National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

Overview

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public, non-profit private schools, and residential child care institutions. It provides payment for nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. Sponsors enter into agreements with the Utah State Board of Education Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) to participate. Our office also distributes State of Utah (liquor tax) funds to public schools for lunches.

Reimbursement is paid to sponsors based on meals served to children at the established free, reduced, and paid rate depending on the eligibility of the student served. NSLP Sponsors receive entitlement dollars based on the number of meals served that can be used to order United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods as part of the Food Distribution Program (FDP).

National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)

Qualifying and Applying

Schools wishing to operate the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) must be a public or private nonprofit elementary or secondary school, residential child care institution, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) school, or an educational service agency and become approved as an NSLP sponsor or participate under an existing program sponsor.

To become a sponsor of the NSLP an Application for Intent to Participate must be submitted to the Utah State Board of Education Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) office by February 15 prior to the school year you hope to implement the NSLP at your school. The Application of Intent allows you to participate in the training and approval process to become a program sponsor. All training and approval requirements must be completed between February 15 and September 30 to operate the program as a sponsor.

Schools already providing the NSLP do not need to submit an Application of Intent to Participate for the following school year as they are already an approved program sponsor or are operating under an approved sponsor.

Schools may apply for the following status:

Reduces the normal requirements for annual determinations of eligibility for free and reduced-price school meals and daily meal counts by type (free, reduced-price and paid meals) at the point of service.

Allows the nation's highest poverty schools and districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without the burden of collecting household applications. Instead, schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students participating in other specific means-tested programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Utah State Board of Education CNP must publicly post potentially eligible sponsors and site annually. The deadline to complete the CEP application process is June 30.

Please contact the Utah State Board of Education CNP for assistance understanding qualification requirements or if you need assistance with the application process.

Training

Please contact the Utah State Board of Education Child Nutrition Program (CNP) for all training requests.

Forms and Resources

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Utah State Board of Education Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) provide many program resources to help sponsors operate a successful program.

Forms

CNPweb User Access Request Form
Google Forms

Equipment Approval List for Purchase

Exempted Fundraiser Application
Career and Technical Education (CTE)

Medical Statement to Request Special Meals, Accommodations, Milk SubstitutionsDeclaración médica para solicitar comidas especiales, adaptaciones, sustitutos de

Medical Authority Checklist: Foods to Exclude and Substitute | Lista de verificación de la autoridad médica: Alimentos que se deben evitar y sustituir

NSLP Food Service Equipment Request Form
Google Forms
Request for equipment not on the approved equipment list.

USBE CNP Meal Time Waiver

Resources

USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)

Menus and Meal Planning:

Professional Standards:

Program Resources:

Smart Snacks in School:

Student Eligibility:

Wellness Policy:

For information about waivers for sponsors regarding meal pattern requirements, contact a Utah State Board of Education CNP Specialist or e-mail schoolnutritionprograms@schools.utah.gov(External Web Content).

Reimbursement Rates

Reimbursements are based on meals served to children eligible at the established free, reduced, and paid rate. State reimbursement is distributed on a per lunch basis to public schools only.

Reimbursement Rates
July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024

Severe Need Lunch Reimbursement: School Food Authority (SFA):

  • For those programs serving more than 60% free and reduced-price lunches in the second preceding year.

Reimbursement Claims

Claims are due to the Utah State Board of Education:

  • no later than the fourth working day after the participating month
  • claims submitted after the fourth working day are considered late (there is a 60-day grace period to submit a late claim)

Claim amendments that result in an upward amendment (additional reimbursement):

  • must be certified by the sponsor within 60 days after the end of the month being amended
  • downward amendments may be submitted anytime

Policy

In coordination with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) our office distributes policy memorandums to provide guidance and clarify program requirements and regulations.

Memorandum: New Bulletin Distribution Explanation
A quick tutorial on how our office structures and distributes policy.

Highlighted USDA/FNS Policy Bulletins/Memorandums

School Meals: Policy
(External Web Content)
Allows you to search for current and archived USDA/FNS published policy memorandums.

Compliance Reports

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires state agencies to conduct procurement and administrative reviews of all National School lunch Program (NSLP) Sponsors.

Administrative reviews are conducted once in a three-year cycle at each School Food Authority (SFA) operating the National School Breakfast Program (NSBP) and/or the NSLP. Other Federal programs administered by the SFA are also reviewed which may include the Special Milk Program (SMP), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), Afterschool Snack Program (ASP), and Seamless Summer Option (SSO).

