6/8/26 Child Nutrition Services Special Update

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sent this bulletin at 06/08/2026 03:16 PM PDT

Child Nutrition Services Special Update, June 8, 2026

Update: School Year 2026–27 School Meal Programs Renewal Application Now Available
Update: SY 2026–27 Child Nutrition Eligibility and Education Benefit (CNEEB) Application

Update: School Year 2026–27 School Meal Programs Renewal Application Now Available

Applications for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) for School Year (SY) 2026–27 are now open in the Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS). Applications are due September 1.

Application Process

The renewal application is a two-step process involving WINS and the School Meals Annual Renewal Tasks (SMART) form. Use the SY 2026–27 National School Lunch Program & School Breakfast Program Application Checklist for step-by-step instructions.

Submit Sponsor Application, Site Application(s), and Site Calendar(s) in WINS.
Complete the SMART Form.
- This form will collect information related to hiring standards, Summer-EBT contacts, Paid Lunch Equity, operations under Meals for Washington Students, and operational flexibilities.

Review the renewal bulletins for additional information about the annual renewal process.

B021-26 National School Lunch and Breakfast Program Application for 2026–27 - Residential Child Care Institutions

Attachment 1 - Application Checklist

B022-26 National School Lunch and Breakfast Program Application for 2026–27 - Public and Private Schools

Attachment 1 - Application Checklist

Resources

Completing Sponsor and Site Applications in WINS Info Sheet
Completing School Meals Calendars in WINS Job Aid
WINS Renewal Application Training. This training is posted to the School Meal Programs Canvas course. A Canvas account is required to access this training.

Questions? Contact your School Meals Program Specialist.

Update: SY 2026–27 Child Nutrition Eligibility and Education Benefit (CNEEB) Application

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has released Bulletin 020-26: Child Nutrition Eligibility & Education Benefit (CNEEB) Application and Materials for School Year 2026–27

The Child Nutrition Eligibility & Education Benefit (CNEEB) Application is the tool used to collect and determine income eligibility status of students in Washington state. All Local Education Agencies (LEAs) must distribute the CNEEB Application and may not produce their own materials or alter the state prototype materials (except to include their district nondiscrimination statement) without approval from OSPI. The CNEEB application may help secure funding for the school district and qualify households for:

Free and reduced-price meal benefits,
Summer EBT benefits (if enrolled in a NSLP/SBP school),
Reduced fees for other programs and activities, and/or
Eligibility for College Bound Scholarship.

For more information on the CNEEB Application and it’s requirements, please review the CNEEB Application FAQ.

Note: LEAs must identify on the meal application materials where households should return completed meal applications. Each year, USDA receives meal applications from households in Washington state because households mail applications to the Civil Rights Complaint address in Alexandria, Virginia.

Updated Materials

The CNEEB Application and Letter to Households have been updated to include requirements for Summer-EBT (SUN Bucks). LEAs should ensure the updated materials for SY 2026–27 are implemented, and electronic systems are updated appropriately.

Additional application materials are available on the Meal Application and Verification Information webpage for Pricing Programs; the CEP & Provision 2 webpage for Non-Pricing and Provision programs and the Meals for Washington Students webpage for Non-Pricing programs.

Limited English Proficiency

LEAs must ensure students have access to school meals by meeting the language needs of their population. The CNEEB Application and supporting materials will be available in additional languages soon.

Promotion of the CNEEB

OSPI recently updated multiple tools to assist sponsors with CNEEB promotion and collection efforts including:

CNEEB Promotional Video
Completing the CNEEB Application Instructions for Households
Additional promotional materials in the "It's More than a Meal Application Toolkit" on the Meal Application and Verification webpage.

Join us for a webinar!

Processing Child Nutrition Eligibility & Education Benefit (CNEEB) Applications

Date: September 15

Time: 2–3:30 pm

Register

Questions? Please contact your School Meal Programs Specialist.

ALL STUDENTS PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS, CAREERS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

Led by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI oversees K-12 public education in Washington state. Our mission is to provide funding, resources, tools, data and technical assistance that enable educators to ensure students succeed in our public schools, are prepared to access post-secondary training and education, and are equipped to thrive in their careers and lives.

ADA NOTIFICATION FOR OSPI CHILD NUTRITION SERVICES EVENTS
To arrange accommodations for persons with disabilities for OSPI Child Nutrition Services events, please contact the Child Nutrition Services Team at 360-725-6200, TTY 360-664-3631, or by email, child.nutrition@k12.wa.us at least three business days before the event. Please note that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require OSPI to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services, or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.

This Institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider.

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OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Equity and Civil Rights Director, P.O. Box 47200, Olympia, WA 98504-7200, 360-725-6162 (TTY: 360-664-3631), equity@k12.wa.us.

This Institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider.