Recent Updates to Free/Reduced Lunch

Overview

This article was created to list all of the latest updates to the Lunch module in Genesis. The following is current as of 6/23/2026.

Release Notes

6/18/2026

• The import process for the Direct Certification Files into Genesis has been updated to comply with the NJ School Nutrition Program's 2026-27 Direct Certification Process Updates. The screens can be found under Student Data > Lunch > Import Direct Certification File

• Report 9205 - SNEARS Direct Cert Import File has been updated to comply with the NJ School Nutrition Program's 2026-27 Direct Certification Process Updates.

6/16/2026

Federal and New Jersey Expanded Income Eligibility Guideline added for the 2026-27 school year. These will not become active until the morning after you are rolled over to the 2026-27 school year.

3/20/2026

 Summer EBT 2026 Report (9236) is now available.

11/13/2024

* Parents -> Setup -> Settings -> Lunch Application Settings

- New option called "Exclude Pre-Reg students on Lunch App" that when enabled will exclude students from schools set

as Pre-Reg during the submission of lunch applications by parents.

10/10/2024

* StudentData->Lunch->Setup->Settings

- Option "Set Application Needs Verification to NO for applications calculated as NJF - Federally Paid but NJ Free under NJEIE." now also prevents application from being set as error prone. This includes NOT showing the application as error prone on the calculate screen.

10/9/2024

* StudentData->Lunch->Setup->Settings

- Added option called "Set Application Needs Verification to NO for applications calculated as NJF - Federally Paid but NJ Free under NJEIE.". This includes setting 'Application Needs Verification' to false when calculating an Application both in Genesis, and when a parent fills in an auto-calculated application online. It will also skip the application when selecting apps to verify in the 'Application Verification' screen. This option is defaulted to ON for all customers.

8/23/2024

* Lunch Applications

- You may now search for lunch applications declined in the Parents Portal from the Lunch Application Search Form by using the "Declined Applications:" drop down when searching. Leaving it blank will search for all applications. 'Show Only' will return only Declined applications and 'Do Not Show' will remove declined applications from the search results.

- When editing a Declined Lunch Application, the edit screen will now show a message reminding you that you are looking at a Declined Application.

- The calculate screen will now only give certain options when selecting a lunch code for a student on a Declined Application. Free and Reduced codes will not be available.

7/24/2024

--------------- New / Enhanced
* Online Lunch Application.
- The phrase Required if Applying for School Meals Only was added and placed by the request for the last 4 digits of the SSN as now required by the USDA
- Check to Opt-out of Summer EBT Benefits check box was moved to "Certify and Submit" portion of the application as requested by the State.

* Report 21037 - Food Services: Eligibility Letters (Form 70)
- New report for 2024 eligibility letters

* Report 21038 - Food Services: Verify Letters (Form 236)
- Report updated for 2024 letters

* Report 21039 - Food Services: Verify Letters (Form 244)
 - Report updated for 2024 letters