|
For more details, please review the Direct Certification User Manual.
Exact Match, Near Match, and Unmatched Lists
OSPI uses a matching software system and establishes parameters for exact and near matches. All students that do not fit into the parameters are considered unmatched and are available in the "Student Search" function. Directly certified students will appear in three ways in the system:
-
Exact Match: The student meets matching parameters as an exact match and the student is shown on the direct certification list.
-
Near Match: The student is not an exact match, but enough information matches a student in the district to make it a near match. LEAs must use district information to “confirm” the DSHS information matches enrollment information. The parameters for near matches are set to allow only some students to show up on this list.
- LEAs should access the near match list and resolve all near matches before accessing the exact matches list. Resolving near matches will place them on the exact match or unmatched list, so it's important to resolve near matches first.
- The matching software for direct certification list has changed, including the parameters for matching. As a result, OSPI has noticed fewer near matches on district lists.
-
Unmatched List: The unmatched list contains all students that cannot be matched with the software. Use the “Student Search” function to find and review students in EDS that may match LEA information.
OSPI encourages LEAs to use “Student Search” often to ensure all eligible children receive meal benefits.
Contact Information
-
For EDS access, passwords, and to have Direct Certification added to the application list within the EDS system, public school districts should contact their district data security manager. Private schools should email the School Meals inbox.
-
For Direct Certification system questions, LEAs should email OSPI Customer Support.
-
For eligibility and program questions, LEAs should contact their School Meals Program Specialist.
-
For questions regarding your meal counting system, LEAs should contact their software vendor.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released policy memo SP 09-2026: Buy American Accommodation Process for School Year 2026-27 to provide guidance on the accommodation process for school food authorities (SFAs) that cannot meet the 10% non-domestic food purchase threshold outlined in 7 CFR 210.21(d)(8) and 7 CFR 220.16(d)(8) for SY 2026–2027.
Non-domestic food purchases made by the SFA must not exceed 10% of total commercial food costs. For school year (SY) 2026–27, Local Education Agencies (LEAs) may request an accommodation to meet Buy American requirements if they have concerns about maintaining this threshold. This temporary relief allows SFAs to exceed the 10% threshold if they qualify under one or more regulatory exceptions.
Requests for a Buy American accommodation will be collected through the SY 2026–27 School Meals Annual Renewal Tasks Form as part of the renewal application process.
 |
|
OSPI thanks LEAs for uploading Summer EBT (also known as SUN Bucks) eligible students and submitting Child Nutrition Eligibility and Education Benefit Applications (CNEEBs) for verification. Over half of students receiving SUN Bucks qualify based solely on school data. |
Over 300,000 students’ benefits have been approved. The card vendor is working to mail cards quickly, but is experiencing delays. This delay may cause some households to reach out to their school district.
LEAs are encouraged to share these resources with households:
-
SUN Bucks Contact Center: Households can call 833-543-3230 to learn whether a student’s benefit has been approved and if a card has been mailed. Households can also call the Contact Center to change their address if needed.
-
Sign Up for Text Alerts: If a student’s benefit has not been processed yet, households can sign up for text alerts to get customized updates about the status of their benefit and card.
-
DSHS SUN Bucks Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): The SUN Bucks FAQ has been updated to reflect the card mailing delay.
-
DSHS SUN Bucks Application: Students who became newly eligible after the last upload should complete a SUN Bucks application to receive benefits.
Questions? Contact the Summer EBT team.
The new USDA child nutrition programs Food Industry Toolkit provides a consolidated page of Team Nutrition resources dedicated to food industry partners.
These resources support food products available to organizations operating school meal programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Resources are grouped by topic, including child nutrition (CN) labels, Product Formulation Statements, crediting, and more. Ideal for orienting new food industry staff and refreshing existing partners, this toolkit aims to provide all relevant resources in one place and reduce the time needed to access information that supports USDA’s child nutrition programs.
ServSafe is a nationally recognized food safety training and certification program. Washington State University Extension is offering this training for food service managers who have responsibility for teaching, learning, or implementing food preparation and food safety practices in their food service operation.
The cost of the training is $130, including the textbook and the testing fee. The class is taught in English, but a Spanish language textbook and test are available upon request.
There are two opportunities to attend.
Date: Wednesday, July 15
Time: 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
Location: Wenatchee, WA
And
Date: Friday, July 17
Time: 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
Location: Ephrata, WA
The Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS) School Meal Programs Renewal Application for SY 2026-27 is now open and must be submitted by September 1.
Review the renewal bulletins for additional information about the annual renewal process.
Resources
Questions? Contact the School Meals team.
The Child Nutrition Eligibility & Education Benefit (CNEEB) application materials for SY 2026–27 are now available. Review Bulletin 020-26: Child Nutrition Eligibility & Education Benefit (CNEEB) Application and Materials for School Year 2026-27 for details.
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.
The USDA published the final rule, Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs (91 FR 25073) that went into effect June 8, 2026.
This rule expands fluid milk options by allowing operators of the NSLP, SBP, Afterschool Snack Program (ASP), CACFP, and Special Milk Program for Children (SMP) to offer whole and 2% reduced-fat milk to participants two years and older. This rule codifies milkfat requirements following enactment of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 (P.L. 119-69) and supports the statutory requirements for meals to align with the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030. This rule extends the saturated fat exclusion from weekly dietary specifications in NSLP to the SBP and clarifies that whole and reduced-fat milk may now be sold as a compliant beverage for Smart Snacks in Schools.
Milk Substitutions
The NSLP fluid milk substitution updates outlined in memorandum SP 01-2026: Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 – Implementation Requirements for the National School Lunch Program do not change regulatory requirements around milk substitutions in SBP, ASP, CACFP, and SMP. USDA plans to update milk substitution requirements in SBP, ASP, CACFP, and SMP through future rulemaking.
 |
|
SY 2026–27 School Meal Programs Annual Training starts in one month on August 5, 6 & 13!
From recipe development to resource management, there are many exciting sessions to choose from.
Annual training is virtual this year, so attendees can learn from the comfort of their office or home.
|
Review the June C.A.R.E. article for details and session descriptions. Session titles and descriptions can also be found on the registration page.
SY 2026–27 School Meal Programs Annual Training
Date: August 5
Time: 8 am – 12 pm
Date: August 6 & 13
Time: 8 am – 4 pm
- Each participant must register for the event.
- Registrants will receive a confirmation email with the joining link for each session.
- Sessions will not be recorded.
Questions? Contact CNSTraining@k12.wa.us.
Processing Child Nutrition Eligibility & Education Benefit (CNEEB) Applications
Review processing CNEEB applications and direct certification. This training is intended for officials regularly processing CNEEB applications in LEAs.
Date: September 15
Time: 2–3:30pm
Basics of Operating the School Meal Programs for Food Service
This two-part training is helpful for those who started working in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) within the last five years in a food service director or managerial role. This training will focus on the basics of operating a successful school meal program, including meal pattern, menu planning, USDA Foods, and accurate point-of-service meal counting.
Participants must attend both days of training.
Date: October 28 & November 4
Time: 1–4pm
Additional trainings on program requirements, such as meal pattern, Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), and Meals for Washington Students (HB 1238), are available on the School Meal Programs Canvas Course. A Canvas account is required to access these trainings.
Questions? Contact the School Meals team.
The USDA has renamed the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) to the Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) as part of the USDA reorganization plan. Learn more about the history of FNA on the USDA About Our Agency website.
|
