Maryann Durrant (USBE):
This training will go through how long IEFs are good for and how you can stay on top of keeping IEFs updated. An IEF is good from the beginning of the month in which it is signed and expires that same month of the following year. For example if an IEF is approved September 26 then it applies starting on September 1 and will expire on September 30th of the following year. Also each year a new IEF must be completed, not just updated. You can’t require a parent to fill out an IEF. If a parent refuses to fill one out, it’s ok, you would simply claim the children without an IEF at the paid rate.
Also the center may determine when eligibility starts. On your application with the food program, which is renewed each year, you’ll specify whether you use the parent signature date or the approving official date for determining when the IEF effective date is. You do have to choose one or the other and stick with it, you can’t use a combination of the two. Let’s say that you decided to go by the parent date. In this example, this IEF was completed by the parent on April 30th, but the approval date by the center is May 2nd . Since the parent date was in April, this form would be good from April 1st. If you chose to go by the approving official date, it would be good from May 1st. Either method is fine, choose whichever method works best for you.
Some reminders, every participant being claimed at the free or reduced rate must have an IEF that was completed within the last calendar year. The parent can't just sign and date the previous IEF, a brand new IEF must be completed each year and approved by you. Some suggestions to keep IEFs updated that we have found effective: You could have one month every year that you have parents fill out new IEFs. You could also keep a record of which IEFs expire each month and have the parents update them one month at a time. Whatever method works for you is just fine but make sure that you stay on top of it.
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