(a)

1. (1) Child Nutrition Manager Certification requirements:

   1. (A) Must have a high school diploma or Graduation Equivalency Diploma (GED);
   2. (B) Must have the recommendation of the current employer, either the Child Nutrition Director and/or the superintendent;
   3. (C) Must successfully complete the Department of Education’s Child Nutrition Unit Manager Certification Program requirements;
   4. (D) Must have completed one (1) school year on-the-job experience after completion of the department’s Child Nutrition Unit Manager Certification Program fulfilling the duties and responsibilities as a Child Nutrition Manager or Assistant Manager to be validated by immediate supervisor; and
   5. (E) Must have a recommendation for certification by immediate supervisor.
2. (2) No out-of-state certification will be accepted for Arkansas certification of Child Nutrition Managers.

(b) General policies pertaining to certification of Child Nutrition Managers.

1. (1) The job functions of the Child Nutrition Manager include:

   1. (A) Program accountability;
   2. (B) Sanitation, safety, and security;
   3. (C) Equipment use and care;
   4. (D) Food production;
   5. (E) Food acceptability;
   6. (F) Customer service;
   7. (G) Recordkeeping;
   8. (H) Marketing;
   9. (I) Personnel management; and
   10. (J) Professional development.
2. (2) The Child Nutrition Manager assists the Child Nutrition Director in delivering required training for the child nutrition personnel.

3. (3) The Child Nutrition Manager:

   1. (A) Receives general supervision from the Child Nutrition Director; and
   2. (B) Directly supervises employees in the school child nutrition food service program.
4. (4) All local education agencies or school districts will be required to employ a certified Child Nutrition Manager or Managers by July 1, 2006.
5. (5) Documentation of certification of the Child Nutrition Manager must be submitted annually.
6. (6) Noncertified child nutrition professionals entering a manager-level position in a food service program must meet state certification requirements within four (4) years of employment in a Child Nutrition Manager position.

7. (7)

   1. (A) School districts that do not employ a certified Child Nutrition Manager cannot pay salary for this position from the nonprofit food service account.
   2. (B) When a noncertified child nutrition professional is currently working on state certification requirements, subsection (a) of this section, salary may be paid from the nonprofit food service account.

8. (8)

   1. (A) A noncertified Child Nutrition Manager must begin the Manager Certification Training process within the first twelve (12) months of employment.
   2. (B) During the first twelve (12) months of employment, the noncertified Child Nutrition Manager’s salary may be paid from the nonprofit food service account.
   3. (C) If the certification process is not begun within twelve (12) months, any funds paid from the nonprofit food service account must be refunded to that account from district operating funds.

9. (9)

   1. (A) All information and documentation submitted for certification as a Child Nutrition Manager must be:

(i) Timely;

1. (ii) Accurate;

   1. (iii) Authentic; and

      1. (iv) Unaltered in any way.
   2. (B) Any certification issued as a result of a violation of the above mentioned will be null and void.
   3. (C) Any certification found to have been issued as a result of the above mentioned will be rescinded.
2. (10) The Child Nutrition Unit, Department of Education, as authorized by the State Board of Education, reserves the right to amend and/or rescind any certification that has been issued in error.