Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Application Instructions

The New York State Education Department (SED) Child Nutrition Program is now accepting applications for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).  Complete the excel document which is at the bottom of this CEP memo named “CEP Application”.

Applications for the 2021-22 school year must be submitted by September 30, 2021 and based on enrollment from any time between July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021 and 2020-21 direct certification data.  Only complete applications will be considered.

A new 2-step submission process has been put in place to ensure that data is securely transferred using a private and safe data stream. 

Submit the following 2 documents to: childnutceo@nysed.gov

1. The CEP Application Form (excel spreadsheet)

• Must be “saved as” to your computer prior to completing.  Once it has been completed and saved, you can attach it to the email.

2. The Affirmation Form (pdf form)

• Must be scanned and attached to the email or sent through the mail because it requires a signature.  All boxes must be checked to be approved for the CEP.

Once your SFA has submitted the CEP Application and Affirmation, you will be sent an e-mail which will detail the steps you must take to create an account and access the secure server to upload your enrollment records/master list.  If you have an account, you will receive an e-mail that the 21-22 SY CEP Folder has been shared with you.

The following document must be uploaded through your NYSED GoAnywhere SFTP account:   

1. SFA/Group/School student enrollment records/master list enrollment from any time between July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021.  This data should be organized by qualifying school building within the SFA.  The enrollment record/master list must include ALL students and be coded to indicate which students were identified to be eligible for the CEP based on: SNAP/Medicaid Direct Certification Matching Process (DCMP), extension of direct certification eligibility to other household member, foster, migrant, runaway, homeless, and Head Start/Even Start.  Please see “sample coded student enrollment record/master list” below.

2. Your file(s) must be saved as your SFA Name prior to uploading to the server. 

3. Any adjustments/changes to the original enrollment record(s)/master list(s) requiring resubmission, must be uploaded to the secure server.   No Personally identifiable information (PII) can be sent through e-mail. 

The following items are required to be retained in the SFA for review for three years beyond the duration of the CEP cycle:

1. Direct certification match data file retrieved from the SED Business Portal.  This data should be organized by qualifying school building within the SFA and in corresponding order (i.e. alphabetical by last name) with the student enrollment record/master list (#2 above).  This data file must be retained with your Child Nutrition Program records and is subject to review.
2. Enrollment record/master list of all students, with appropriate designations for Directly Certified students, extension of eligibility, Foster, Homeless, Migrant, Runaway and Head Start/Even Start.

3. Foster list obtained from your county Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS).

4. Homeless list obtained from the McKinney-Vento liaison (visit www.nysteachs.org for a list of homeless liaisons).

5. Migrant list obtained from the migrant coordinator.

6. Runaway list obtained from the runaway provider.

7. Head Start/Even Start enrollment records.

Sample Coded Student Enrollment Record/Master List

 

School Building	Student’ Name	Student’s DOB	Parent/Guardian’s Name	Address	Identification Code
Building 1	APPLE, MACK	8/4/2002	APPLE JAMES	11 Cortland St Fort Orange, NY 12345	C
Building 1	APPLE, TOSH	1/14/2004	APPLE JAMES	11 Cortland St Fort Orange, NY 12345	D
Building 1	BACH, SUSAN	7/2/2001	BACH BRITNEY	2 Mozart Ave. Fort Orange, NY 12345	I
Building 1	CURRY, RON	5/27/2006	SAGE SANDY	PO Box 5555 Fort Orange, NY 12345	E
Building 2	EVANS, EMILY	12/5/2004	JOHNSON TERI	2111 Broadway Fort Orange, NY 12345	B
Building 3	FAME, PRINCE	3/16/2009	FAME VICKI	99 Star Parkway Fort Green, NY 12346	G
Building 3	SMITH, JON	6/27/2008	SMITH STAN	12 Lincoln Ave Fort Green, NY 12346	A

 

 

