National School Lunch Program

USDA webinar found here: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/proposed-rule-cep-increasing-options-schools....

A printer-friendly version of the memo and Q&As can be found here.

From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has provided operational flexibilities and additional funding to School Food Authorities (SFAs) to help overcome challenges and ensure children have continued access to meals. As a result, many SFAs now have a substantial positive balance in their school food service accounts, some in excess of the maximum balance allowed by federal regulations. This memo provides guidance to SFAs on current flexibilities and acceptable uses of the school food service account funds.

Original memo dated 10/03/2022.  Recent updates will be noted by the asterisk (*).

The United States Department of Agriculture has provided funds to reimburse School Food Authorities (SFA) for administrative costs incurred to support P-EBT during the federal fiscal year (FY) 2022. These funds are made available under Section 4601 of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act.

SFA Eligibility

All SFAs, with P-EBT eligible students, that were active in the 2021-22 school year and are currently participating in Child Nutrition Programs are eligible to receive the FY 2022 P-EBT Local Level Administrative Cost Grant.  

Adult Selling Prices

Breakfast

• Schools that receive regular reimbursement for breakfast must charge a minimum of $2.37 plus tax for an adult breakfast meal.
• Schools that receive severe need reimbursement for breakfast must charge a minimum of $2.78 plus tax for an adult breakfast meal.

Lunch

• Schools that receive under 60% plus the additional PBR* ($4.4699) for lunch must charge a minimum of $4.90 plus tax for an adult lunch.

The list of applicants that have been selected to receive the FY 2021 National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grant for School Food Authorities (SFAs) can be found in the link below. 

FY 2021 Equipment Grant Awards (EXCEL) (PDF)

The Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022 (KKFA), which President Biden signed into law on June 25, 2022, provides additional support and resources to help Child Nutrition Program (CN) operators continue to serve healthy meals to children during this challenging time.

While KKFA does not extend the broader waiver authority or the resources that would allow USDA to extend the full range of flexibilities currently in place—most notably the ability to serve all meals for free—it is a critical step forward.

As required by Section 389 of Chapter 57 of the Laws of 1993 and Chapters 614 and 615 of the New York State (NYS) Laws of 1993, certain public schools must implement a School Breakfast Program (SBP) or seek an exemption annually.

All public elementary or secondary schools with at least seventy percent or more of its students eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the federal National School Lunch Program are required to offer all students a school breakfast after the instructional day has begun, “Breakfast After the Bell”. The schools meeting 70 percent free and reduced price is determined annually by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) based upon data submitted through the basic educational data system (BEDS) for the prior school year.