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What is Direct Cert?. Direct Cert is the process by which students are certified as eligible for free meals based on a match with Human Services SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) data.The SFA compiles student data in an Excel or Text file, which is run against a Human Services master
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1. Direct Certification Jennifer Otey, Consultant
CDE Nutrition Unit
2. What is Direct Cert? Direct Cert is the process by which students are certified as eligible for free meals based on a match with Human Services SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) data.
The SFA compiles student data in an Excel or Text file, which is run against a Human Services master file over an Internet connection, to obtain matches.
Mandatory process
3. Why is Direct Cert Important? Qualifies children for free meals
USDA requirement to match 95% of eligible students by 2013-2014 **
Reduces paperwork (for districts and households)
**Therefore, updating students’ statuses and accurately reporting them as Direct Cert in Verification is critical.**
4. User Information Each district must have between 1-2 users
Training is required before access can be granted
Passwords cannot be shared
A user has access to the system and to the Match Report; so, anyone needing access to one or both of these must be an approved user
Responsibility: to keep confidential the names of children eligible by Direct Cert
5. Required Paperwork Attachments E, F, & G
Due to CDE before beginning Direct Cert each year
Direct Cert Match Report
Must be signed and dated
Keep on file for 5 years plus current year
Notification Letters (must be in writing)
Send to parents
6. The File Information needed:
SFA agreement number
Student’s first and last name*
Student’s SSN
Birth date*
Address
City
Zip Code*
* = required
Student data must be entered in exactly as the provided format, or the interface will not run
7. The File (cont.) Excel files must be named DISTRICT.xls
Sheet with student data must be the first in the workbook
Must be formatted as text
Only Excel 2003 and previous versions are supported; Excel 2007 is not supported; you will need to change the file to .xls format
8. Record Layout
9. Types of Matches Social Security Number, Last Name, and Birth Date match
2. Social Security Number and Birth Date match
3. Last Name, First Name, Birth Date, and Zip Code match
4. Last Name, First Name, and Birth Date match
10. Uploading the File Log in to the Direct Cert system
Click on Upload District File
Click on Browse and find your file
Click on Upload
If upload was successful
“Congratulations”
1-10 Errors (your decision on whether to correct them)
If unsuccessful, see next slide
11. Fixing Errors File name
Incorrect district code
Maximum number of invalid records
Ensure column widths are correct
Missing first name: singe underscore
Missing birthdate: 01011901
Missing zip code: 99999
Missing SSN: spaces
12. Conversion Formula- For when the file just will not upload - Open Conversion Formula; in P1, copy the formula
Open district file; in P1, paste the formula; keep this box selected
Scroll down to the last row in the P column; hit Shift and click the mouse in this cell; the entire P column will be highlighted
Ctrl + D; the formula will copy all the way down
Ctrl + C
Start \ Run\ Notepad \ OK
Ctrl + V
Save the Text file as DISTRICT.txt
Upload
13. Correcting Birthdates- To remove slashes - In the district file, click at the top of column F to highlight the entire birthdate column
Right click in this column and Copy
Open the birthdate conversion file; go to C1 and paste; all of the birthdates will be pasted here
Click on D7; drag upward until D1; then drag downward until the last row in the file
Repeat for columns E & F
14. Birthdates (cont.) Click on F1 and select all of the data in this column; Copy
Back in the district file, right click, and in F1, choose Paste Special \ Values
The dates will now appear with no slashes
Upload
15. My Upload was Successful. Now what? Download the district file (check with your IT dept. or software company to see which format you will need)
Download the Match Report
Save to computer and print
Review all * to ensure these are the correct students in your district
Sign and date
Upload information into your F&R software
Notify families (in writing)
16. Notification to Families Notice to include:
Statement that children are eligible for free meals; no further application is necessary
If they wish to decline benefits, they need to notify the SFA
If there are other children in the household not listed in this notice, they also qualify for free meals; the family should contact the SFA
17. Extended Eligibility Per USDA memo SP 38-2009
If one child in the household is Directly Certified based on SNAP/FDPIR, all children are categorically eligible for free meals
Can use school district records or an application (if one gets filled out anyway) as a reference of who is included in the household
Keep a list with student name, household matched with, date, and signature
18. Time Frames Human Services data is updated four times per year (June, August, November, February)
SFAs must run Direct Cert at least 3 times per year
Summer – September
November – December
February – March
Specific dates will be released each year
SFAs are encouraged to run Direct Cert even more often, to try to match new students
19. Re-upload Instructions- To create a shorter file with only students not previously matched - Open your saved Excel file that was obtained after the original file was uploaded (column N will be filled in with matches 1-4)
Save this file in a different folder location on your computer, also naming it DISTRICT.xls
Sort by column N; the students who matched during the last upload will be brought to the top
Delete these rows; you are left with all students who did not match before
Add any new students to this list
Upload
20. FAQs Precedence
Direct Cert takes precedence over income eligibility
Precedence can go either way with other forms of categorical eligibility (homeless, migrant, runaway, Head Start, foster), but keep in mind that Direct Cert with SNAP/FDPIR allows for extended eligibility to other siblings, whereas the other forms do not
If a family calls and says they do not receive SNAP:
Students are still allowed to have free meals
Family can decline benefits if they wish
21. FAQs (cont.) Direct Cert is through Mom, but Dad doesn’t want benefits. Now what?
Who has custody?
If shared custody, greater benefit will stand
If shared custody, benefit could be different for each parent, but this is very difficult to track; the benefits of the eligibility should be explained to Dad
22. Verification Direct Cert students (and students extended eligibility through them) are not subject to Verification
If they are also on an application, the Direct Cert list takes precedence over the app; do not report the app in Verification
All Direct Cert and Extended Eligible students should be reported in the box that says, “Students approved by Direct Certification”
23. Example File example
Moving around the Direct Cert system
Website resources