C

Civil Rights Compliance Data Collection and Reporting

The LEA must develop a method for collecting and reporting data on the actual number of children applying for free and reduced-price meals by racial/ethnic category. The data may be collected by a school official through observation or personal knowledge or by voluntary self-identification by the applicant on the free and reduced-price application form. The information must be kept on file for three years after the current year. Procedures must be established to ensure that the information is made available only to authorized state and federal officials during reviews or as part of surveys approved by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.