State Agencies are required to post the most recent results of a SFAs Administrative Review Report starting with school year 2016-2017 Transparency Requirement; USDA/Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Final Rule: Administrative Reviews in the School Nutrition Programs 81 FR 50170). School FSAs are also encouraged to post their review results on their public webpage. The State Agency must provide results to the public upon request.

Title 7: Part 210-Subpart D-Part 210.18-Section m(External Web Content)
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)

Administrative Review Areas

The Administrative Review covers two critical areas and several general program areas. The objective of the review is to determine program compliance, provide technical assistance, address items requiring corrective action, and assess fiscal action (as applicable). Follow-up and high risk SFAs may require additional reviews within the three-year cycle.

Critical Areas

Meal Access and Reimbursement (PS1); Certification and Benefit Issuance Process (PS2).

General Areas

Resource Management, Civil Rights, SFA On-site Monitoring, Local School Wellness Policy and School Meal Environment, Smart Snacks in School, Professional Standards, Water Availability, Food Safety, Storage, Buy American Provision, Reporting, Recordkeeping, National School Breakfast Program and Summer Food Service Program Outreach.

Other Federal Programs

 

Administrative Review Reports

Alpine School District

Excelsior Academy

Monticello Academy

Sevier School District

American Academy for Innovation

Fast Forward Charter School

Morgan School District

SLCo Youth Services

American Leadership Academy

Franklin Discovery Academy

Mountain West Montessori Academy

South Sanpete School District

American Preparatory Academy

Freedom Preparatory Academy

Murray School District

South Summit School District

Aneth Community School

Garfield School District 

Naa Tsis' Aan School

Spectrum Academy

Ascent Academies of Utah

Gateway Preparatory Academy

Nebo School District

Storm Ridge Ranch

Athlos Academy

George Washington Academy

Noah Webster Academy

Summit Academy 

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Good Foundations Academy

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Ogden School District

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Heritage School

Open Classroom

Utah County Academy of Sciences 

Center For Creativity, Innovation, Discovery

Iron school District

Park City School District

Utah International Charter School

Channing Hall

Itineris Early College High School

Pinnacle Canyon Academy

Utah Military Academy

Cinnamon Hills YCC

Intech Collegiate High School

Piute School District

Utah State Hospital

City Academy

Jefferson Academy

Promontory School

Valley Academy

C.S. Lewis Academy

Jordan School District

Providence Hall

Vanguard Academy

Daggett School District

Juab School District

Provo School District

Venture Academy

Davinci Academy

Juvenile Justice Services

Quest Academy

Vista at Entrada School

Davis School District

Kane School District

Red Rock Canyon

Voyage Academy

Dual Immersion Academy

Kearns St. Ann School

Renaissance Academy

Walden School of Liberal Arts

Duchesne School District

Lakeview Academy

Rich School District

Wallace Stegner Academy

Early Light Academy

Leadership Learning Academy

Richfield Residential

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East Hollywood High

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Rockwell Charter High School

Wasatch School District

Edith Bowen Lab School

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Ronald Reagan Academy

Wasatch Waldorf Charter School

Emery School District

Merit College Preparatory Academy

Salt Lake School District

Washington School District 

Endeavor Hall

Millard School District

San Juan School District

Wayne School District

Entheos Academy

Moab Charter School

Scholar Academy

Weber School District

Esperanza Elementary

 



Waivers

Waiver Request Protocol

Per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Policy Bulletin SP15-2018, eligible service providers must submit their requests to waive Child Nutrition Program (CNP) requirements to their respective State agencies. State agencies must submit requests to waive CNP requirements to their Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) regional office. FNS regional offices will review the waiver request for completeness and verify that the applicant provided the required public notice of their request. Notice and information provided to the public regarding the proposed waiver should be in the same manner in which the state or eligible service provider usually provides similar notices and information to the public. Acceptable methods include, but are not limited to:

  • posting notice on the state agency's or eligible service provider's website; and
  • providing public notice through a printed announcement in the local/state newspaper.

Child Nutrition Program School Year (SY) 2023 Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Waiver Request

Child Nutrition Program Summer 2022 and School Year 2022-2023 Waiver Request

Child Nutrition Program School Year (SY) 2019 Administrative and Six Cent Waiver Request

Child Nutrition Program State Five Year Administrative Review (AR) Cycle Waiver Request

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance and Federal Award Identification Numbers