Article release date 9/30/2021
To support a successful school reopening in school year 2021-22, and to promote afterschool and child care, FNS is releasing a new suite of waivers and flexibilities to increase funding, support access, and balance operational needs with the goal of providing nutritious meals:
- Nationwide Waiver to Allow the Seamless Summer Option
FNS is allowing SFSP and Seamless Summer Option operations through June 30, 2022.- Nationwide Waiver to Allow Summer Food Service Program Reimbursement Rates
FNS is allowing school food authorities to claims NSLP SSO meals and snacks at the SFSP reimbursement rates.- Nationwide Waiver to Allow Non-Congregate Meal Service
FNS is allowing meals to be served in non-group settings to support social distancing.- Nationwide Waiver of Meal Times Requirements
FNS is letting meals be served to kids outside traditional times to maximize flexibility for meal pick-up.- Nationwide Waiver to Allow Parents and Guardians to Pick Up Meals for Children
FNS is allowing parents/guardians to pick-up meals and bring them home to their children.- Nationwide Waiver to Allow Specific School Meal Pattern Flexibility
FNS is giving states the flexibility to serve meals that do not meet specified meal pattern requirements when needed.- Nationwide Waiver to Allow Specific Meal Pattern Flexibility in the Child and Adult Care Food Program
FNS is giving states the flexibility to serve meals that do not meet specified meal pattern requirements when needed.- Nationwide Waiver to Allow Offer Versus Serve Flexibility for Senior High Schools
FNS has established a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus for school year 2021-22.- Nationwide Waiver of Area Eligibility in the Afterschool Programs and for Family Day Care Home Providers
FNS is allowing schools and at-risk afterschool care centers, regardless of their location, to claim all National School Lunch Program Afterschool Snack Service and Child and Adult Care Food Program At-risk Afterschool Program meals and snacks at the free rate.- Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements in the School Meal Programs – Revised – EXTENSION 3
FNS has provided flexibilities for certain monitoring and review requirements for schools meal programs.- Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements for State Agencies in the Child and Adult Care Food Program – EXTENSION 3
FNS has provided flexibilities for certain monitoring and review requirements for schools meal programs.- Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements for Sponsors in the Child and Adult Care Food Program – EXTENSION
FNS has provided flexibilities for certain monitoring and review requirements for sponsors participating in CACFP.- Child Nutrition Waiver Update to Address Meal Service During Unanticipated School Closures and Supply Chain Issues
- Allow Non-Congregate Meal Service for Non-School Food Authorities Operating the Summer Food Service Program during Unanticipated School Closures in School Year 2021-2022
Under this waiver, SFSP service institutions in states that elect to be subject to this waiver may provide non-congregate meals during COVID–19 operations during unanticipated school closures in SY 2021-22.- Waiver of Meal Times Requirements for Non-School Food Authorities Operating the Summer Food Service Program during Unanticipated School Closures in School Year 2021-2022
Under this waiver, SFSP operators in states that elect to be subject to this waiver may serve meals outside of the standard meal times during unanticipated school closures in SY 2021-22.- Allow Parents and Guardians to Pick Up Meals Served by Non-School Food Authorities through the Summer Food Service Program during Unanticipated School Closures in School Year 2021-2022
Under this waiver, SFSP operators in states that elect to be subject to this waiver, and that elected to allow non-congregate meal distribution during COVID–19-related operations, may distribute meals to a parent or guardian to take home to their children during an unanticipated school closure in SY 2021-22.- Waiver of Area Eligibility Requirements for Non-School Food Authorities Operating the Summer Food Service Program during Unanticipated School Closures in School Year 2021-2022
Under this waiver, service institutions operating the SFSP in states, whose agencies elect to be subject to this waiver, may operate open sites in areas that are not located in “Areas in which poor economic conditions exist” during unanticipated school closures in SY 2021-22.- Allow Service of Meals at School Sites during Unanticipated School Closures in School Year 2021-2022
Under this waiver, SFSP and the National School Lunch Program SSO operators in states that elect to be subject to this waiver may serve meals at school sites during unanticipated school closures in SY 2021-22.- Nationwide Waiver of Selected CN Reporting Requirements
This waiver cancels selected administrative data reporting requirements in the child nutrition programs.- Questions and Answers for Child Nutrition Program Operations in School Year 2021-2022, Q&A #2