don't claim reimbursement for children who have applied and are eligible (called certification error). Errors in reporting …. This report from Mathematica's Access, Participation, Eligibility, and Certification study estimates the amounts and rates …. Approximately nine percent of total reimbursements for both the lunch and breakfast programs were erroneous due to certification …

and rates of improper payments in these programs, looked at two types of certification errors: (1) household reporting … when districts make mistakes in processing applications, determining eligibility, or recording certification status. For … percent of total meal reimbursements were erroneous because of certification error. …

About 61 percent of school districts used direct certification in the NSLP in the 2001-02 school year, the same share … as in 1996. Direct certification increased the number of children certified for free meals by about 400,000 and slightly … increased overall NSLP participation. Under direct certification, school districts use information from state welfare or food …