This memorandum contains questions and answers intended to provide clarification to state and local agencies on child nutrition administrative reporting requirements in school year 2021-22. Topics covered include reporting of NSLP Seamless Summer Option meals and snacks reimbursed at the SFSP payment rates, as well as other COVID-19 related reporting issues.
USDA is committed to providing nutrition assistance to hard-hit families across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. In support of President Biden’s call to action on hunger, USDA announced that it is increasing the Pandemic EBT benefit by approximately 15 percent, providing more money for low-income families and millions of children missing meals due to school and child care closures.
This memorandum provides clarification on questions related to child nutrition programs use of emergency procurements due to supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19.
USDA has issued a series of question and answer documents on flexibilities and waivers for the child nutrition programs intended to support effective operations and provide meals, while also supporting social distancing in order to reduce the exposure to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
This memorandum includes questions and answers intended to provide clarification to state agencies and program operators as they operate the child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, NSLP Seamless Summer Option and Child and Adult Care Food Program, during SY 2021-22.
This memo announces a new set of child nutrition program waivers for school year 2021-2022. Since March 2020, USDA has worked to ensure state agencies, schools and other community partners have the tools they need to maintain children’s access to nutritious meals during COVID-19.
This waiver cancels selected administrative data reporting requirements in the Child Nutrition Programs, specifically the following: FNS-640 Administrative Review Report Form; FNS-828 School Food Authority Paid Lunch Price Report; FNS-874 Local Educational Agency Second Review of Applications; Ameliorative Action Plans for Verification Results; State Agency Food Safety Inspections Report; and Performance-Based Reimbursement (7 Cents) Quarterly Report.
Under this waiver, Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option operators in states that elect to be subject to this waiver may serve meals at school sites during unanticipated school closures in school year 2021-2022.
Under this waiver, service institutions operating the Summer Food Service Program in states, whose agencies elect to be subject to this waiver, may operate open sites in areas that are not located in “Areas in which poor economic conditions exist” during unanticipated school closures in school year 2021-2022.
Under this waiver, Summer Food Service Program operators in states that elect to be subject to this waiver, and that elected to allow non-congregate meal distribution during COVID–19-related operations via COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #101, may distribute meals to a parent or guardian to take home to their children during an unanticipated school closure in School Year 2021-2022.
Under this waiver, Summer Food Service Program operators in states that elect to be subject to this waiver may serve meals outside of the standard meal times during unanticipated school closures in SY 2021-22. This waiver applies to state agencies administering, and service institutions operating, the Summer Food Service Program.
Under this waiver, Summer Food Service Program service institutions in states that elect to be subject to this waiver may provide non-congregate meals during COVID–19 operations during unanticipated school closures in school year 2021-2022. This waiver applies to state agencies administering, and service institutions operating, the Summer Food Service Program.
FNS is granting a waiver of certain fiscal action requirements in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. This waiver is available for any state where there is a supply chain disruption with respect to foods served under such a qualified program and such disruption is due to COVID–19.
This is the third study in the Access, Participation, Eligibility, and Certification study series, conducted in School Year 2017-18. FNS relies upon the APEC series to provide reliable, national estimates improper payments made to school districts operating the NSLP and SBP. APEC studies also help identify sources of error and inform FNS policy and technical assistance for state agencies and school food authorities to reduce error. FNS conducted previous iterations of the study in School Years 2005-06 and 2012-13.
The Study of School Food Authority (SFA) Procurement Practices is the first study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service to comprehensively describe and assess the decision-making process regarding school food procurement practices at the SFA level. The sample for this study was a subset of the 1,679 SFAs that participated in the Child Nutrition Operations Study II (CN-OPS-II), which included a module on SFA procurement practices in school year (SY) 2016–17. Findings are based on the perceptions and experiences of the SFA and they may not reflect actual regulations and policies; this study was not an audit.
This study is the first nationally representative, comprehensive assessment of the school meal programs since the updated nutrition standards for school meals were phased in beginning School Year 2012-2013. A study methodology report that describes the study design, sampling and data collection and a summary report that provides a brief overview of the study and key findings from the various reports are also available.
The USDA Summer Meals Study provides a comprehensive, nationally representative assessment of the two summer meal programs operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture : the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option. It is the first national study to simultaneously examine the facilitators and barriers to program participation among participating and nonparticipating families, sponsors, and sites. This study examines the characteristics of participating and nonparticipating children, including sociodemographic characteristics, household food security status, reasons for participation or nonparticipation, and satisfaction with the meals served to children in the summer of 2018.
Centers and family daycare homes participating in CACFP play an important role in supporting the health and wellness of the children they serve. The Study of Nutrition and Activity in Childcare Settings is the first nationally representative, comprehensive assessment of the CACFP. Data were collected in program year 2016–17 from CACFP providers and participating children on nutritional quality of meals served, nutrient intake of participating children, meal costs and revenues, and more. Findings serve as an important baseline for the subsequent updates to the meal pattern and nutrition standards, which were implemented in October 2017.
Department of Education Information on the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
On May 12, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education released information for school districts regarding the Federal Communication Commission's Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB). The EBB is a temporary federal program to help eligible families pay for internet service during the pandemic. Households with a child who was approved to receive free or reduced price meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or the School Breakfast Program (SBP) during the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year, including children who attend schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision, are eligible for the EBB Program. To date, more than 6 million eligible households [docs.fcc.gov] have enrolled, and approximately $2.5 billion [usac.org] of the $3.1 billion appropriated for the program remain available.
