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Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 USDA Interim Rule: Direct Certification and Certification of Homeless, Migrant and Runaway Children for Free School Meals This interim rule, effective beginning on June 24, 2011, amends the regulations affecting the determination of children’s eligibility for free meals under the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program by direct certification and categorical eligibility. The rule was open for public comment between April and October 2011, however remains in effect until a final rule is issued. Download the interim rule. USDA memos on the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-265) expands federal child nutrition programs in several ways to assist homeless, migrant, foster, and runaway children and youth by providing: Automatic eligibility for free school meals Streamlined procedures for documenting eligibility Full school year eligibility for free school meals Federal nutrition funds for shelters that serve children and youth up to age 18 See USDA Memo SP 26-2011 (April 1, 2011), which discusses the eligibility of children evacuated from Japan and Bahrain for USDA child nutrition programs. See USDA Memo SP 17-2011 (March 16, 2011), which discusses the categorical eligibility of foster children for free school meals See USDA Memo SP 17-2010 (Jan 29, 2010), which discusses the eligibility of Haitian refugees for USDA child nutrition programs. See USDA Memo SP3 (Jul 7, 2004), which establishes a household's full school year eligibility for free or reduced price meals. See USDA Memo SP4 (Jul 19, 2004), which establishes the categorical eligibility of homeless, migrant, and runaway children and youth, and provides instructions for documenting the eligibility of homeless children and youth served under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. See USDA Categorial Eligibility for Free Lunches and Breakfasts for Migrant Children Memo (Aug 16, 2004), which establishes the categorical eligibility of migrant students, provides instructions for documenting migrant students' eligibility, and explains the free meal program's full school year eligibility concept. See USDA Guidance on Determining Categorical Eligibility for Free Lunches and Breakfasts for Youth Served under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act Memo (Sept 17. 2004), which establishes the categorical eligibility of runaway youth served through grant programs established under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, and provides instructions for documenting the eligibility of youth served under the Act. Related memo See Updated Guidance for Homeless Children in the School Nutrition Programs (April 4, 2002), which initially established the guidelines for providing documentation of a student's homeless status for the purpose of receiving free school meals. To view .pdf files, you must have the Adobe Reader program, available for free downloading at http://www.adobe.com/ *Clicking on an external link will take you to a non-NCHE webpage or document. The external agency's privacy policy may differ from that of NCHE.


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