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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.
To support school nutrition, child care, and adult care professionals' efforts to connect children and adults with nutritious meals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) established nationwide waivers and approved State-specific waivers to allow program flexibility for School Year 2021–22 (SY 21–22) and Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22).
Waiver requests were approved on a case-by-case basis and only for a limited duration of time. It is expected that School Meal Programs will return to normal operation upon waiver expiration.
Nationwide Waivers – All waivers expire on the last day of school or June 30, whichever comes first.
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Operation of the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) in SY 21–22
Waiver allows school food authorities to operate SSO when school is open during the school year, regardless of the site’s location, and claim all meals served at the higher, SFSP free rate.
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Normal Operation: The NSLP/SBP must be operated, a by-name meal count is required, and meals must be claimed according to a student’s approved eligibility status. Meals are reimbursed at the corresponding NSLP/SBP reimbursement rates. Reimbursement rates for SY 22–23 will be updated in July 2022.
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Specific Meal Pattern Flexibility
Waiver allows flexibility with age/grade groups, milk type and variety, the whole grain rich requirement, vegetable subgroups, and dietary specifications for sodium.
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Normal Operation: The NSLP/SBP meal pattern must be followed. Beginning in SY 22–23, the transitional meal pattern standards will be in effect. If you are unable to procure food to meet the meal pattern due to supply chain issues, keep documentation of the shortage and notify your specialist.
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Operational Flexibility Waivers Allowing “Grab’n’Go” Meal Distribution
A suite of waivers were released to allow for non-congregate meal service, bundling of multiple meals, meal delivery to children’s homes, and parent pick-up of meals.
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Normal Operation: Meals must be served to children onsite in a congregate meal service during school hours.
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Offer versus Serve Flexibility for Senior High Schools
Waiver allows the serve-only meal service style to be implemented for the 9-12 age/grade group.
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Normal Operation: Offer versus Serve must be implemented at lunch for the 9-12 age/grade group.
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Area Eligibility for Afterschool Programs
Waiver allows the NSLP Afterschool Snack Program and CACFP At-Risk Afterschool Care programs to operate at sites regardless of area eligibility.
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Normal Operation: Sites operating in School Year (SY) 22–23 must be area eligible to participate in the At-Risk program. Afterschool snack sites must claim snacks according to eligibility status if they are not area eligible.
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Local School Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment
Waiver allowed State Agency-approved Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to defer the triennial assessment of the Local School Wellness Policy until June 30, 2022.
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Normal Operation: LEAs must conduct an assessment of their Local School Wellness Policy every three years.
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On-Site Monitoring: Expires 30 days after the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE)–TBD
Waiver allows off-site monitoring (desk audits) in Child Nutrition Programs for both State agencies and local level operators.
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Normal Operation: Monitoring must be conducted onsite. A 60-day notice will be given before the PHE expires.
Resources to Return to Normal School Meal Program Operations
USDA has released resources and guidance to help sponsors transition to normal child nutrition operations on FNS’s webpage.
For details regarding other upcoming changes, please view the the SY 22-23 Program Operations & P-EBT Webinar. Please note: You will be required to create or log into your Moodle account to view this recording. This account is free for you to use.
Questions? Contact your School Meal Programs Specialist.
Applications to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for SY 22–23 must be submitted in WINS by June 30, 2022. CEP allows schools with a high number of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals to serve free breakfast and lunch to all students without collecting school meal applications. CEP is available to public, private, and tribal schools.
To participate in CEP, schools or groups of schools must have an Identified Student Percentage (ISP) of at least 40% based off April 1 data. The ISP is calculated by dividing the number of identified students (students directly certified for free meals) by the number of enrolled students. The SY 22-23 CEP Eligibility Report estimates the districtwide ISP and school level data using information from the Comprehensive Education Data and Research System (CEDARS) as of April 2022.
To receive approval, LEAs must calculate their actual ISP and submit source documentation representative of April 1, 2022. ISPs must be validated by CNS prior to approval to operate CEP. Tools to help Local Education Agencies (LEAs) apply for CEP are posted to the CEP & Provision II Webpage.
CEP Expansion Signed into Law
HB 1878 Requirements
Governor Inslee signed House Bill 1878 into law on March 4, 2022. The new law requires participation in CEP for all schools with an ISP of 40%. This expands the work of HB 2660 (2020) which required CEP in non-high schools above 62.5% ISP. For more details about Identified Student Percentage, please review the CEP Reference Sheet.
State Funding will Supplement Federal Funds in Lower ISP Schools
The law also ensures that CEP schools will get the highest possible per-meal reimbursement. When a school’s Free Claiming Percentage (the ISP multiplied by 1.6 (federal multiplier)) is less than 100%, state funding will supplement federal reimbursement so that all meals served are reimbursed at the free rate
Please notify your program specialist if you intend to apply for CEP for the upcoming school year.
Resources
CEP Questions? Please contact your School Meal Programs Specialist.
Important Updates for Public Schools Renewing Food Service Management Company (FSMC) Contracts
OSPI Child Nutrition Services (CNS) is no longer applying the 10% materiality cap for increases to fixed meal prices for public schools renewing FSMC contracts or bidding out food services for School Year (SY) 2022–23. The main purpose for having this in the FSMC contract template was to cap cumulative fixed price increases over the life of the contract. The cap no longer applies given the high inflationary rates we are experiencing.
Fixed price increases are limited to the percentage of change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers under the Food Away from Home category for the 12-month period ending March 2022. Increases greater than 6.9% are material and OSPI CNS may require the sponsor to go back out to bid.
OSPI CNS will continue reviewing and approving SY 2022–23 FSMC contracts.
Questions about food service contracting? Please email Jeff Booth or Brenda Merritt.
The direct certification system will close for annual maintenance on June 23, 2022.
Annual maintenance prepares new year eligibility information for School Year 2022–23 and moves prior year eligibility information to the Reports section.
LEAs planning to submit a SY 22–23 Community Eligibility Provision Application should ensure all SY 21–22 eligibility information is downloaded prior to June 23, 2022. As a reminder, the SY 22–23 CEP application is due in WINS by June 30, 2022.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
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 for assistance.
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.
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. Manufacturers 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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| 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 |
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June 29
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April 60-day Claiming Deadline - if you haven't already, submit your claim |
| 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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