West Virginia Code of State Rules
Agency 126 - Education
Title 126 - PROCEDURAL RULE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Series 126-085 - POLICIES OF OPERATION MANUAL - CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS (4320)
Section 126-85-49 - Applications for Free or Reduced Price Meals

49.1.1. Applications and the Letter to Parents shall be sent to parents or guardians of each student as early as possible in the school year to allow time for the return of applications by the end of the first full week of school. The school principal, or a designated person, shall review all applications received and determine eligibility according to information given on the application. Parents or guardians shall be notified of the status of approval, change or termination of benefits (WVDE-ADM-103).

49.2.1. County school systems or individual schools may choose to approve free and reduced price meal applications by computer. A computer-generated application may be sent to the parents to update annually for continued program benefits.

49.2.2. Throughout the school year, applications may be received for students transferring from another school or from parents whose financial status has changed.

49.2.3. If a student has received free and/or reduced price meals and transfers to another school, a record of eligibility shall be maintained at the original school. Either a copy of the application may be made or a new one submitted to the receiving school.

49.3.1. The USDA has granted permission for a multi-use application. The application has been expanded to allow parents or guardians to express an interest in receiving Medicaid benefits and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) benefits. Additionally, the privacy act statement on the reverse side of the application has been expanded to accommodate Medicaid and CHIP benefits.

49.3.2. When an interest in Medicaid and/or CHIP benefits has been expressed in Part VII of the application, and Part VII has been signed by a parent or guardian, the following procedures are to be used to transmit the information to the appropriate authorities.

49.3.3. Parent's name, address, county of residence, and a Social Security number of an adult family member should be sent to the area Medicaid and/or CHIP state offices.

49.3.4. Information on the free/reduced form may also be used for determining additional education benefits and may be shared with other agencies sponsoring USDA child nutrition programs. This limited disclosure guidance should be referred to when using the information for these purposes. Additionally, the privacy act statement and the Part VI, signature statement has been expanded to include the release of information for education benefits and sharing with other child nutrition program sponsors.