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Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2020-0103 Nationwide Waiver of Local School Wellness Policy Triennial Assessments in the NSLP and SBP

FNS is establishing a nationwide waiver to support schools unable to complete a triennial assessment of the local school wellness policies by June 30, 2020, due to school closures as a result of COVID–19. This waiver applies to state agencies that have local educational agencies administering the NSLP and/or SBP.

COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #18
07/01/2020
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2018-0004 Providing Child Nutrition Program Benefits to Disaster Survivor Evacuees

This memorandum provides a reminder overview of options available under current program policy and regulation for connecting children and adult survivors, who have evacuated from areas subject to major disaster and emergency declarations, and may be staying in shelters, with child nutrition program benefits.

SP 05-2018, CACFP 05-2018
01/19/2018
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0026 2017 Edition: Overcoming the Unpaid Meal Challenge - Proven Strategies from Our Nation’s Schools

This is the 2017 Edition of Overcoming the Unpaid Meal Challenge: Proven Strategies from Our Nation’s Schools. This best practice guide is designed to support state agencies and local program operators in their efforts to find workable solutions to the challenge of unpaid meal charges.

SP29-2017
05/10/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0014 Local School Wellness Policy: Guidance and Q&As

Local educational agencies participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program are required to develop a local school wellness policy that promotes the health of students and addresses the problem of childhood obesity.

SP24-2017
04/06/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0013 Unpaid Meal Charges: Guidance and Q&As

This question and answer memorandum is designed to provide an overview of policies related to unpaid meal charges and to address common questions FNS has received from state agencies, school food authorities, and local program operators.

SP23-2017
03/23/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0042 Ensuring Access to Free and Reduced Price School Meals for Low-Income Students

This guidance provides steps state agencies and school administrators can take to improve access to school meal programs through the application, certification, and verification processes so that all eligible children in NSLP and SBP schools have the opportunity to participate in the school meal programs.

SP43-2016
08/10/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0051 Ensuring Year-long Eligibility in the School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs

The purpose of this memorandum is to strongly encourage local educational agencies to accept eligibility determinations from a transferring student’s former LEA to minimize disruptions in meal benefits for low-income students and avoid student debt resulting from unpaid meal charges.

SP51-2016
08/05/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0046 Unpaid Meal Charges: Clarification on Collection of Delinquent Meal Payments

There has been confusion about how unpaid meal charges must be handled when all collection efforts have been exhausted. To help address these situations, this memorandum clarifies the processes of designating delinquent debt that has been determined to be uncollectable as bad debt and obtaining assistance to offset bad debt losses.

SP47-2016
07/13/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0045 Unpaid Meal Charges: Local Meal Charge Policies

The purpose of this memorandum is to address the need for school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program to institute and clearly communicate a meal charge policy, which would include, if applicable, the availability of alternate meals.

SP46-2016
07/08/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0051 Eligibility Effective Date for Directly Certified Students

This memorandum addresses inquiries regarding flexibility in determining the effective date of eligibility for students who are directly certified to receive free meals or free milk in the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the Special Milk Program.

SP51-2014
06/19/2014
Page updated: October 14, 2021