Waivers Available for Program Operators for 2021-2022 SY
USDA has extended nationwide waivers to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus (COVID–19). The chart below identifies the available waivers and provides a description of each.
Program operators should evaluate their meal service operations to determine the applicable waivers necessary based on the Program operated. Program operators will need to notify the Child Nutrition Program Office of the waivers they have elected to use through the Child Nutrition Management System (CNMS).
|
Available Waivers |
Applicable Program |
USDA Issue Date |
Waiver Expiration Date |
Summary of Waiver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
SSO |
April 20, 2021 |
June 30, 2022 |
Permits School Food Authorities (SFAs) to operate in the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) of the National School Lunch Program during the 2021-2022 school year. |
|
|
Summer Food Service Program Reimbursement Rates in School Year 2021-2022
*This waiver will automatically be elected for SFAs/sites that choose to operate SSO. |
SSO |
April 20, 2021 |
June 30, 2022 |
This waiver allows SFAs to claim National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option meals and snacks at the applicable Summer Food Service Program reimbursement rates in the 2021-2022 School Year. |
|
|
SSO, NSLP/SBP |
April 20, 2021 |
June 30, 2022 |
Waives the requirement for meals to be served and consumed by participants at congregate meal sites and allows for meals to be consumed off-site. Allows for grab and go meals and meal delivery. This waiver must be elected if offering “grab and go" or if serving non-unitized meals and/or food items in bulk quantities. |
|
|
SSO, NSLP/SBP |
April 20, 2021 |
June 30, 2022 |
Waives meal service time requirements and allows meals to be served outside of standard mealtimes. Allows multiple meals to be served at the same time. Program operators that serve two meals together at the same time for “grab and go” must elect this waiver. |
|
SSO, NSLP/SBP |
April 20, 2021 |
June 30, 2022 |
Waives the requirement that meals are served directly to eligible children. Allows parents/guardians to pick up meals for their children without the child being present. SFA’s must have a plan in place to maintain accountability and program integrity that includes: ensuring that meals are distributed only to parents or guardians of eligible children, and that duplicate meals are not distributed to any child. |
|
|
SSO, NSLP/SBP |
August 27, 2021 |
June 30, 2022 |
SSO Program operators may elect this waiver to waive specific meal pattern requirements required by the SSO. Allows targeted, justified flexibilities to support access to nutritious meals. Program operators are still required to meet nutrition standards to the greatest extent possible. This waiver is specific to the requirements listed below:
All other meal pattern requirements remain in effect. |
|
|
Offer versus Serve Flexibility Waiver for Senior High Schools |
SSO, NSLP/SBP |
April 20, 2021 |
June 30, 2022 |
Waives the requirement for senior high schools (as defined by SED) to participate in Offer Versus Serve (OVS) during the 2021-2022 School Year |
|
SSO, NSLP/SBP
|
April 20, 2021 |
Until 30 days after the end of the public health emergency |
Waives the requirement that monitoring must be conducted on-site for all School Food Authorities (SFAs) and State agencies. SFAs and State agencies should continue monitoring activities remotely |
|
|
Afterschool Snack Program |
April 20, 2021 |
June 30, 2022 |
Allows schools participating in the Afterschool Snack Program to serve snacks to all students at no charge and to claim all snacks at the free rate regardless of their location. |
|
|
NSLP/SBP |
June 11, 2021 |
June 30, 2022 |
Extends the deadline for the triennial assessment from June 30, 2021 to June 30, 2022 |
