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THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 Office of P-20 Education Policy |
School Food Authorities (SFAs) participating in the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and/or National School Lunch Program (NSLP) that are operating in the Base Year of Provision 2, in one or more schools, are required to select and verify a sample of their approved free and reduced-price meal applications on file as of October 1st by November 15th of this year. This process is called Income Verification and is a federal requirement that will ensure meal claims are based on accurate eligibility determinations.
The Income Verification guidance manual can be found under the Eligibility tab and is now available at: https://www.cn.nysed.gov/manual/verification-procedures. This guidance manual contains important information on how to conduct Income Verification and includes template letters that should be used to correspond with families.
List of SFAs Required to Conduct Income Verification
SFAs that are required to conduct income verification are listed on the Income Verification website.
Verification Collection Report
All SFAs required to conduct income verification must complete and submit the Verification Collection Report on the Child Nutrition Management System (CNMS) by December 15, 2025.
SFAs operating the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) or operating in a non-base year of Provision 2 SFA-wide are not required to conduct Income Verification or complete the Verification Collection Report.
Additional Resources
USDA Eligibility Manual for School Meals
Income Verification & Verification Collection Report Snip-It
If you have any questions regarding Income Verification, please contact your Child Nutrition Program representative at 518-473-8781.