Protecting Free and Reduced status information is vitally important to us.  The disclosure of individual student eligibility information for purposes other than establishing eligibility for school meals generally is not permitted without parental consent.   The chart at the end details which programs are eligible for information to be disclosed.

Q:  What programs can I share it with?

  • Title 1 officials for allocation and evaluation purposes
  • Federal Assessment program: National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
  • State Assessment program: Commonwealth’s Standards of Learning (SOLs) 
  • Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS) administered by a state agency or local agency to identify and enroll children

Q:  What about sharing with local health and education programs (dental programs, athletic/activity fees, instructional fees, free textbooks, etc.)

  • Need parent consent. If the school system is using a “consent form”, the specific program must be directly specified and not generic.

Q:  What about AP Classes?

  • Need parent consent.

 Q:  What about for Summer School?

  • Need parent consent.

Q:  Can summary information be released?

  • Aggregate information can be released unless overt identification of individual children can be assessed.

Q:  What happens if I share the information not following the guidelines?

  • The federal penalty for improper disclosure includes a fine up to $1,000 or imprisonment of up to one year, or both.

Q:  Do I as an administrator need to sign a MOU (Memorandum-Of-Understanding) before disclosing the eligibility status?

  • It is handled through Permissions Click for the district.    It must be signed each year.  The MOU states the specific reason for intended use.  By signing the agreement, you agree to ensure the confidentiality of the information.

Q:  How do I access the eligibility.

  • The student record in Phoenix will have an eligibility field. It is in the “Other Info” tab.    Status of 1 or 2 reflect economically disadvantaged.

Q:  The Free & Reduced status changed from when I last ran it.    How come?

  • The data in Phoenix is as of that moment in time. School Nutrition processes applications every day. 

Q:  Can the parents present the Eligibility Letter/Email as proof of consent.

  • Ensure it is for the current school year.  Eligibility letters are valid from date of issuance until June 30. 

Q:  What if I still have questions if I can share the eligibility?

  • Call us at 571-252-1010 or email cafe@lcps.org. If we need clarification, School Nutrition will seek the council of VA State School Nutrition Specialist.  

Here is the detailed chart outlining disclosure information.

Disclosure

Recipient of Information

What May Be Disclosed

Requirements

Programs under the NSLA or CNA

All eligibility information

Prior notice and consent not required

Federal, State, or local means tested nutrition programs with eligibility standards comparable to the NSLP

 

Eligibility status only

Prior notice and consent not required

Federal education programs

Eligibility status only

Prior notice and consent not required

 

State education programs administered by a State agency or LEA

 

Eligibility status only

Prior notice and consent not required

 

Local education programs

No eligibility information, unless parental or guardian consent is obtained

 

Parental or guardian consent

 

Medicaid or CHIP, administered by a State or local agency authorized under titles XIX or XXI of the Social Security Act to identify and enroll eligible children

All eligibility information unless parents or guardians elect not to have information disclosed

Must give parents and guardians  prior notice and an opportunity to decline to have their information disclosed

State health programs other than Medicaid or CHIP, administered by a State agency or LEA

 

Eligibility status only

Prior consent not required

 

Federal health programs other than Medicaid or CHIP

No eligibility information, unless parental or guardian consent is obtained

 

Parental or guardian consent

 

Local health programs

No eligibility information, unless parental or guardian consent is obtained

 

Parental or guardian consent

Comptroller General of the United States for purposes of audit and examination

All eligibility information

Prior notice and consent not required

Federal, State, or local law enforcement officials investigating alleged violations of any of the programs under the NSLA and CNA or investigating violations of any of the programs that are authorized to have access to names and eligibility status

 

 

All eligibility information

 

 

Prior notice and consent not required