Texas ELMS (Texas Eligibility List Management System) is a private software system available to assist our National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program partners. It streamlines the process of matching enrollment records to students in households receiving federal assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or select types of Medicaid. Through Texas ELMS, these students are directly certified as eligible for free or reduced-price meals based on their household's participation in the programs.
Because Texas schools are required to complete the direct certification matching process monthly, using Texas ELMS can improve the accuracy and efficiency of determining eligibility. The matches that occur in the system complement partners’ direct certification of eligible student groups outside of Texas ELMS (foster, homeless, and migrant for example). Importantly, schools must not use Texas ELMS eligibility information for any purposes other than determining school nutrition program benefits.
More information about Texas ELMS, direct certification, direct verification, and related reporting can be found below.