This memorandum provides School Food Authorities (SFAs) participating in the federal Child Nutrition Programs with clarification regarding student eligibility carryover in the 2021-2022 School Year (SY).

Additional clarification regarding eligibility carryover for the 2022-2023 SY is forthcoming from USDA and will be posted to the Child Nutrition Knowledge Center (CNKC) when received.

Eligibility Carryover

Pursuant to 7 CFR 245.6(c)(1) and (2) eligibility carryover allows children to maintain their eligibility status from the prior school year for up to 30 operating days into the subsequent school year. 7 CFR 245.2 defines an “operating day” as a day that reimbursable meals are offered to eligible students under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP).

SFAs operating the NSLP and/or SBP in 2021-2022 SY

For the 2021-2022 SY, the carryover of a student’s eligibility should be the most recent information that the SFA has on file for the student. The student eligibility information could be from the 2019-2020 SY or from the 2020-2021 SY (if a new application was submitted for a new student or newly eligible student).

SFAs operating NSLP and/or SBP will follow the written eligibility certification process and abide by the regulations at 7 CFR 210 and 7 CFR 245. These SFAs must appropriately carryover the most recent student eligibility status for up to 30 operating days in the 2021-2022 SY or until a new eligibility determination in the 2021-2022 SY is made, whichever comes first.

SFAs operating the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) in 2021-2022 SY

SFAs operating SSO during the 2021-2022 SY will provide meals to all students at no charge and claim all meals as free.

These SFAs should maintain the most recent student eligibility information that the SFA has on file for each student. The student eligibility information could be from the 2019-2020 SY or from the 2020-2021 SY (if a new application was submitted for a new student or newly eligible student), or from the 2021-2022 SY (if a new application was submitted for a new student or newly eligible student).

SFAs operating the SSO should continue to make school meal applications available to certify children for free and reduced-price meals, and that information may be used to qualify newly eligible children for SY 2021-2022 and summer 2022 P-EBT benefits.

Although SFAs will update the student eligibility information on file if a new application is received, the student will continue to receive free meals and be claimed as free for the duration of SSO operations.

Please contact your CN representative with any questions regarding this information.