FNS Documents & Resources

This memorandum provides initial implementation guidance for the Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule. This memorandum applies to state agencies administering and school food authorities, institutions and sponsors implementing the NSLP, SBP, CACFP, and SFSP.

This memorandum states visual observation and identification by Child and Adult Food Care Program institutions and facilities and Summer Food Service Program sponsors is no longer an allowable practice for program operators to use during the collection of race or ethnicity data.  USDA will update CACFP and SFSP policy guidance.

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.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This is a new collection for the Evaluation of the Direct Certification with Medicaid for Free and Reduced-Price Meals Demonstrations.

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.

This rule proposes to codify several provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 affecting the integrity of the child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program, the Special Milk Program for Children, the School Breakfast Program, the Summer Food Service Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program and state administrative expense funds.

Offer versus Serve is a provision in the NSLP and School Breakfast Program that allows students to decline some of the food offered. The goals of OVS are to reduce food waste in the school meals programs while permitting students to decline foods they do not intend to eat. 

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.

This memorandum clarifies the flexibility available to local educational agency officials for establishing the effective date of eligibility for children certified for free or reduced price meals in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and free milk in the Special Milk Program based on household applications.

The purpose of this memorandum is to consolidate our policy regarding the participation of Head Start Programs in the child nutrition programs. For more information about the Head Start Program and Early Head Start Program.