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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released updated Civil Rights Division (CRD) policy memos.
Important Updates
These memos clarify prohibitions against discrimination based on sex in all USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) programs and related implementing regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.
What this means: Child Nutrition Program operators and sponsors must not discriminate or deny access to programs based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
Next Steps
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Effective Immediately: If not currently part of your organizational practices, update program discrimination complaint processing procedures to include complaints alleging sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination.
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Effective Immediately: Process any complaints alleging sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination as complaints of prohibited sex discrimination. There will not be a grace period for accepting and processing discrimination complaints based on sexual orientation and gender identity in FNS programs.
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Before August 3, 2022: Update webpages and documents with the updated USDA Child Nutrition Programs Nondiscrimination Statement.
- The nondiscrimination statement is required on all documents referring to program access, program approval, and widely distributed documents. Examples include: items distributed to the public, landing page of web pages, student handbooks, brochures, letters to families, or press releases.
- Child Nutrition Program operators and sponsors are required to take reasonable steps to ensure program access and benefits to individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP).
- The USDA is currently working to translate the updated nondiscrimination statement into additional languages. Please do not translate the nondiscrimination statement at this time.
- OSPI CNS will update documents previously translated with the updated nondiscrimination statement. Please keep an eye out for future CNS Updates.
Additional Details
- OSPI CNS is ordering updated And Justice for All Posters and will be distributing them over the coming months. Until you receive the updated posters, please continue using the 2019 And Justice for All poster.
- We understand many program operators and sponsors are preparing materials for the upcoming program year.
- If your organization has already printed materials that include the previous nondiscrimination statement, you are not required to re-print documents.
- If your organization has not printed materials, please use the updated versions as they become available on the OSPI CNS webpages.
- OSPI CNS will be updating reference sheets, materials, and webpages in the coming weeks.
Questions? Please email the Child Nutrition inbox so we may assist.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the Paid Lunch Equity Tool for School Year 2022–23. The tool is now available on our NSLP Materials and Requirements webpage!
PLE Tool Information
The Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) tool is used to determine the weighted average paid lunch price. This tool determines the new paid lunch price or amount of non-federal funds that must be contributed to the non-profit school food service account (NSFSA).
When completing the PLE Tool for SY 22–23, if Local Education Agencies (LEAs) do not have pricing/sales data from October 2021 or October 2020, they can use October 2019 pricing/sales data.
Additional Details
USDA will offer an exemption from the PLE pricing requirements to LEAs with a positive or zero balance in the NSFSA as of December 31, 2021.
Washington is also requesting a waiver of the requirement for LEAs to raise paid lunch prices in accordance with PLE requirements for SY 22–23. The goal of this flexibility is to help schools and families transition back to the pricing of paid meals. Districts will have the option to apply for the PLE waiver with submission of the SY 22–23 renewal application.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
School Meal Programs Annual Training will be held 8/8 & 8/9 at Central Washington University in
Ellensburg, WA.
Who Should Attend?
This training is meant to enhance your knowledge about the School Meal Programs and allow time for you to connect to other School Food Service Directors around the state. Training is free to attend; however, participants must pay for meals, parking, and any overnight stays.
Registration Information
- Each participant must register for the event using their own pdEnroller account.
- While there is an option to register more than one attendee with one account, you will not be able to register each person for different sessions. Due to this issue, we recommend each participant to register with their own account.
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Create your free pdEnroller account if you do not have one already.
- Please limit attendance to 3 people per LEA to ensure all who are interested in attending may have the opportunity.
- Registrants will receive a confirmation email with their selected sessions! Keep this email for your records!
Register for the SY 22–23 School Meal Programs Annual Training today!
Dates
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Monday, August 8 - Pre-Con Day
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New Director Training | 12–4 pm
- Are you new to the School Meal Programs? This session is aimed at new Food Service Directors and Managers. Join us for a 4-hour, interactive overview of Performance Standard 1: Certification & Benefit Issuance, Performance Standard 2: Meal Pattern Requirements, and General Areas with the goal to set you up for a successful school year.
- Participants will receive 4 hours of Professional Standards Credits for this session.
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SY 2022–23 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Annual Training | 1–4 pm
- Did you get funding to operate the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for the upcoming school year? Join this pre-con session to review the program. Required for new FFVP operators, this session is appropriate for returning sponsors as well.
- Participants will receive 3 hours of Professional Standards Credits for this session.
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Tuesday, August 9 - Annual Training—Planned training sessions will include a variety of topics for both new and seasoned staff. Best Practice: Review the Annual Training Schedule to review session descriptions and class times before registering! Participants may receive up to 6.5 Professional Standards Credits for attending the full day training.
Recorded Training Option
All planned trainings will be recorded and posted to the School Meal Programs Annual Training Moodle course for those who are unable to attend this in-person training. Maximize your Professional Standards Credits by viewing all trainings! Please note: You must have a Moodle Account to access these annual trainings.
Questions? Please email Sam Brueske, Training and Communications Specialist.
The Washington State legislature appropriated over 11 million in funds to support Child Nutrition Programs in WA during 2021–22. These funds support a variety of programs and grants. In January OSPI paid out approximately 7.1 million dollars of state copay funds.
All Public school districts, Charter schools and Tribal compact schools operating the NSLP or Seamless Summer Option (SSO) in SY 21–22 will be provided funds to support meal access and distribution. The remaining balance of approximately 3.4 million dollars will be paid at the end of June 2022.
Payments will be calculated based on the total number of Breakfast and Lunch meals served for either NSLP or SSO, as reported on the April 2021 claim.
It is important for districts to have their April claim entered into WINS by June 15 at 5:00 pm PT to be eligible for these state funds.
