Step 1 - Student Information

Student information is entered first.

UPPER GRID

Displays all the students in your Meals Plus database who do not have a Free and Reduced application on file.

MIDDLE SECTION

• Enter the student’s Last /First name, Student #, and Schoolin the appropriate text fields.

  • Student # is the main ID number that is used to identify a student throughout all the Meals Plus products. It is usually assigned by the school district or state agency. This is required for all students and must be unique. It must be numeric, and from three-12 digits.
    • Duplicate student numbers are not allowed. If you enter a number has already been used, you will get a message that tells you which student it is assigned to.

• Enter the student’s birthdate in the Birth Date/DOB text field, if desired.

Or,

• Add a student by using the search tool. Enter the Last or First name, DOB or Student # in the appropriate text fields.
  • It will automatically search for a matching student as you type. You can also use the scroll bar to browse the grid. When you find the student you are looking for, press Enter and it will fill in the name, Student # and any other information on file (such as Teacher and Grade).

  

• After selecting a student, you can make changes if you need to.  If you edit an existing student's information on this screen, it will also change that student's information inPOS.

• If you do not see a student listed, click to refresh the lookup grid.

• If the student does not already exist in your database, you will need to enter the student’s Last / First name and Student # and select the School. Teacher and Grade are optional but recommended. Adding a student here will also add the student to POS.

• Click the  button (visible only if a student has been selected from the grid) to open the student’s POS: Student: Account Setup form.

  

  • This form is read-only from here. Click Close to return to the Student Information screen.

• Select the student’s Race and Sex from the dropdown lists if desired.  They are optional fields.  If these fields are left blank, they default to No Response.

• The Serving # is an ID number that is used for serving this student in POS. (Since Student ID can be up to 12 digits, some schools prefer to use a different ID number for serving in the cafeteria.)

  • If the student already exists in the database, it will default to the Serving number that already exists.
  • You can enter any number here, as long as it is not a duplicate of an existing Serving Number.

  Using one student’s Student Number as another student’s Serving Number is not recommended. You will get a warning message if this happens; you should select a different Serving Number if possible.

• If this is a new student, you can check Generate Serving # to assign one, based on the settings in the System Management control file.  (It will show as TBD until you save the application.)

• If this is a new student, and you do not check Generate Serving #, it will use the Student number as the Serving number. 

  • Duplicate serving numbers are not allowed. If you enter a number has already been used, you will get a message that tells you which student it is assigned to. You will need to assign a different serving number to the new student.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Check the Direct Certified box ONLY if the student you are entering is Direct Certified (based on information you received from the social services agency). 

  • If this is checked, the student will automatically be approved for free meals and the application will be exempt from verification.
  • When students are added to a Direct Cert application, all students in the household will automatically display on the new application. This will also print automatically.

• Check the Foster box ONLY if this student is a foster child. 

  • Foster children are automatically approved for free meals.

• Check the Kin-GAP box ONLY if the student qualifies for the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program.

• Check the Emancipated Minor box ONLY if the student is an emancipated minor who is legally allowed to submit his or her own application. 

  • The emancipated minor will be listed as both the head of household and as a student. The family size will be adjusted because of this.
  • If the student has income, enter it on the Student screen.

• Check Head Start if the student is enrolled in Head Start.

  • Head Start students are automatically approved for free meals.

• Select a category from the Homeless/Migrant/Runaway dropdown list only if you have confirmation from your Homeless Liaison that this household qualifies as Homeless, Migrant or Runaway. All the students in the household will be approved for free meals and the application is exempt from verification. Leave the dropdown at NA is none of these apply.

• If this student receives SNAP (Food Stamps), FDPIR or TANF, enter the case number in the Case #: text field. If they do not receive SNAP, FDPIR or TANF, leave this blank.

  • You will get a message if the case number has already been used on another application, but duplicates are permitted.
  • If the case number applies to all the students in the family, you need to enter it again for each additional student.

 Any student with a case number is categorically eligible and will be automatically approved for free meals.

• Select Other, Medicaid, TANF, SNAP, FDPIR (these are entered and shipped by Meals Plus and can be disabled) or any user-defined case type from the Case Type dropdown list. 

  • Medicaid Reduced case type applications must also have the Direct Cert checkbox checked. A message will appear if a reduced case type is selected and the Direct Cert checkbox is not checked.
  • Case Type extends to all types, except for the ‘exceptions'.
    • Exceptions include: Foster, Kin-GAP, H/M/R and Head Start.
  • Case Type is used in reports and verifications counts.
    • DC-Reduced (Medicaid Demonstration participants) applications will not be included in verification counts.

• Check the Report as Extended Benefits box to display the student on the Extended Benefits Report. It will not affect their Categorical or DC status.

  • Benefits will be extended automatically to all eligible students in the household with exceptions to H/M/R, Head Start and Foster/KinGap students.

    NOTE: When a new application is added, the student that is selected when a Case Type is added is not marked as Extended Benefits; other students on the application with no Case Type are 'Extended'.

    • There can be multiple case numbers within one application, and students with their own Case #/Type are not 'Extended'.
    • If an eligible student is added without a Case #/Type, it will be marked as 'Extended' based on the existing student's Case #/Type.
    • If an exception (H/M/R, Head Start, etc.) is added without a Case #, it will not be 'Extended'.

STUDENT INCOME SECTION

• If the student has income, enter the amount and frequency in the Student Income section.

  • You will enter the adults’ income on the Head of Household and Member screens.

• Click  to add documents to the application.  For detailed instructions for the Document Cabinet, please see Manage Application.

• Click .

  • It will provide a new student screen for you to fill out following the same process. Continue to add students until all the students in the household are listed.
  • You can use the browse bar to go back and forth between students.

• When all students and their personal income have been entered, click to go to the household screen.

• For more instructions, continue to the Step 2 - Head of Household screen.

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www.mealsplus.com

Student Eligibility, revised 7/2018