FNS Documents & Resources

These resources provide school nutrition professionals with the knowledge and tools to implement and meet the professional standards requirements within their programs.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 authorized a permanent, nationwide Summer EBT program beginning in 2024. The Act requires FNS to promulgate interim regulations within a year of the Act’s enactment. Interim regulations are effective upon publication and FNS will accept comments on the interim rule to inform subsequent rulemakings. 

The Professional Standards Summary of Updates flyer provides an overview of the professional standards requirements which consist of hiring standards and annual training requirements for state directors of school nutrition programs, state director of distributing agencies, school nutrition program directors, managers, and staff.

Letter to states from the USDA Secretary to encourage you to help schools in your state keep kids fed despite ongoing challenges associated with the pandemic, ongoing supply chain issues, and labor shortages.

The Food Buying Guide for child nutrition programs has all of the current information in one manual to help you and your purchasing agent buy the right amount of food and the appropriate type of food for your program(s), and determine the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements.

This tri-fold brochure provides information on the Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool (PSTTT). The PSTTT is a free, web-based tool available for school nutrition professionals to record their annually required training hours.

A central resource outlining the USDA Professional Standards requirements for state and local school nutrition professionals.

This Q&A memorandum is designed to provide an overview of the policies related to the Professional Standards regulations for state and local school nutrition program personnel. 

Professional Standards for school nutrition professionals is a key provision of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The final rule, published March 2, 2015, requires a minimum amount of annual training hours for all state directors of school nutrition programs, state director of distributing agencies, school nutrition program directors, managers, and staff.

This memorandum informs stakeholders on the progress made by FNS in updating the food crediting system for all child nutrition programs. This is a first step towards improving the crediting system to best address today’s evolving food and nutrition environment and meet the needs of those operating and benefiting from the CNPs.