Direct Certification - Option for Uploading Student Data - Memo 8/2/2004
DATE: August 2, 2004
TO: Sponsors of School Nutrition Programs
FROM: Linda Rosenbaum-Grubbs, Supervisor
Food and Nutrition Service
SUBJECT: Uploading Student Data for Direct Certification (Optional)
The CLiCS module for direct certification has been launched today. A new feature of direct certification is the capability for schools to submit student enrollment data on CLiCS so that more students can be directly certified. Uploading of student enrollment data through CLiCS is optional for schools.
- School districts:
School districts that have already received direct certification data on CLiCS for most of their students may obtain direct certification data on any new students, including kindergarten students, by uploading enrollment data on the new students through the CLiCS – Direct Certification – Upload Enrollment feature. The uploaded file must be a text file in MARSS reporting format. After MDE has processed the school’s uploaded data, the school’s file and report showing additional students who have been directly certified will be available from the CLiCS Direct Certification screen.
- Nonpublic schools:
A nonpublic school that wants direct certification data on its students can upload the school’s enrollment data through the CLiCS – Direct Certification – Upload Enrollment feature. The uploaded file must be a text file in the MARSS format used for public school reporting (see information about MARSS file format below). Before uploading enrollment data, a nonpublic school must ensure that it may send its enrollment data to MDE for this purpose without violating data privacy law. After a school’s enrollment file has been processed, the school will be able to access a data file and report, from links on the CLiCS Direct Certification screen, showing directly certified students.
Upload File Requirements
Uploaded enrollment files must include all fields used in MARSS reporting
(see number 1, below). However, only those data elements that are needed for direct certification (see number 2, below) must have values entered.
1. File Format
The uploaded file must be a text file with the same format used for reporting of MARSS student data. The MARSS file format is available from the MARSS Manual on the MDE website at
http://cfl.state.mn.us/autorep/mardocs/manual/APPENDIX_J_05.pdf.
Please note that the complete MARSS reporting format, accommodating all MARSS data elements, must be used for the uploaded file, even if the school is providing data only for the limited elements listed below.
2. Data Required for Direct Certification Match Process
For the file to be used for direct certification, the data elements that must have values entered by the school are (in order that they appear on the MARSS file format):
Student Number
Social Security Number (if available)
District Number
District Type
School Number
Student Grade Level
Sex/Gender
Birth Date
Local Use Data
Student Name
Social Security numbers: All direct certification matches for student records that do not have Social Security numbers must be verified by the school before use. This is usually accomplished by the school checking manually, on the PDF Report of direct certification results, that the adult applicant name and/or address indicates that the adult who was approved for MFIP/Food Stamp benefits is a parent or guardian of the student.
3. Timing
MDE will run data matches each weekend on files that schools have uploaded that week, and the results will be available each Monday. Enrollment uploads should be limited to one per week. If a school submits multiple uploads in one week, the last file uploaded will be used.
If you have any questions about this information, please contact Food and Nutrition Service – policy team at 651-582-8526, 800-366-8922, or e-mail to fns@state.mn.us.
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