All sponsors are required to use the Direct Certification system to assure that all foster students and students eligible for Food Assistance (FA) or Temporary Assistance to Families (TAF) are approved to receive free school meals.

New for the 2022-2023 school year, students eligible for free (MED-F) or reduced-price meals (MED-R) due to Medicaid will be included on the Direct Certification List.

Only students found on the Direct Certification list as eligible for free or reduced-price meals due to Medicaid can be directly certified. 

A Medicaid number submitted by a household on a paper or online application cannot be used to certify students for free or reduced price meals because not all Medicaid programs meet Child Nutrition Program Income Eligibility Guidelines.

A complete list of all foster students and students eligible for Food Assistance or TAF or Medicaid is available now.  The Direct Certification System displays daily matches for public schools and all private schools who send student records to KSDE. KSDE will send an email notification when a new student is added to the Sponsor list. The new students added will be displayed at the top with the date matched. Free or reduced-price meal benefits begin when the sponsor sends the Letter to Household about School Meal Benefits or the “created date” if the Sponsor has requested flexibility for establishing effective date of eligibility on the Sponsor Application in KN-CLAIM.

Check the list frequently. Sponsors must send the Letter to Household about School Meal Benefits to notify households that students in the household are directly certified for free or reduced price meals in a timely manner so that the household does not take the time to submit an income application. A paper or electronic copy of the letter should also be maintained on file.  The KN-CLAIM Quick Reference for Direct Certification has been updated and is available in KN-CLAIM, Quick References.

Direct Certification with Medicaid Q&As

Q.  A household says it is eligible for Medicaid and should be receiving free or reduced-price meals, but I know they have to be on the direct certification list.  Who should I have them contact to see why they are not on the list?

A.  Direct them to the Medicaid Clearinghouse by calling 1-800-792-4884 or they can go to the Self Service Portal https://cssp.kees.ks.gov/apspssp/ssp.portal and take a self-assessment.

Q. If a student is on the Direct Certification list as MED-R, but the family goes ahead and completes an application because they believe they are eligible for free meals based on income and are determined eligible for free, would they receive free meals instead of reduced?

A. Yes, if the household completes an income application and qualifies for free, they would receive free benefits based on the income application and the income application would be included in the verification pool.

Q. Can a Medicaid Number be accepted on an Income Application and used to certify students for Free Meals?

A. No. Not all Medicaid programs meet Child Nutrition Program Income Eligibility Guidelines. Only students found on the Direct Certification list can be certified for free or reduced meals based on Medicaid.

Q. If a student is on the Direct Certification list as both MED-R and Foster, what should I do?

A. Foster benefits do not extend to other students in the household, but Medicaid benefits do. Since the student is a Foster Child they would be certified for Free benefits and if there are other students in the household that are not Foster children, the MED-R benefit would extend the reduced benefit to the other students in the household.