Code Denotation:	Code Totals:
A= Electronic Direct Certification Matching Process (DCMP)- SNAP	1
B = DCMP- MEDICAID	1
C= Extension of eligibility to siblings or household members of SNAP/MEDI recipients or Eligibility Letter for Free Meals/Milk	1
D= Foster List	1
E= Homeless List	1
F= Migrant List	0
G= Runaway List	1
H= Head Start/Pre-K Even Start	0
I= non identified students	1
Total Number of Identified Students	7

                                                                       

Application Form Guidance

There is only one application form for use in applying for participation in CEP.  Indicate in the Application Type box the CEP you are applying for, i.e., SFA, Group or Individual.  If you are requesting multiple groups, you will need to complete multiple Application Forms, one for each group requested.  If you are requesting multiple individual schools, you will complete one Application Form for each school.  If you are applying for the entire SFA, ensure that data is entered for each individual school site in the SFA.  If your SFA is comprised of only one school, apply as an ‘SFA’.

Enter data into the yellow form fields.  Required data fields include SFA name, SFA code, school name/Recipient Agency (RA), School/RA SFA Code, contact person, phone number, and contact email.  A description of each of the form fields (numbers 1 through 14) has been provided below.  Information entered into the yellow form fields will self-populate the corresponding white fields on each application.

1.  SFA, Group or Individual School Enrollment:  Enter the total number of students enrolled in the SFA, Group of Schools or Individual School that have access to the breakfast and lunch programs.

2.  Direct Certification Matching Process (DCMP) Data - SNAP:  Enter the total number of students in the SFA, Group of Schools or Individual School that have been directly certified for SNAP by the DCMP.

3.  Extension of Eligibility:  Enter the total number of school age children residing in households of directly certified students through either the DCMP or Eligibility Letter for School Meals/Milk.

4.  Foster:  Enter the total number of students that were identified by obtaining a list from your county Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS).

5.  Homeless:   Enter the total number of students that were identified by obtaining a list from the McKinney Vento liaison (visit www.nysteachs.org for a list of homeless liaisons).

6.  Migrant:  Enter the total number of students that were identified by obtaining a list from the migrant coordinator.

7.  Runaway:  Enter the total number of students that were identified by obtaining a list from the runaway provider.

8.  Head Start/Even Start:  Enter the total number of students that were identified by these program enrollment records.

9.  Direct Certification Matching Process (DCMP) Data - Medicaid:  Enter the total number of students in the SFA, Group of Schools or Individual School that have been directly certified for Medicaid by the DCMP.

10.  Total Number of Identified Students:  This is the total number of Identified Students (total sum of lines 2 through 10).

11.  Identified Student Percentage (ISP):  The number of eligible students divided by total enrollment in the SFA, Group of Schools or Individual School.

12.  Percent Matched multiplied by 1.6:  This is your percentage of Identified Eligible’s multiplied by the factor 1.6 – this outcome yields your free claiming percentage.

13.  Percent Claimed as Free:  This is the percent that will be applied to total meals claimed, by meal that will receive the free reimbursement rate.

14.  Percent Claimed as Paid:  This is the percent of total enrollment remaining after the free percent is subtracted, that will be applied to total meals claimed, by meal, that will receive the paid reimbursement rate.

*Numbers 10 through 14 of the CEP application form will automatically be calculated based on the data you have entered in numbers 1 – 9 of the form.

Keep a copy of all documents submitted on file with your Child Nutrition Program paperwork to substantiate and document CEP participation.  You will also be required to keep on file all documentation to support the CEP application form, including all eligibility lists provided by homeless, migrant and runaway liaisons and headstart/evenstart coordinators, as well as all Eligibility letters for school Meals/Milk.  These documents will be reviewed in future administrative and other applicable reviews by federal and State reviewers.

If your SFA is approved to operate CEP, you will receive an approval e-mail from CN which will include a sample income survey form and notification letters that you can use to notify your school community of your CEP participation and to collect income information to provide data for other federal, State and local funding that use child nutrition data as a proxy for poverty (i.e., BEDS reporting, Title 1 apportionment, e-rate, etc.).