Classic View: FRAM > Eligibility

Search Term: Eligibility

The Eligibility editor shows a student's eligibility for receiving free or reduced-price benefits. The USDA Food and Nutritional Services agency requires that districts track student eligibilities for federal reimbursement purposes.

If there are no eligibility records shown in the Eligibility Editor, the student has a default Eligibility value of Paid and an Eligibility Type of Meal.

Viewing a Student Eligibility Record

Eligibility Field Descriptions

Field	Definition
School Year	The school year for which the Eligibility applies.
Start Date	The first day on which the Eligibility is active.
End Date	The last day on which the Eligibility is active. The eligibility End Date field indicates the last date on which the student is eligible for the eligibility, generally 30 days into the next school year. If a Default Expiration Date is set for the School Year under FRAM > FRAM Preferences > Application Preferences, the date entered in this field will automatically populate when School Year is selected for manual entries. Users may manually edit the End Date value, as necessary. After an existing eligibility expires (i.e., the day after the End Date), the student's eligibility will automatically default to a "Paid" eligibility.
Application Name	The name of the household or the name of the application's signer (per the setting of the Auto Fill Application Name field of the FRAM Preferences) on the Educational or Meal Benefits Application processed. This field cannot be edited. Only eligibilities auto-populated from the Educational or Meal Benefits Application will have a value auto-populated in this field. When Online Meal Benefits Applications is enabled, this field will display the Signer's Name.
Reference Number	The number of the Educational and Meal Benefits application, for reference purposes. Only eligibilities populated via an Educational or Meal Benefits Application will have a value in this field.
Eligibility Type	Indicates the type of eligibility. The Eligibility Type determines what department created and will use the Eligibility record within the district. Meal - Indicates the record is a meal status eligibility record. This Eligibility Type is utilized by the Food Service Department and for state reporting data. SES- Indicates the record is a socioeconomic status eligibility record. This eligibility type is utilized for students participating in Provision programs. This Eligibility Type is utilized by other departments within the district, including state reporting. This type will never message to a Point of Sale terminal. If the district is using Campus FRAM for processing applications and/or Campus Point of Sale it is recommended to keep the default setting of Meal. Eligibilities assigned an Eligibility Type of SES are used by Provision participating schools to track eligibilities for state reporting purposes as well as additional benefits within the district. SES eligibility types do not message to the Point of Sale and are considered a "Paid" eligibility by the Food Service Department.
Eligibility	This field indicates the eligibility status of the student: Free - The student is considered eligible to receive reimbursable meals at no charge. Paid - The student is not considered eligible and must pay student price for reimbursable meals. Reduced - The student is considered eligible and must pay a reduced price for reimbursable meals. Non-reimbursable - This option is never assigned or populated as an eligibility for students. It is for the purpose of processing second (non-reimbursable) meals for students and used for processing an adult (non-reimbursable) meal status for adults/staff. This status is not necessary to be assigned to staff members.
Source	This field indicates whether the eligibility status was identified through Non-Direct or Direct Certification. Direct Certification indicates that the student qualifies for free/reduced meals due to Direct Certification files received from a state agency certifying that the child is a member of a SNAP, FDPIR or TANF household or the student is a foster child directly certified from the state. This Certified Type is allowed only when the Eligibility Type is Meal. The Eligibility should be Free.
Certified Type	The determination reason for the value displayed in the Eligibility field. The options in this dropdown list display according to the Source selected. See the following Certified Type table for more information.
Letter Method	This checkbox indicates that the manually entered eligibility was the result of a Direct Certification AND the district received a certification letter from one of the following sources: The district received a certification letter from the state. The district received a state certification letter from a family. The district received a certification letter from another district for the current year. This checkbox only displays if you select a Direct Source and Free Eligibility.
Extended	When this checkbox is marked, it indicates that the eligibility is the result of a family member's eligibility being extended to this student. This checkbox only displays if you select a Direct Source.
Opt Out Medicaid	If this box is marked, the guardian has indicated he/she does NOT wish to be contacted by Medicaid regarding Medicaid benefits. This option will only display if the Display Medicaid Opt Out checkbox of the FRAM Application Preferences is marked.
Opt Out SCHIP	If this box is marked, the guardian has indicated he/she does NOT wish to be contacted by SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) regarding insurance benefits. This option will only display if the Display SCHIP Opt Out checkbox of the FRAM Application Preferences is marked.
State Eligibility Code	This data is used for state reporting only.
Permission Name	The name of the established district permission(s). This section is only available if Permissions have been created within the Permission Preferences tab.
Share Permission	This indicates whether or not the parent/guardian allows the district permission to share their child(ren)'s free/reduced eligibility with other district staff members. This section is only available if Permissions have been created within the Permission Preferences.

