RCCI/CEP
What does RCCI stand for?
Residential Child Care Institution--public or private non-profit residential facility that operates primarily for the care of children who live on-site. These facilities may care for non-day students, day students, or a combination of both. Examples are orphanages and group homes, halfway houses, temporary shelters for abused or runaway children, juvenile detention centers, long-term care facilities for chronically ill children, and homes for the physically or mentally challenged, emotionally disturbed, or unmarried mothers and their infants.
At the beginning of the school year, what is the carryover period?
Schools are required to carry over eligibility determinations based on Direct Certification, categorical eligibility determinations, and Household Eligibility Applications from the previous year for either 30 operating days into the subsequent school year or until a new eligibility determination has been made, whichever comes first.
What is a requirement of every notification letter sent to families about eligibility?
The notification letters must either be the letters provided by the state agency or the notification letters must be approved by the state agency and contain all the required components.
What is adequate documentation on file for all children eligible through direct certification?
Direct Certification reports should be printed from the website and contain the ISBE letterhead, the sponsors RCDT# and the date the report was printed in the top right-hand corner.
What are a few things that we're looking to ensure that free and reduced students aren't subject to?
Overt identification
Working for their meals
What does CEP stand for?
Community Eligibility Provision--A non-pricing meal service option that allows high-poverty schools and school districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students
What's required if the SFA has an electronic approval system?
a method to obtain the household signature.
How many days does the SFA have to notify the households of free and reduced approvals?
10 days
What does "proper agency" refer to when asking if the SFA's direct certification list utilized came from a proper agency?
Did the SFA’s direct certification report come from the WINS direct certification link and include the following different agencies/categories: SNAP, TANF, foster, homeless, migrant, and Head Start.
What are some ways extension of benefits can be accomplished?
1) using the extension of benefits ISBE form
2) establish and use one method for extending benefits (documented)
What is the correct eligibility documentation for an RCCI?
The RCCI must have a roster of residential children that includes name, age or birthdate, date of admission, date of release, personal income received by the child, and approving official signature or initials.
When is the approval done in relation to the date of receiving the application from the household?
Applications should be processed immediately and no later than ten operating days from receipt of the application.
When reviewing HEA’s, pay attention to the date the application was received (if noted on the app) OR the date the parent signed it. Compare that date to the date the determining official processed the application.
How do we determine if denied applications were correctly denied?
Review at least 10 denied HEA’s. If there are less than 10, all must be reviewed.
**fun fact**
If 2 or more are denied incorrectly, then the SFA must be required in their corrective action plan to review all their denied HEA’s.
(Indicate the errors on the SFA-2 form)
How do we determine if all directly certified students selected for review were certified correctly?
1) Categorical Eligibility using the Electronic DC System. Students receiving SNAP; TANF, income –eligible Medicaid; and foster children.
2) Categorical Eligibility listing from Coordinator(s) – Homeless; Migrant; Runaway; Head Start; or foster children. List MUST be signed.
What happens if an SFA correctly categorizes a child but then their roster or point-of-service issuance document?
It's claimed in the wrong category and fiscal action can be taken.
How do we answer MOST of the questions in the certification & benefits issuance tab for CEPs & RCCIs?
N/A
1) Why would SFA be required to conduct an independent review of applications in the previous or current school year AND 2) what is required to complete and submit?
1) If the SFA’s percentage in error rate was 10% or more in the previous AR; the SFA is required to conduct an Independent Review of Applications during the subsequent school year (and beyond, until under 5% error rate)
2) FNS-874
What are two things that could impact the wrong categorization on applications?
1) using the correct eligibility guidelines
2) using the correct conversion factors
What are the required and recommended timeframes for pulling direct certification?
Required--at least 3 times per year (1) At or around the beginning of the school year, 2) Three months after the initial effort, and 3) Six months after the initial effort.
Recommended--monthly
How quickly must benefit issuance documents be updated to be in compliance?
In a timely manner...whatever that means!
Who loves these because we don't have to review all the eligibility applications?
EVERYONE! (I assume) :)
In the question asking if all applications were correctly approved, what 2 things can be cited with this question?
1) Applications incorrectly approved by category are considered miscategorized and cited here.
2) Applications with any of the missing information below are cited here:
Not all household members are listed, missing income by source and/or frequency, a valid SNAP/TANF case number not listed, last 4 digits of the Social Security number not listed or “no SS# box checked” (income apps only), missing an adult household signature, adequate documentation not on file for foster children: box checked, adult signature, or documentation not adequate
What are the 4 acceptable frequencies used on HEAs and the correct multipliers to annualize them?
1) Weekly income by 52.
2) Bi-weekly income (received every two weeks) by 26.
3) Semi-monthly income (received twice a month) by 24
4) Monthly income by 12.
What is required of the SFA regarding the direct certification list?
Documentation must be maintained for all students directly certified from the Electronic DC System.
A dated Direct Certification Report with the name of each student eligible must be available for review.