Validation Reviews PPT - Region 1

Certification & ValidationReviewsSchool Year 2012‐20132012 Region One Education Service Center

Acknowledgement Statement• You understand and acknowledge that• the training you are about to receive does notcover the entire scope of the program; and that• you are responsible for knowing andunderstanding all handbooks, manuals, alerts,notices and guidance, as well as, any other formsof communication that provide further guidance,clarification or instruction on operating theprogram.2012 Region One Education Service Center

Healthy, Hunger‐Free Kids Act of 2010What it entailed:ed:• New Meal Patterns for both Lunch (2012) &Breakfast (2013)• Required districts to submit 1 week of menus foreach of their age‐grade groups to obtaincertification, THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL• Schools that do not submit this year willautomatically ti be reviewed next school year as an“Administrative Review(AR)” replacing theCoordinated Review Effort (CRE)2012 Region One Education Service Center

Certification of Menus• 31 districts have obtained certification status• $.06 per lunch have been approved andturned on as of 10‐1‐20121 • 11 other districts have submitted –– Some are working to fix menu worksheets– Others are still awaiting a response• No Submission Deadline for Certification– AUTOMATIC Administrative Review SY ‘12‐’132012 Region One Education Service Center

Let’s look at the MONEY!!!• District Lunches / day: 12,000• 12,000 lunches x 20 Operating Days = 240,000• 240,000 lunches x $.06 = $14,400.00 / month• $14,400.00 x ~9 claims = $129,600 / year• Financial impact is significant!!! (handout)2012 Region One Education Service Center

After Certification is Validation• Once cea district dst ctobtains Certification a district dst hasa 1 in 4 chance of being selected for Validation– All 40,000+ enrollment districts must be validated• Brownsville & United ISD have been validated• Validation districts will receive a phone call theweek (usually Friday) before TDA will arrive• Minimal notice is required and districts will notbe told which campuses until the day they are onsite• Any campus may be selected2012 Region One Education Service Center

Certification vs ValidationCertificationValidation• Menus submitted on TX‐UNPS for each age‐gradeCheck week of review menufor all age‐grade grade groups &groupCertified week submitted• No supporting documents • Ensure reimbursable mealsreviewedserved, counted & claimed• Approved & Certifiedcorrectly• $.06 turned on • Check food productionrecords for both Cert &Week of Review• TDA may turn off $06if $.06 non‐compliant2012 Region One Education Service Center

Purpose of Validation Reviews(VR)• To affirm that a certified CE has been andcontinues to meet the updated meal patterns• Process that determines if the CE is meetingrequirements from beginning i of certificationiand ensures that meal service during VR isconsistent with ihthe submitted certificationimenu worksheets2012 Region One Education Service Center

State Agency Requirements• Must conduct onsite validation reviews of 25%certified CE (Contracting Entity)• Validation reviews will not go beyond SY 2012‐2013• The new 3 year administrative cycle will beginJuly 1, 20132012 Region One Education Service Center

State Agency Requirements• During a validation review:– Must observe a meal service for each type of certifiedmenu, that t will include breakfast, counting andclaiming process to ensure reimbursable meals arebeing claimed correctly– Review food production records for observed meals– Review documentation submitted for certification* SA (state agency) is not required to conduct a nutrientanalysis2012 Region One Education Service Center

Validation ‐ Breakfast• SA must observe a meal service for eachbreakfast menu submitted– BIC counting and claiming, TPSNP violations• SA must review food production records for theobserved meals– Accurately filled out all required 21 points• SA will review documentation ti submitted dforcertification– Food Based – Menu, USDA Worksheet, NutrientAssessment– Nutrient Standard –Menu and Nutrient Analysis2012 Region One Education Service Center

FINDINGS DuringValidation of Breakfast• SA must observe a meal service for eachbreakfast menu submitted– BIC counting and claiming– No POS for counting and claiming– Incomplete breakfasts being served & counted– Counting AFTER meal service– TPSNP violations (possible with sharing of outsidefood)– Remember w/ BIC this extends the dinning room.2012 Region One Education Service Center

Validation ‐ Lunch• SA must observe a meal service for each lunchmenu submitted– Counting and claiming, TPSNP violations• SA must review food production records for theobserved meals– Accurately filled out all required 21 points• SA will review documentation ti submitted dforcertification– Food Based – Menu, USDA Worksheet, NutrientAssessment– Nutrient Standard –Menu and Nutrient Analysis2012 Region One Education Service Center

FINDINGS DuringValidation of Lunch• SA must observe a meal service for each lunchmenu submitted– Counting and claiming– No fruit or vegetable on the tray– Sending students back for more components when notnecessary– Incomplete trays due to Offer vs Serve– Meal Pattern poster showing what is allowed on tray– TPSNP violations– Sharing of outside food, Hot Cheetos or students selling2012 Region One Education Service Center

What Happens if SA is unable toValidate? ld• The SA will need to determine the following:– Whether a corrective action can occurimmediately– Longevity and severity of the problems• If corrective action occurs immediately, CE cancontinue to earn 6 cents• However, the SA may recover any improperlyHowever, the SA may recover any improperlypaid 6 cent funds2012 Region One Education Service Center

