COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new program starting next school year in Ohio will make it easier for students to access nutritious meals while easing the financial strain on families. Ohio is one of 14 states that has been selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to participate in the Direct Certification with Medicaid Demonstration Project, which automatically qualifies households that receive Medicaid for free or reduced-price school meals for their school-age children.
The Direct Certification with Medicaid program uses existing data to certify children for free or reduced-price meals without the need for an additional application. By doing so, the program ensures that more students receive the benefit of a school meal.
Interim Superintendent of Public Instruction Stephanie Siddens said, “There’s a critical connection between meeting a student’s basic needs and their success in the classroom. The Ohio Department of Education is thrilled to offer direct certification through the Medicaid application. This program will remove barriers for families and allow more of our most vulnerable students to eat healthy meals at school so they can focus on learning.”
The new program will eliminate paperwork for families and reduce the number of school meal applications for school districts to process and verify. Dr. Vista Suarez Fletcher, the FNS Midwest Regional Administrator, said, “Nutritious meals are an integral part of each instructional day for students. Direct certification works to ensure children in need aren’t mistakenly left behind.”
Direct Certification with Medicaid began in 2012 with seven states. In the 2023-2024 school year, 39 states will use Medicaid data to qualify students for free and reduced-price lunches. The Ohio Department of Education estimates that, as of October 2022, 677,688 children qualify for free or reduced meals. Ohio has been directly certifying students for free meals if their household received SNAP benefits or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families for many years.
