FNS Documents & Resources

This memo clarifies how the food safety inspection requirement is to be carried out by program operators on military bases, Indian reservations and Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs).

FNS sponsored the third SNDA study to provide up-to-date information on the school meal programs, the school environment that affects the programs, the nutrient content of school meals, and the contributions of school meals to students’ diets. Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of districts, schools, and students in school year 2004-2005. The nutrient content of school meals offered and served was compared to USDA’s current regulatory standards.

This memorandum clarifies FNS policy regarding the calorie and nutrient requirements for meals planned using alternate menu planning approaches.

Program errors and the risk of erroneous payments in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) continue to be a concern. Slightly more than one in five students were certified inaccurately or erroneously denied benefits in school year (SY) 2005-06. New data estimates the gross cost of school meals erroneous payments due to certification error at about $935 million while other operational errors represent about $860 million. 

For your information, the updated national average daily attendance factor for use during Coordinated Review for School Year 2007-2008 is 93.5 percent.

Please note that on May 14, 2007, FNS issued the attached Federal Register notice announcing a correction in the national average value of donated foods or, where applicable, cash in lieu of donated foods for school year 2007, which began on July 1, 2006 and runs through June 30, 2007.

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 permits direct verification of school meal applications and requires FNS to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of direct verification (instead of household verification) by school district.

This publication has been prepared for juice drink manufacturers.  It contains directions for calculating the contribution that a juice drink or juice drink product makes toward meeting meal pattern requirements for the child nutrition programs.  It also contains instructions on how to apply for and obtain approval of a label with a child nutrition (CN) statement. 

The increasing prevalence of electronic systems of records and claiming is an encouraging step toward streamlining recordkeeping and reporting requirements. However, it is important to ensure that implementing an electronic system does not create a barrier to participation.

As a result of the activities being taken to plan a government-wide response to a potential outbreak of pandemic disease, we have received questions regarding the child nutrition programs operation during such an event.