Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) 2.0 is in full swing! Thank you for all your work to make the first issuance of benefits a success.
On Friday, April 2, OSPI CNS will be hosting a Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) webinar to discuss the next upload process. The P-EBT Upload Portal will accept data for February and March from Thursday, April 1 through Tuesday, April 13.
NOTE: The first upload provided benefits from the beginning of the school year through January. Uploading information will be an ongoing process. You must continue to upload information in P-EBT Portal for students to receive the benefits.
Register Here Date: Friday, April 2 Time: 1–2 pm PT
Steps to Take
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Download the updated Student Eligibility and School Benefit Level Templates — Now available in the Upload portal!
- Do not delete any columns or tabs in the excel spreadsheet.
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Gather eligible student information. Some important reminders:
- Free and Reduced-Price eligibility applies to the entire year.
- Enrollment should reflect current enrollment for students eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
- Update family addresses as needed.
- If eligible students were not included in the initial upload, include them in this upload. They will receive funds since the beginning of the school year.
- Similar to the verification process—Conduct a second-party confirmation review. A second person should review your file:
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Upload the data to the secure portal.
- Reminder: Data must be uploaded in the excel spreadsheet format.
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Get the word out to families!
- Work with district partners to determine where you may need to focus promotion regarding P-EBT or the Free and Reduced-Price meal application.
- Send out social media posts! For more promotional materials and ideas, please go to the OSPI P-EBT Information for Districts webpage.
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More P-EBT Benefits Coming Soon!
Eligible families will receive additional P-EBT funds for February and March 2021! Check your P-EBT card balance at https://www.ebtedge.com/ Learn more about P-EBT at www.dshs.wa.gov/pebt or call the P-EBT Hotline at 1-833-518-0282.
Important Information
- Cards are being sent to families—It will take several days for all cards to be printed and mailed.
- We are still cleaning up a few files and clarifying enrollment of students that were included in multiple uploads. P-EBT Upload Portal staff will reach out to you directly with any questions.
- Refer to the DSHS P-EBT Frequently Asked Questions document for common questions and answers. This document is translated into multiple languages and is located at www.dshs.wa.gov/pebt.
- Families can call the P-EBT Hotline at 1-833-518-0282 for support.
- Review the 3/24 Bi-Weekly Webinar for additional information.
Thank you for all you do to support the children in our state.
USDA released COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #82- Nationwide Waiver of Community Eligibility Provision Deadlines in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.
Similar to the waiver last year, there are significant changes to the date requirements for CEP. The two big changes impacting LEAs directly are the flexibility for the date for calculating the Identified Student Percentage, and an extension for the deadline to apply for CEP
CEP Requirement |
Traditional Deadlines |
New SY 2021-22 Deadlines |
Data Used to Calculate ISP |
April 1 |
Anytime between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 |
SY 2021-22 – Application deadline |
June 30 |
September 30, 2021 |
Join Us for a Webinar!
Superintendents, school board members, business officials, Title 1 staff, nutrition staff, local leaders, and anybody else involved in CEP planning is encouraged to attend! We recommend attending as a cohort from your district to maximize planning time.
Register Here Date: Wednesday, April 14 Time: 2–3pm PT
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
In Washington state, there are requirements for public school districts to offer a summer meal program (RCW 28A.235.160(4)).
Schools districts must offer a summer meal program if educational, enrichment, or remedial services are offered during the summer months at a school in which 50% or more students are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals.
When planning your summer meal program, it’s important to note that SFSP & SSO also have specific requirements for summer school sites.
- Summer school sites must operate as open sites. Meals must be offered to both summer school students and the community.
- Summer school sites cannot operate as closed enrolled sites.
If a district plans to offer meals only to students enrolled in summer school, the NSLP/SBP must be extended. Under NSLP/SBP, a by-name meal count is required and meals must be claimed according to a student’s approved eligibility status.
Questions? Contact your Program Specialist or email summermeals@k12.wa.us.
All public school districts and private schools must conduct outreach for summer meals each school year as required by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The outreach is to advertise the availability of summer meals before the end of the school year. Even if there won’t be a summer feeding program in your community, you must share resources that allow households to locate summer meals in the area.
Outreach includes distributing location, meal times, and contact information through your regular communication channels.
There are a number of resources, in both English and Spanish, to raise awareness in your community.
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No Kid Hungry Texting Line - Families may text "Food" or "Comida" to 877-877 to find free summer meals near them.
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No Kid Hungry Meal Site Locator - Promote the https://www.nokidhungry.org/find-free-meals website.
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The OSPI Communication Toolkit located on the SFSP Resources webpage, under the 'Promote the SFSP' dropdown. There you'll find:
- Social Media Graphics and Sample Social Media Posts
- Marketing Materials such as flyers, door hangers, and a banner image
The Verification Summary Report (VSR) is currently 'on hold' in WINS. Recently, OSPI CNS received information that USDA will soon publish guidance that may impact our process.
Sponsors will not have access to the VSR module in WINS until we receive this additional guidance. Sponsors will be notified when the VSR reopens along with any additional instructions.
Reminders
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All Sponsors operating SFSP/SSO or NSLP in SY2020-21, verification must have been completed by February 28.
- Sponsors operating NSLP in SY 20-21
- Completion of the VSR is tied to submission of the January claim for reimbursement filed in February. Please reach out to your program specialist if unable to submit your January claim due to the VSR edit check.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
Ensure you Receive the Correct Newsletters
To ensure that important information is shared to appropriate groups and that you are able to easily identify which program the newsletter is geared toward. Here are the three options:
- School Meals and Food Distribution Programs Updates
- Summer Meal Programs Updates
- Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Updates
Next Steps
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If you are on our mandatory list to receive SFSP Updates, you should receive a separate newsletter that includes articles specific to SFSP.
- If you operate the CACFP, you should already be receiving a separate weekly newsletter.
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If you do not receive the SFSP Newsletter by the end of the week:
Questions? Please email Samantha Brueske, Training and Communications Specialist.
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Child Nutrition Services (CNS) released B097-20 Disclosure of Free & Reduced-Price Eligibility Information.
This bulletin provides information about sharing eligibility information according to USDA regulations and confidentiality rules. Please read the bulletin in full for more details.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
During these webinars OSPI CNS will discuss hot topics, highlight important reminders, and provide an opportunity for you to ask questions.
Register Here Dates: Every other Wednesday through 6/30/2021 Time: 2–3 pm PT
Program operators offering the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/ School Breakfast Program (SBP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) during the 20-21 school year are encouraged to join us for these webinars.
Reminders
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Follow up emails will no longer be sent after the meeting. If you missed our last webinar, you can review the recording from our 3/24 meeting here.
- Save us on Your Calendar! When you register, there is an option to add us to your calendar at the bottom of the confirmation email.
- A reminder email with your link to log into the webinar is sent 1 hour before the session starts.
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Delivery will now take place no later than April 30!
Since most districts are unavailable during Spring Break, the April delivery period has been extended .
Please note, carriers may not be able to meet your usual scheduled delivery dates. Carriers will contact you to confirm your delivery appointment.
To update or change your delivery contact person, please complete the Delivery Updates Form.
Questions? Please email the Food Distribution Office.
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March 1-31
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National Nutrition Month!
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April 1
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January Claim 60-day Deadline - if you haven't already, submit your January Claims!
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April 2
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P-EBT Webinar for School Districts - Register Here
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April 7
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Bi-Weekly Food Service Operations for NSLP and SFSP Sponsors Webinar - Register Here
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April 15
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March Claims Due in WINS
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