• Schools Required to Submit an Improvement Plan for Certification and Verification for SY 2009-2010
• If the LEA is on the list required to submit an Improvement Plan use the following documents:
  • Requirements for an Improvement Plan for Certification and Verification 
  • Improvement Plan for Certification and Verification SY 2009-2010

Step 2- Determine the sampling method your LEA must use to identify applications for verification. 

• Schools Required to use Basic Sampling (Standard Sample) for SY 2009-2010
  • Basic Sampling (Standard Sample)
• If the LEA is not on the list for Basic Sampling one of the two alternate methods may be selected.
  • Alternate-Random Sampling
  • Alternate-Focused Sampling

Step 3-Establish the Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application pool.

• Only approved current school year applications as of October 1 must make up the pool.
• Applications that should not be included in the application pool are:
  • Students directly certified; students certified as migrant, homeless, or runaway; students in Headstart or Evenstart programs.

Step 4-Calculate the sample size/number of applications that must be verified.

• Follow the instructions on the sampling method information sheet.
• Be sure to round up.

Step 5- Conduct a Confirmation Review of the applications selected for verification.

• LEAs that use electronic systems are exempt from this requirement.
• Be sure to document on the back of the original application the date of when the Confirmation Review was conducted.

Step 6- Notify the selected households.

• Use the We Must Check Your Application form.
• Be sure to give the households a due date.

Step 7- Contact the local Department of Human Service (DHS) office to verify applications with a Food Assistance Program (FAP) or Family Independence Program (FIP) case number by using the following two forms:

• Letter to the Department of Human Services From the Local Educational Agency

Step 8- Conduct a Follow-up Review for any household that has not responded by the original due date.

• Be sure to document on the back of the original application the date of when the Follow-up Review was conducted.

Step 9- Notify all households of the final verification determination.

• Use the We Have Checked Your Application form.
• Households must be given 10 day advance, written notification that benefits will be decreased.
• The first day of the ten calendar day advance notice is the day the notice is sent.

Step 10- Make any required changes to benefit issuance documentation as required from the outcomes of the Verification process by November 15.

• Be sure to wait until the 10 day advance notification period has passed.

Step 11- Complete all required Verification documents.

• Verification Worksheet
• Verification Summary Information sheet
• Verification Check List
  • These forms must remain on file as part of the Verification documentation.

Step 12- Complete the LEARS-Verification Summary Report before March 1.

• The report is available January 15 via the MEIS website:
  • Go to http://michigan.gov/meis
  • Under Child Nutrition Programs, click on the bullet point entitled, LEARS Verification Summary Report.
  • Log in using your MEIS Account ID and password.