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The Washington state legislature passed House Bill (HB) 1238 during the 2023 legislative session. House Bill 1238 requires Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to provide meals at no cost to students enrolled at elementary schools where 30% or more of enrolled children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. This requirement is based off October 2023 Building data. Elementary schools are defined as schools consisting of any of the K–4 grade levels.
State Funding will Supplement Federal Funds for Paid Meals
Qualifying elementary schools that are not operating Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) or Provision 2 for both breakfast and lunch must continue to collect free and reduced-price meal applications. Impacted schools must also claim meals according to a student’s approved eligibility status. With the passage of HB 1238 Washington state supplements paid meals at qualifying schools, providing reimbursement to bring it up to the federal free rate.
All meals served at elementary schools with a free and reduced-price percentage greater than or equal to 30% will be reimbursed at a rate equal to the USDA free rate beginning in SY 2023–24. LEAs impacted by this legislation will also be notified via email.
2024–25 HB 1238 Eligible Schools Report
IMPORTANT! If a school has an Identified Student Percentage (ISP) of 40% or greater based off April 1 data, the school must apply for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and may not operate under HB 1238 instead. The CEP Eligibility List for 2024–25 will be available by April 15.
Join Us for a Webinar!
The webinar will review the impacts and requirements for offering meals at no cost under House Bill 1238. One representative from each Local Education Agency (LEA) with qualifying schools will be required to take HB 1238 training prior to the start of the 2024–25 school year.
Register for the HB 1238 Webinar
Date: Thursday, March 28, 2024
Time: 2–3 pm PT
Additional information and resources for operating the School Meal Programs under HB 1238 can be found on the Meals for Washington Students webpage.
Questions? Please contact your School Meals Program Specialist or email SchoolMeals@k12.wa.us.
Breakfast After the Bell (BAB) is required in high-need schools per House Bill 1508: The Washington Kids Ready to Learn Act. High-need schools are defined as any public school where at least 70% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals; or, if operating the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), the school has a free claiming percentage of 70% or more.
2024-25 BAB Required Schools Report
All Local Education Agencies (LEAs) required to implement BAB in school year 2024–25 will receive a personalized email to submit a BAB Implementation Plan for 2024–25 in the coming weeks. BAB Implementation Plans must be submitted to OSPI by May 10, 2024. Plans should include the planned meal service models and point-of-service meal counting systems.
OSPI Offers Exemptions to BAB Requirements For:
- Schools with free and reduced-price Breakfast participation that is at least 70% of their free and reduced-price Lunch participation based off October 2023 data.
- Alternative schools where implementing BAB would create an undue hardship.
Exemption requests for school year 2024–25 must be submitted by May 10, 2024.
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Join us for a Webinar!
The Breakfast After the Bell webinar will review the requirements, BAB implementation plans, reminders, and next steps. All Local Education Agencies that are new to BAB for school year 2024–25 will be required to complete BAB training prior to the start of the school year.
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Register for the Breakfast After the Bell Webinar
Date: Tuesday, March 19
Time: 1–2 pm PT
Additional information and resources for operating the School Meal Programs with BAB can be found on the School Breakfast Program webpage.
Questions? Please contact your School Meals Program Specialist or email SchoolMeals@k12.wa.us.
Annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced-price meals, free milk, and Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer benefits for the period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 are now available.
These guidelines are used by schools, institutions, and facilities participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Special Milk Program for Children, Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
2024–25 Income Guidelines
NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant (Form Package 472) closes March 20!
Public school districts, private schools, tribal schools, charter schools and residential childcare institutions are eligible to apply National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grant.
Focus areas for this year’s grant are funding the purchase or repair of equipment that supports:
- Improving meal service
- Providing more convenience or appeal to students
- Supporting Farm-to-School efforts
- Increasing utilization of entitlement funding toward of USDA foods
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Interested in Applying?
Review the CNS grants page for more information about this grant. View the recorded webinar for an overview of the application, important changes from previous year's applications, tips for your application, and grant timelines.
View the NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant Interest Webinar Recording
How to Apply
Applicants may apply for a single school or multiple schools, including central kitchens. Applications are completed in iGrants (form package 472) and are due before 4 pm PT, Wednesday, March 20, 2024.
Questions? Please email the CNS Grants team.
To support sponsors in integrating local foods into your meals, OSPI is excited to feature Harvest of the Month resource sheets. Each month we will highlight one local food that will be in season the following month. The resource sheets will include fun facts, nutritional information, selection and storage tips, recipe ideas, and educational resources.
For the month of April, we are featuring Kale, click here to check it out. You can find this and future Harvest of the Month resource sheets on our Farm to School webpage.
WSDA Farm to School Purchasing Grant – Application Now Open!
The WSDA Farm to School Purchasing Grant is a competitive reimbursement grant available to schools, childcare centers and summer meals operators for the purchase and use of Washington-grown foods in child nutrition programs from July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025.
The application closes Monday, April 15, 2024, at 5PM PST.
For more information, visit the grant webpage or contact Claire Finnerty at (360) 974-9752 or farmtoschool@agr.wa.gov.
WSDA Farm to School Networking Events - March 2024
Join WSDA for a facilitated networking hour to learn about successful farm to school partnerships and meet one-on-one with interested school buyers. Register here for the following locations:
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Wenatchee: Monday, March 11, 2024, from 3pm–4pm
Eastmont Community Center - 230 N Georgia Ave
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Yakima: Tuesday, March 12, 2024, from 11am–12pm
Yakima Area Arboretum - 1401 Arboretum Drive
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Walla Walla: Wednesday, March 13, 2024, from 11am–12pm
WSU Extension Walla Walla - 328 West Poplar St.
Contact aslonim@agr.wa.gov for questions about this event.
2024 Lots of Compassion Grant: Opens April 12, 2024. Closes June 30, 2024
Together, Mrs. Meyers Clean Day and KidsGardening designed the Lots of Compassion Grant program to support local leaders looking to transform vacant lots into gardens to help grow compassion in their community. In 2024, up to 10 grantees will receive $20,000 each to transform a vacant lot into a garden. A total of $200,000 will be awarded annually.
Request for Applications: Supporting the Use of Traditional Indigenous Foods in the Child Nutrition Programs. Deadline Extended to April 8, 2024!
USDA will award $2 million in total grant funding to up to four organizations to provide regionally focused training and technical assistance to school nutrition professionals on procurement, preparation, and crediting of traditional Indigenous foods as well as develop culturally relevant nutrition education materials for students to accompany the traditional Indigenous foods that are served, and train school nutrition professionals and other school staff on providing nutrition education to students. Learn more and apply for the grant here.
Our fiscal department will have limited staff to assist with errors on March 15. Please submit your claims early.
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March 13
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Farm to School Networking | Walla Walla 11am –12pm
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March 15
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February Claims Due in WINS by 5pm PT
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March 19
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BAB Webinar | 2–3pm
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March 20
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NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant Applications Due by 4pm
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March 28
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HB 1238 Webinar | 2–3pm
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March 31
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January 60-Day Claim Deadline—if you haven't already, submit your claim
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April 11
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School Meals Monthly Webinar| 3–4pm
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