Questions? Please email Hydie Kidd, Fiscal Supervisor.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of Jif® peanut butter products sold in the U.S. due to potential Salmonella contamination.
USDA Foods are not impacted by this recall. The recalled peanut butter was distributed nationwide in retail stores and other outlets. Recalled products include the products below with lot codes 1274425 – 2140425. Lot codes are included alongside best-if-used-by date.
We encourage Child Nutrition Program sponsors to monitor the most current information on this recall and those related to it on the FDA’s Recalls, Market Withdrawals, and Safety Alerts webpage.
Questions? Please contact the J.M. Smucker Co. at 800-828-9980.
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) renewal closing date for the current program year is June 30, 2022.
Sponsors who do not renew their CACFP application by June 30, will not be eligible to operate CACFP the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 22 (July- September 2022).
Sponsors most affected by this change are those who plan to operate At-Risk or Pre-school programs that start in August or September 2022 who have not operated CACFP this school year.
School Districts that do not renew their CACFP application by June 30 for their pre-school programs may decide to:
- Claim pre-school children on NSLP for SY 2022–23
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- Claim pre-school children on NSLP for August/September 2022, then renew their FY 23 CACFP application and claim preschool children on CACFP October 2022–June 2023.
If you plan to operate CACFP in the Summer or Fall and have not yet renewed your CACFP application, please contact your CACFP Specialist to start this process.
For more details on this and other changes in FY 23, watch the “What’s New in CACFP” recorded webinar.
All Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Sponsors with multiple sites must have an Outside Employment Policy (OEP) that states work outside of the school district:
- In no way interferes with the performance of the employee’s duties, including CACFP-related duties or responsibilities; AND
- Is performed outside the employee’s approved work schedule and off school district premises
About the OEP
“Outside employment” includes self-employment, consulting activities and volunteer activities that, if compensated, could be considered outside employment.
The OEP is to be reviewed with all School District employees with CACFP roles at least once annually. New employees must be instructed on the outside employment policy during their first month of employment.
The School District must maintain an up to date OEP on file, but does not to submit these to OSPI. This documentation may be reviewed during CACFP administrative reviews.
Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist.
What is it: The Farm to School Purchasing Grant is a competitive reimbursement grant that supports the purchase and use of local, Washington-grown foods in child nutrition programs.
Who can apply: Active NSLP and CACFP sponsors.
Funding is available for SY 2022–23.
Join Us for an Info Session!
Register for a Farm to School Purchasing Grant Info Session to learn about the program and how to apply. Both sessions will include the same information and a recording will be made available.
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After high-profile, tragic events, children may feel that they are in danger, or worry that friends and loved ones are at risk. They will often come to families, teachers, and other trusted adults with questions and to find reassurance, but it isn’t always easy to know what to say. OSPI has gathered resources from experts across the web, including our own laws around school safety, to help inform and guide these conversations. Talking to children about their fears can help alleviate those fears and help young people feel secure.
Read OSPI’s blog post, Supporting Students Through Tragedies, for tips from experts for talking with young people about violence, as well as for an overview of Washington’s school safety laws. You may also read Superintendent Reykdal’s statement on the shooting.
We are excited to announce that Washington State has been awarded the USDA 2022 Team Nutrition Training Grant to expand Northeast Washington ESD 101’s Nutrition Cooperative to 21-30 additional Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in Washington!
Through participation in the Nutrition Cooperative, school nutrition professionals receive mentorship and training on meal pattern requirements and weekly dietary specifications, scratch cooking, menu planning, recipe development, procurement, forecasting, and building Farm to School programs. This two-year project concludes June 2024, and recruitment of LEAs will begin summer 2022.
For more information about this project, please email Erica Lamson. To apply for the Nutrition Cooperative, please email Abby Miller, ESD 101 contact
For the upcoming 22-23 school year, we are receiving reports that the following items will be delayed until at least November or have limited availability.
Categories of note, pasta and poultry are becoming our biggest challenge. USDA has yet to receive bids to manufacture pasta for the start of the school year and the impact of Avian Influenza has been substantial in limiting turkey production. Manufactures have indicated they simply do not have the capacity to meet demand. We will do our best to provide updates as they become available.
Juice
100277 - Orange Juice
110651 - Orange Juice
Pasta/ Grain
110504 - Rotini
110520 - Penne Pasta
110501 - Macaroni
Turkey
110554 – Turkey Breast
100125 - Turkey Roast Raw
110910 - Turkey Deli Slice
110911 - Turkey Ham - (Will have for September but may be short in November)
Canned Fruit/ Vegetables
100362 - Refried Beans – (No ETA)
100327 - Tomato Paste
100330 - Salsa (Short for Eastern WA Only)
Questions? Please email the Food Distribution team.
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Fill out the SY21-22 Carryover form between June 1 through June 19!
Sponsors who use diversions can request carryover of this year's processor pounds by submitting the Carryover Request Form. Sponsors will have the entire 2022-23 school year to utilize awarded carryover pounds. Carryover is not automatic, requests must be submitted if you would like to use pounds next year.
Submit Your Carryover Request Form
Reclaiming Diverted USDA Foods Reference Sheet
Note: Carryover is not automatic, requests must be submitted if you would like to roll forward your pounds
Questions? Please email the FDP Team.
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May 31
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March 60-day Claiming Deadline - if you haven't already, submit your claim |
| June 15 |
Last day to submit April Claims in WINS for State-Copay funds |
| June 15 |
May Claims Due in WINS |
| June 19 |
Carryover Request Form Due |
| June 30 |
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) renewal closing date (for schools planning to operate At-Risk or Pre-school programs that start in August or September 2022) |
| June 30 |
CEP Applications Due in WINS |
| August 8–9 |
SY 22–23 School Meal Programs In-Person Annual Training |
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