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THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

Office of P-20 Education Policy
Child Nutrition Program Administration
89 Washington Avenue, Room 375 EBA, Albany, NY 12234
Phone: (518) 473-8781 Fax: (518) 473-0018
To: 
School Food Service Directors/Managers
From: 
Frances N. O'Donnell, Coordinator
Date: 
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Subject: 
Updated Information-6 Cents Certification Clarification

Menus must be in compliance with all meal pattern requirements regardless of the number of serving lines in the cafeteria. Minimum and maximum ranges for grains, meat/meat alternates and calories must be met by all food items on the menu for the entire cafeteria.  Each physical serving line must also be in compliance with the minimum and maximum ranges. Schools that serve reimbursable meals on multiple serving lines must carefully plan the menu to ensure that over the course of the week a student cannot access more than the maximum or less than the minimum amount of grains and/or meat/meat alternates if they select a different serving line each day.  

For example: On a grade 9-12 menu, if you offer a 3 oz eq grain item on Monday and Wednesday on serving line #1, a 3 oz eq grain item on Tuesday and Thursday on serving line # 2 and a 3 oz eq grain item on Friday on serving line # 3 the student could potentially have access to 15 oz eq of grain (more than the maximum grain requirement of 12 oz eq). Therefore, you should plan your menus to be consistent. If you plan to offer a larger serving of grain and/or meat/meat alternate during the week, ensure that it is offered on all serving lines on the same day. This will ensure minimum and maximum amounts are within the required range if a student chooses a different serving line each day.

For the purposes of 6 cents certification, SFAs must enter ALL reimbursable meals offered on the menu for one week. All reimbursable meals offered within a school cafeteria are considered a menu.  Therefore, if your school has more than one serving line, all reimbursable meals offered on every serving line for the entire week must be entered into the “All Meals” tab on the 6 cents certification menu worksheet. Each meal will then be selected on the daily tab within the worksheet for the day it is offered. SFAs are required to attest that individually each serving line meets meal pattern requirements.

Questions on this memo should be directed to your Child Nutrition representative at 518-473-8781.

 

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

  1. mail:
    U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
  2. fax:
    (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  3. email:
    Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Click here for Nondiscrimination Statement translations.

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