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More Santa Clarita, California Students Eligible For Free And Reduced Price Lunches

More than 800,000 California students across the state, including in Santa Clarita, are now eligible to receive free and reduced-price meals from the state school lunch program due to a streamlined certification process, officials said Monday.


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The state-level Direct Certification process, or DCP, has become an automated step for nearly one million students, said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.  

This DCP eliminates the need for families to fill out applications, making the process follow a more expedient timeline, according to a news release.

“This new process is a great example of government agencies working together to create a more efficient system that better serves our students and can help to increase the number of students who receive healthy meals,” said Torlakson. “Now, many students can start the school year with their meal eligibility already in place, giving them access to the nutritious food they need to stay focused in class and ready to learn.”  

Local education agencies (LEAs) can now use Medi-Cal data included on the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, or CALPADS, direct certification reports to certify eligible students, the news release said.

Students on Medi-Cal must fall within a certain household income to be eligible. Once a student is certified, eligibility lasts for the entire school year.

CALPADS provides direct certification results to all public schools, county offices of education, and charter schools through its electronic notification process — which takes place securely without disclosing a student’s Medicaid status, health information or specific income data.

To learn more about Direct Certification, visit the California Department of Education School Nutrition’s Direct Certification site.

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More Santa Clarita, California Students Eligible For Free And Reduced Price Lunches

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About Aaron Lanuza

Aaron Lanuza is a print and broadcast journalist who has graduated from California State University Northridge with an Bachelors Degree in Journalism. Aaron Lanuza, a San Fernando Valley native, is currently a staff writer/reporter. As a multi-media reporter, Aaron is very involved with news gathering for written, radio and video broadcast.