Certified Type

Certified Type	Description
Income	Type of approval based on household income. The Eligibility can be Free, Reduced or Paid.
Categorical	Type of benefit based on participation in federal programs such as SNAP/FDPIR/TANF. The Eligibility should be Free.
Override	Type of approval based on the district selecting to override the assigned Eligibility for student on a Meal Benefits Application.
Runaway	Type of approval based on confirmation approving the student's runaway status. The Eligibility should be Free. If the certified type is Non-Direct, then confirmation is received from the district runaway coordinator. If the certified type is Direct, then confirmation is received from a direct certification file.
Homeless	Type of approval based on confirmation approving the student's homeless status. The Eligibility should be Free. If the certified type is Non-Direct, then confirmation is received from the district homeless coordinator. If the certified type is Direct, then confirmation is received from a direct certification file.
Foster	Type of approval based on confirmation approving the student's foster status where the child is living in a foster home or another type of facility which deems the student as foster. The Eligibility should be Free. If the certified type is Non-Direct, then confirmation is received from the district foster coordinator. If the certified type is Direct, then confirmation is received from a direct certification file.
Migrant	Type of approval based on confirmation approving the student's migrant status. If the certified type is Non-Direct, then confirmation is received from the district migrant coordinator. If the certified type is Direct, then confirmation is received from a direct certification file.
Even Start	Type of approval based on the student participating in the Federally-funded Even Start Family Literacy Program for preschool/pre-kindergarten children.
Head Start	Type of approval based on the student being enrolled as a participant in a Head Start program. If the certified type is Non-Direct, then confirmation is received from the district Head Start coordinator. If the certified type is Direct, then confirmation is received from a direct certification file.
RCCI	Type of approval based on the student attending a residential child care institution (RCCI) that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and/or School Breakfast Program (SBP).
Early Childhood	The Local Education Agency (LEA) can use this designation if the LEA is participating in a CAACFP program.
Medicaid	Type of approval based on the household receiving Medicaid benefits. If the certified type is Non-Direct, then confirmation is received from any method EXCEPT from a Direct Certification file or source. The student's eligibility will be Free. If the certified type is Direct, then confirmation is received from a direct certification file.
Declined	This status is used to track households who decline free/reduced eligibility benefits. This status is collected in some state's for state reporting data.
Denied	This status is used to track households who are denied free/reduced eligibility benefits. This status is collected in some state's for state reporting data.
Did Not Apply	This status is used to track households who did not apply for free/reduced eligibility benefits. This status is collected in some state's for state reporting data.
Socioeconomic Status	Type of approval based on an Educational Benefits Application processed via non-food service department staff. This Certified Type is only allowed with an Eligibility Type of SES.
SNAP	Type of approval based on confirmation from a local agency through direct certification that the household receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. All students identified as members of the household are categorically eligible for free meals or milk.
TANF	Type of approval based on confirmation from a local agency through direct certification that the household receives Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) assistance. All students identified as members of the household are categorically eligible for free meals or milk.
FDPIR	Type of approval based on confirmation from a local agency through direct certification that the household receives assistance from the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). All students identified as members of the household are categorically eligible for free meals or milk.

View Student Eligibility Meal Status

Eligibility Field Descriptions

Certified Type

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