Food Program

[Cat Herder]

Is there a website map that shows each region, county and states tier levels or do we just have to take the consultant of the week's word for it?

[daycarediva]

No idea on the map... BUT I was told it went by your school districts poverty levels. 80% free lunch would be Tier1.

When we moved I had to reduce rates (high income to mid income areas) but the change from tier 2 to 1 more than compensated for it.

[Gemma]

Originally Posted by Cat Herder

Is there a website map that shows each region, county and states tier levels or do we just have to take the consultant of the week's word for it?

Mine follow the school district, whatever tier they put the school in, I get

[Cat Herder]

Originally Posted by daycarediva

No idea on the map... BUT I was told it went by your school districts poverty levels. 80% free lunch would be Tier1.

When we moved I had to reduce rates (high income to mid income areas) but the change from tier 2 to 1 more than compensated for it.

That is the thing, all 3 of my local schools are well over 80% free lunch but they say my street is tier 2. I have never had anything concrete provided to me to support that claim. It seems shady.

[Cat Herder]

Originally Posted by Gemma

Mine follow the school district, whatever tier they put the school in, I get

Do you know how we can hold them accountable if they are wrong? Where do we go for concrete information?

[Annalee]

Originally Posted by Cat Herder

Do you know how we can hold them accountable if they are wrong? Where do we go for concrete information?

Tiers are based on school data or the providers income. My FP 'likes' for all to be on Tier 1 so she explores every avenue to meet that.

I would definitely stay on this because I think you should qualify for Tier 1.

Good luck!

[Blackcat31]

https://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/about-area-eligibility

https://www.fns.usda.gov/areaeligibility

https://www.fns.usda.gov/documentati...e-food-program

[Cat Herder]

Thank you, BC. The new regs make me post a menu and times, keep on file for 6 months, eat the same food within arms length, have seconds of everything on the table and require the unannounced inspector to look over all menus and witness meals, jut like the food program.

I figured maybe it was time to get paid more for it.

I looked around a bit more and it looks like they are including the percentages from the four private/boarding schools here. There is no way our families could afford those schools. Most are from out of country. I am shocked they knock our stats down to 63% for the district.

Can that be right? I thought only public schools count.

(I was thinking of you all night. I hope your morning is going well. )

[Cat Herder]

Originally Posted by Annalee

Tiers are based on school data or the providers income. My FP 'likes' for all to be on Tier 1 so she explores every avenue to meet that.

I would definitely stay on this because I think you should qualify for Tier 1.

Good luck!

Thanks! It is really confusing. I need my information in print. I don't trust verbal anything from these folks out here. They don't like to put anything in print. I email, they call. I email "That sounds important, please send me an email."... they ignore me.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Cat Herder

Thank you, BC. The new regs make me post a menu and times, keep on file for 6 months, eat the same food within arms length, have seconds of everything on the table and require the unannounced inspector to look over all menus and witness meals, jut like the food program.

I figured maybe it was time to get paid more for it.

I looked around a bit more and it looks like they are including the percentages from the four private/boarding schools here. There is no way our families could afford those schools. Most are from out of country. I am shocked they knock our stats down to 63% for the district.

Can that be right? I thought only public schools count.

Can your families themselves qualify? They can fill out individual income forms and maybe they would individually qualify for the higher reimbursement rate.

I don't know much about private schools and their impact in the process but I would think they are not included unless they participate in CACFP too. But I have no idea.

Hopefully there is contact info somewhere in the links where you can call and find out for sure.

Originally Posted by Cat Herder

(I was thinking of you all night. I hope your morning is going well. )

Thank you...I'm hanging in there.
I'll post more in the private vent thread.

[Annalee]

All school systems are receiving free lunch during the pandemic so you should qualify for sure this year!

[Gemma]

Originally Posted by Cat Herder

Do you know how we can hold them accountable if they are wrong? Where do we go for concrete information?

I don't know, but I can ask my sponsor if like

[coloradoprovider]

If there is another sponsor in your area for the childcare food program, I would call them and ask the question. My sponsor believes it's public school data only. If you want to take it further, contact the USDA. Their criteria should be consistent amongst states as it's a federal agency. I definitely would pursue this as it's a large difference!

[Cat Herder]

Thanks guys!

I wanted to check before I start making more calls for documents.

[Former Teacher]

Originally Posted by Cat Herder

Thank you, BC. The new regs make me post a menu and times, keep on file for 6 months, eat the same food within arms length, have seconds of everything on the table and require the unannounced inspector to look over all menus and witness meals, jut like the food program.

I figured maybe it was time to get paid more for it.

I was sitting here reading this and I thought....wait...I thought CH wasn't even on the FP....then I kept on reading...that usually helps before I think random thoughts!

[Cat Herder]

Originally Posted by Former Teacher

I was sitting here reading this and I thought....wait...I thought CH wasn't even on the FP....then I kept on reading...that usually helps before I think random thoughts!

I get it. I keep hearing these other people loving their programs and I have to do all the same things anyway, but I still can't see a way that it will be worth it, here.

I re-evaluate every few years in case the kinks have been worked out.