What Happens if SA is unable toValidate? ld• Problem is determined to be systemic, 6 centscan be turned off as a result of theobservations made during a validation review• CE must re‐apply for certification i and if the CEis not re‐certified, CE will be subject to AR inSY 2013‐20142014 review cycle2012 Region One Education Service Center

What Happens if SA identifies a TPSNPduring a VR?• TDA has identified TPSNP violations during VR• TDA can and has disallowed meals found to benon‐compliant with TPSNP• The amount of time of fiscal penalty dependsif violation i is determined dto be systemic (4weeks)• TPSNP violations may hinder the VR processand may result in increased length of VR visit2012 Region One Education Service Center

When will SA conduct Validation• At the SA discretionReview?• SA strongly encouraged to conduct validationiprior to CE first claim for reimbursementincluding the 6 cents• Can conduct validation prior to notifying theSFA of certification2012 Region One Education Service Center

Certification Requests in April or May2013• Validations reviews are a one year requirement• Must be completed by June 30, 2013• Validation review must occur while school is insession• If CE does not submit the request for certificationwith enough time for potential validation, the CEwill be included on the AR schedule for SY 2013‐20142012 Region One Education Service Center

How many CEs will be Validated?• Random selection of 25% of all certified CE inSY 2012‐2013• All large CE must be included in the randomsample• CE that receives an AR is not subject to avalidation review and will not be included inthe sample2012 Region One Education Service Center

What is considered a large CE?• A large CE is defined as:– All CE with 40,000000 or more children– If there are less than two CEs with 40,000 or morechildren, the two largest CE with at least 2,000children2012 Region One Education Service Center

Validation Review Periods• Certification is a rolling process which makesvalidation a rolling process to be conductedthroughout the year• Validation i Periods Include:– October‐December– January‐March– April‐June2012 Region One Education Service Center

Validation Review Periods• Be aware that a CE not selected for validationreview during one period is automatically inthe “pool” for possible selection during thenext time period2012 Region One Education Service Center

How many schools will be visitedduring a VR?• One school representing each type of certifiedmenu submitted (for each meal i.e., breakfast& lunch) will be randomly selected for avalidation review• Example:– If a CE submitted three lunch menus, one for eachage/grade group and one breakfast menu, the SAwill randomly select four schools to visit mealservice2012 Region One Education Service Center

How many schools will be visitedduring a VR? (Cont’d)• The SA may show up to a breakfast withouthaving an “entrance conference” with the CE• They may stop at the closest campus in routeto the CNP department• They will observe breakfast prep and serviceand stay to observe some lunch preparation ifit has already begun PRIOR to “entranceconference” with the CE2012 Region One Education Service Center

Will VR be announced?• SA is not required to announce when theyplan to conduct validation reviews• A courtesy phone call is being conducted justto ensure district i is working• Benchmarking or alternate bell schedule is nota reason to request alternate date2012 Region One Education Service Center

How long will the SA be onsite duringVR?• There is no requirement for how long the SAmust stay at a school for a VR• Must observe a meal service for each menutype and there is no requirement for the SA tobe onsite from the beginning until the end ofall meal periods2012 Region One Education Service Center

Validation Review Checklists• There are prototype checklists for validationreview• Breakfast Checklist– http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Policy‐Memos/2012/SP40‐2012aB.pdf2012aB • Lunch Checklist– http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Policy‐/ / /Memos/2012/SP40‐2012aA.pdf2012 Region One Education Service Center

Preparing for Validation Reviews1) Maintaindocumentation ina folder, binder, oranother recordtracking method2) Update recordsas menus changeand substitutionsare madeFor example, organize the documentation bymenu, day, menu item, or component2012 Region One Education Service Center

Validation Review DocumentsMenu planProduction records(including portion sizes)Standardized recipesWhole grainstatements/labels**As applicableUSDA Foods Fact Sheets*Nutrition Facts labels andingredients*Child Nutrition labels*Product Analysissheet/manufacturer’ssstatements*2012 Region One Education Service Center

Acknowledgement Statement• You understand and acknowledge that• the training you are about to receive does notcover the entire scope of the program; and that• you are responsible for knowing andunderstanding all handbooks, manuals, alerts,notices and guidance, as well as, any other formsof communication that provide further guidance,clarification or instruction on operating theprogram.2012 Region One Education Service Center

Kimberly L. Keller, MS, RD, LD956‐984‐6121klkeller@esc1.netLaura‐Zelda S. Villarreal, MBA, RD, LD, SNS956‐984‐6124lvillarreal@esc1.netQUESTIONS?2012 Region One Education Service Center

Questions“This service (or product) is provided d through h the Texas Department ofAgriculture's school nutrition education, and outreach program fundedby the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. Inaccordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of Agriculturepolicy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis ofrace, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint ofdiscrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call tollfree (866) 632-9992 (Voice). Individuals who are hearing impaired orhave speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal RelayService at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is anequal opportunity yprovider and employer” (USDA, 2011).2012 Region One Education Service Center