the free or reduced-price during the first three months of operation. This additional reimbursement will be applied and paid automatically to eligible SFAs through the Tennessee Meals Accounting and Claiming (TMAC) system.

NSLP – Performance-based Reimbursement

SFAs certified to receive the performance-based reimbursement will receive an additional 9 cents added to the lunch reimbursement.

USDA Foods – Per Plate Commodity Value for Donated Foods

The value of donated foods is published in the Federal Register each year. The values can be found on the USDA website.

School Breakfast Program (SBP)

Base reimbursement rates are published each year for each meal type. However, there may be additional amounts added to the base rate dependent on multiple variables within the district and site. Each year the reimbursement rates are provided by the USDA. Reimbursement rates can be found here.

SBP – Severe Need Individual sites may qualify for a severe need breakfast reimbursement to supplement the regular free and reduced-price breakfast reimbursements. Some sites within an SFA may be eligible for severe need funding and others may not. Existing sites that served at least 40% free and reduced-price lunches two years prior to the current school year will be eligible for the severe need breakfast reimbursement. New sites without prior data available qualify for severe need reimbursement if at least 40% of lunches are served at the free or reduced-price during the first three months of operation. This additional reimbursement will be applied and paid automatically to eligible SFAs through the Tennessee Meals Accounting and Claiming (TMAC) system.

After School Snack Program

Base reimbursement rates are published each year for each meal type. However, there may be additional amounts added to the base rate dependent on multiple variables within the district and site. Each year the reimbursement rates are provided by the USDA. Reimbursement rates can be found here.

Claim Submission in the Tennessee Meals Accounting and Claiming (TMAC) System

Claims for Reimbursement

• SFAs may claim reimbursement for each lunch, breakfast, and snack served monthly.
  
• Claims may be submitted any time after the last day of the claiming month.
  
• Claims must be submitted within 60 calendar days from the last day of the claiming month.
  
• An SFA may be granted a one-time 60-day exemption for late claims during a 36-month period (one time exemption applies across ALL school nutrition meal programs).
  
• All claims are submitted electronically through the Tennessee Meals Accounting and Claiming (TMAC) system.
  
• Instructions for submitting the claim for reimbursement are located here.
  
• USDA/FNS 60-90 Day Claims Guidance is located here.
  

Claim Adjustments

SFAs may file claim adjustments beyond the 60-day requirement in the following scenarios:

• Changes in reimbursement due to an audit or SA review within a three-year time limit of the month(s) requiring data adjustments
  
• Downward adjustments
  
• No change in reimbursement
  
• One-time exception request within a 36-month period
  

One-time Exception Request within a 36-month period

Late claims will be paid once within a 36-month period; a late claim for school meals includes all programs operated by the Tennessee Department of Education. The 36 months shall begin with the claim month.

If the SFA has not received payment via the one-time exception over the last 36 months and would like to request a late payment, they must work with their regional consultant to submit the following information to the senior compliance and data manager and the state director. Along with the request, the SFA must also submit a corrective action plan (CAP) that includes:

• Why the claim was considered late and the actions to be taken to avoid any future late claim submissions from the same or other causes;
  
• a statement that the SFA understands that the one-time exception is only available once in a 36-month period for all school nutrition meal programs for the circumstances within its control; and
  
• a signature by the SFA’s designated official or other senior level official, such as the director of schools.
  

Additional Exception Requests within a 36-month window

The state agency (SA) may request more exceptions to the USDA regional office. If the SFA has received a one-time exception to file a late claim within the 36-month window, but due to exceptions or circumstances beyond the SFAs control needs to file a second late claim, the SA will submit a request to the regional office. Exceptions occur when late claims were paid due to approval of a one-time exception/circumstance beyond the control of the SFA. Examples of circumstances beyond the control of the SFA include but are not necessarily limited to natural disaster, fire, flood, vandalism of records, and serious illness or injury of the person responsible for submitting the report.

To file a second exception request, SFAs must work with their regional consultant to submit the following information to senior compliance and data manager and the state director.

• the name and agreement number of the SFA;
  
• each month for which an upward adjustment is requested; and
  
• an explanation of each upward adjustment and why it is beyond the control of the SFA. If the request includes two or more adjustments and attributes them to different reasons, the state agency shall identify separately the effect of each reason.
  

If the state agency deems the reason to be beyond the control of the SFA, then a request will be submitted to the regional office that includes:

• the name and agreement number of the SFA;
  
• each month for which an upward adjustment is requested; and
  
• an explanation of each upward adjustment and why it is beyond the control of the SFA. If the request includes two or more adjustments and attributes them to different reasons, the state agency shall identify separately the effect of each reason.