We encourage you to use the resources below to share this opportunity with schools and districts in your networks, whose communities may qualify for the EBB, so they can access these additional resources.
For the list of qualifying criteria for the EBB program, please see FAQ B-3 [tech.ed.gov] on the Department of Education's EBB website. We encourage you to share this opportunity with your colleagues who serve stakeholders who may meet such qualifying criteria.
Summary of New Resources for States and Child Nutrition Program Operators
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has recently released several resources for State agencies for use in supporting Child Nutrition Program operators during School Year 2021-2022. This announcement summarizes and provides updates on these resources, including the addition of new communication templates, printed materials, recorded webinars, and photograph collections.
Team Nutrition Back-to-School Support Kit
As schools work toward resuming regular operations, USDA continues to offer flexibilities in response to public health needs and to ease administrative burden, while still promoting nutritious meals. Learn more about adjusting meal service operations during the dynamic school year ahead by visiting the “Planning for a Dynamic School Environment” materials at fns.usda.gov/tn/planning-dynamic-school-environment [fns.usda.gov]. Materials include the new Customizable Letter to Families About School Menus at fns.usda.gov/tn/customizable-letter-families-about-school-menus [fns.usda.gov]. School Food Authorities (SFAs) can use this letter to communicate changes to school meal service and menus with families, students, and others in the school community.
Additionally, the following recorded webinars are available:
Stronger with School Meals Materials: School meals, and the school nutrition professionals that provide them, help children be strong physically (through good nutrition) and mentally (through the sharing of mealtimes in person or virtually). Celebrate the school community and promote healthy foods with these fun new Team Nutrition materials. All materials are available for download at fns.usda.gov/tn/stronger-school-meals-educational-materials [fns.usda.gov]. Team Nutrition Schools will be receiving an email later this month with instructions on how to order printed versions of the infographics, activity sheets, and buttons. Schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and/or the School Breakfast Program can join Team Nutrition Schools or update their school’s information at fns.usda.gov/tn/schools [fns.usda.gov].
Team Nutrition Web Quizzes: These interactive web quizzes, available atfns.usda.gov/tn/quizzes [fns.usda.gov], are a fun and engaging way to introduce a variety of nutrition topics and help build nutrition skills. These quizzes can be used by State agency staff at trainings and other nutrition events. Upon completion of each 10-question quiz, users are provided a score along with a link to resources to help expand their knowledge. Each quiz is available as a widget so State agencies can easily embed and display the quizzes on their websites. The first two quizzes focus on school lunch and infant nutrition, and starting today, the Infant Nutrition Quiz is available in Spanish. More quiz topics will be released throughout Fall and Winter 2021.
Team Nutrition Photo Collection: State agencies can find 250 nutrition education and training images for school, child care, and summer meals at the Team Nutrition photo collection [flickr.com], as part of USDAgov’s Flickr account. State agencies are invited to download and use these images as part of their Child Nutrition Program trainings and educational materials.
Questions about this announcement may be sent to TeamNutrition@USDA.gov. State agencies are invited to submit their procurement and menu planning resources and communication materials through the Institute of Child Nutrition’s Child Nutrition Sharing Site (CNSS) at theicn.org/cnss [theicn.org].
The 2022 Farm to School Grant Request for Applications is Now Open!
USDA expects to award approximately $12 million in competitive grants to eligible entities through the Farm to School Grant Program in FY 2022. Each grant helps implement farm to school programs that increase access to local food in Child Nutrition Program (CNP) meals, connect children with agriculture for better health, and inspire youth to consider careers in agriculture.
Updated Resources on Procurement and Supply Chain Issues for SY 2021-2022
USDA continues to offer flexibilities in response to public health needs and to ease administrative burden, while still promoting nutritious meals. In August 2021, Team Nutrition released the “Planning for a Dynamic School Environment” webpages which provided valuable information about meal service flexibilities and procurement strategies for school year (SY) 2021-2022. This web content has been updated to include additional information on waivers, P-EBT guidance, and policy documents, and is now also available as designed, printer-friendly PDF (Portable Document Format) documents at the following links:
Both the web content and PDF documents can be accessed from the Planning for a Dynamic School Environment webpage at fns.usda.gov/tn/planning-dynamic-school-environment [fns.usda.gov]. Team Nutrition’s recent newsletters on “Making Last-Minute Substitutions to your School Meal Menu” and “Are You Adding to Meals from Home? Using Offer Versus Serve at School Lunch” are also available for viewing from this webpage.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a recall of whole, fresh, red, white and yellow onions, grown in Mexico, that may be contaminated with Salmonella. USDA Foods are not impacted by this recall. There is a small chance that commercial purchases from domestic distributors may be impacted due to the current supply chain challenges. In addition, the recall may expand to additional distributors and to products that contain the onions as ingredients. Monitor the most current information on this recall and those related to it on the FDA’s Recalls, Market Withdrawals, and Safety Alerts [gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com] web page. Any meat or poultry items that contain the recalled onions will be listed on the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service’s Recalls and Public Health Alerts [gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com] web page.
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