NEW USDA Flexibilities to Allow SFSP until as Late as December 31, 2020
On August 31, 2020 USDA extended multiple nationwide Summer Food Service Program waivers. These extensions mean that districts operating USDA Child Nutrition Programs may have options for feeding students up until as late as December 31, 2020.
Districts may be able to choose to operate the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Please note that each program has different regulations and meal counting/claiming requirements. Districts must have an approved MAPS agreement with OPI School Nutrition Programs to operate and claim meals for either program.
The first step for districts interested in operating the SFSP is to complete the School Year SFSP Form. Once this form is submitted, you will receive a call from your regional specialist to determine next steps.
Free and Reduced-Price School Meal Application and Direct Certification
Continue to collect free and reduced-price school meal applications and check for eligible students in the Direct Certification (DCA) System.
Although districts have the option to operate SFSP, it is important to continue collecting income eligibility information.
SFSP Area Eligibility
The Summer Food Service Program Area Eligibility waiver was extended by the USDA until December 31. This means that school sites that are not located in typically eligible locations can apply for the waiver.
The State agency may approve an area eligibility waiver request from a school if there is a demonstrated need, such as an increase in children eligible for benefits due to the economic impacts of COVID-19.
The OPI School Nutrition Programs will provide more guidance as soon as possible. We look forward to working with program operators to provide meals in a safe and accessible manner, either through the NSLP or the SFSP. Please contact your regional specialist with questions.
New! Electronic Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals for the USDA's National School Lunch & School Breakfast Programs
Use of this application is optional. Please give it a try if you are interested!
The link to the Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application will only be available to families in districts that opt in to use it. Please let our office know if your district wants to opt in.
Contact Bitsey at bdraur@mt.gov or 406-461-5423 to opt in; and for technical support and issues or questions.
Public Release Requirement - Free and Reduced-Price School Meals
DPHHS Staff Calling Schools to Confirm Income Eligibility
Please assist DPHHS staff working with the P-EBT program if they call. They need to confirm the free/reduced eligibility status for families for last school year. They are doing this for the applications they are currently receiving from the households.
They will identify themselves as State employees with the P-EBT program. The calls will continue through the week of Sept 21, 2020.
Families that have not yet received the P-EBT benefit, but believe they are eligible can apply for the program. Families are encouraged to apply here: https://dphhs.mt.gov/pebt. Applications must be submitted by September 21, 2020.
Under this waiver, Summer Food Service Program and National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option operators in a state with an approved waiver allowing non-congregate meal distribution during COVID–19-related operations may distribute meals to a parent or guardian to take home to their children.
Under this waiver, Summer Food Service Program and National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option operators may provide non-congregate meals during COVID–19-related operations.
FNS waives, for all states, the requirements to serve Summer Food Service Program and National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option meals that meet the meal pattern requirements during the public health emergency due to COVID–19.
Nationwide waiver of meal service time restrictions in the Summer Food Service Program and National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option - Extension
Nationwide waiver to allow area eligibility for closed enrolled sites in the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option- Extension
Pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and based on the exceptional circumstances of this public health emergency, FNS is extending a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus (COVID–19) for school year 2020-2021.
This waiver extends the Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibility in the Child Nutrition Programs – EXTENSION 3, granted on June 8, 2020, that expires July 31, 2020. This waiver extension applies to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) for school year (SY) 2020-2021. As provided for in the June 8 extension, the waiver for the Summer Food Service Program remains in effect until July 31, 2020.
Pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and based on the exceptional circumstances of this public health emergency, FNS is establishing a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus (COVID–19) for school year 2020-21. This waiver applies to the National School Lunch Program.
COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #37
Program operators in a state with an approved waiver allowing non-congregate meal distribution during COVID–19-related operations may distribute meals to a parent or guardian to take home to their children for school year 2020-21. FNS recognizes that brcontinuing to require children to come to the meal site to pick up meals may not be practical and in keeping with the goal of providing meals while also taking appropriate safety measures.
Under program regulations, child nutrition program meals must follow meal service time requirements. However, FNS recognizes that for school year 2020-2021, waiving the meal service time requirements will support safer access to nutritious meals.
As required by federal law, state SNAP agencies verify financial and non-financial information by matching SNAP applicant and participant information to various national and state data sources to ensure they meet the program’s eligibility criteria. Data matching is an important tool for ensuring program integrity and benefit accuracy. However, information on states’ data matching practices and protocols is limited. This study was undertaken to address this knowledge gap.
This report, part of an annual series, presents estimates, by state, of the percentage of eligible persons and working poor individuals who participated in SNAP during an average month in fiscal year (FY 2017) and the two previous fiscal years.
FNS provides state administrative expense (SAE) funds to state agencies to support administration and oversight of federal child nutrition programs in their state. This study examines the formula used for allocations of SAE funds, identifies factors that influence state agency spending, and presents a series of options for consideration to potentially improve SAE allocations and procedures.
The Administrative Review (AR) is the process state agencies use to assess compliance with federal requirements of SFAs participating in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. This study assesses the AR process by examining the results from a purposive sample of ARs. The study also describes in-depth how nine selected state agencies conduct their ARs, and ways the process could be further improved.
This report examines in-depth the accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned from 20 states that received and completed Administrative Review and Training (ART) Grants by the end of FY 2017. ART Grants provide funding for diverse activities aimed at reducing administrative error, including training for administrative personnel and improving state-level technologies in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program.
School Nutrition Fall Workshops - Register Now for the Zoom virtual workshops in September
OPI School Nutrition Programs Fall Workshops are less than a month away. This year, the Fall Workshops are free and will be offered fully online through Zoom.
See the registration links for dates, times and topics covered.
Montana Farm to School Virtual Showcase Series - Save the Date
Celebrate National Farm to School Month this October with two virtual Montana Farm to School Showcases:
Farm to School during COVID: October 2, 10am-2pm MST with lunch from 12-1pm
Farm to Tray Tour: October 27, 3pm-5pm MST
Join the Montana Farm to School coaches in exploring how farm to school is implemented around the state. Attendees will discover how farm to school is implemented in the cafeteria, classroom, and community, and will be equipped with the information and resources to start or grow farm to school in their community.
For more information, visit http://bit.ly/32gATyQ or contact Aubree Roth, Montana Farm to School Coordinator, at aubree.roth@montana.edu or (406) 994-5996.
The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, TTY 406-444-0235.
