Nutrition Services Division |
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To: National School Lunch Program Sponsors |
Number: 05-116 |
Attention: Food Service Director |
Date: November 2005 |
Subject: 2005-06 Attendance Factor and Required Meal Count Edit Checks |
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| Reference: United States Department of Agriculture Correspondence (September 2005); and Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 210.2 and 210.8(a)(3) | |
| Supersedes: Management Bulletin 04-126 (September 2004) | |
This Management Bulletin provides the 2005-06 average daily “Attendance Factor” for National School Lunch Program sponsors. Each year, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) calculates the attendance factor using the latest data available from the United States Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics.
BACKGROUND
Prior to filing a claim for reimbursement, USDA requires National School Lunch Program sponsors to perform daily meal count “edit checks” by multiplying an annual attendance factor [percentage] by the number of children enrolled in school. Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR), Part 210.2 defines the attendance factor as “ . . . a percentage developed no less than once each school year which accounts for the difference between enrollment and attendance . . . ” (i.e., the average percentage of enrolled students typically attending school on any given day).
To perform daily meal count edit checks as required in 7 CFR 210.8(a)(3), sponsors must multiply the number of enrolled children approved for each meal eligibility category (free, reduced-price, and paid) by the annual attendance factor. The results, referred to as “attendance-adjusted eligible” figures, are to be documented by comparing the daily counts of free, reduced-price, and paid lunches served. Recorded daily meal counts should not exceed the attendance-adjusted eligible figures in any meal eligibility category on any school day without a simple written justification to explain the overage (e.g., pizza day; special promotion; non-pricing event, etc.). In addition, school meal counts reported on a monthly reimbursement claim must not exceed the number of children approved in any meal eligibility category multiplied by the number of operating days within the month.
2005-06 ATTENDANCE FACTOR
For school year (SY) 2005-06, USDA has calculated an attendance factor of 93.5 percent. Effective with the 2005-2006 school year, sponsors must use the 93.5 percent attendance factor for each site’s daily meal count edits prior to the submission of their monthly reimbursement claims. As allowed in prior years, sponsors may also develop their own attendance factors using data that apply district or agency-wide, or to individual sites. The California Department of Education will apply the 93.5 percent attendance factor (or the sponsor’s actual site or agency-wide attendance factor) to meal counts during Coordinated Review Efforts (CREs) conducted for the SY 2005-06.
In order to develop your actual attendance factor, you will need to determine your student population rate of attendance each month. To do this, you will need to calculate the percentage of average attendance by dividing the average number of students who attended each day by the average number of students enrolled each day. Do not include excused absences in the average attendance figure. This will give you an actual monthly attendance factor.
Attached are three sample Daily Meal Count Edit Work Sheets that may be used for traditional or year-round school sites. The first sample (Attachment 1) assists school sites in computing daily meal count edit checks; the second sample (Attachment 2) assists school sites with multiple tracks in computing daily meal count edit checks; and the third sample (Attachment 3) assists school sites in computing their monthly free, reduced-price, and paid category numbers for comparison against their actual daily meal counts. Sponsors may use any or all of these work sheets, or develop their own.
While the use of any of the attached sample work sheets is optional, documentation of your edit checks is required. All edit check forms must incorporate the data requested on the attached sample work sheets.
RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE INSTITUTIONS
Please note that Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs) must also complete daily meal count edit checks. Daily meal counts cannot exceed the number of residents enrolled each day. The attendance factor for RCCIs is 100 percent. RCCIs with day students must use the national attendance factor of 93.5 percent (or their own actual site or agency-wide attendance factor).
If you have any questions regarding edit checks or this year’s attendance factor, please contact your Nutrition Services Division representative or the Field Services Unit at 916-445-0850 or 800-952-5609. You may also contact Christine Kavooras at 800-952-5609 or ckavoora@cde.ca.gov.Attachments
- Site Daily Meal Count Edit Worksheet (DOC; 78KB; 1p.)
- Site Daily Meal Count Edit Worksheet For Schools With Tracks (DOC; 87KB; 1p.)
- Site Daily Meal Count Edit - Check Monthly Worksheet (DOC; 34KB; 1p.)
