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:

• Provision 1, 2, 3: Special Assistance Alternatives
  United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)

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.

• School Meals: Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
  USDA/FNS

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.

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 Substitutions | Declaración 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.

Resources

USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)

Menus and Meal Planning:

• School Breakfast Program Meal Pattern Chart
• National School Lunch Program Meal Pattern Chart
• School Meals: Nutrition Standards for School Meals
• USDA Standardized Recipes

Professional Standards:

• Professional Standards for All School Nutrition Program Employees: Summary of the Final Rule Effective July 1, 2015
• School Meals: Professional Standards

Program Resources:

• School Meals: Child Nutrition Programs(External Web Content)
• Team Nutrition(External Web Content)

Smart Snacks in School:

• A Guide to Smart Snacks in School(External Web Content)

Student Eligibility:

• Eligibility Manual for School Meals(External Web Content)

Wellness Policy:

• Local School Wellness Policy Implementation Under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010: Summary of the Final Rule
• Utah State Board of Education Model Health and 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

• Utah State Board of Education Afterschool Snack Program (ASP)
• Utah State Board of Education Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)
• Utah State Board of Education Seamless Summer Option (SSO)
• Utah Board of Education School Milk Program (SMP)

 

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
Beaver School District	Good Foundations Academy	North Davis Preparatory Academy	Summit Academy High School
Beehive Science and Technology Academy	Grand School District	North Sanpete School District	Syracuse Arts Academy
Bonneville Academy	Granite School District	North Star Academy	Terra Academy
Box Elder School District	Greenwood Charter School	North Summit School District	Tintic School District
Cache School District	Guadalupe School	Odyssey Charter School	Tooele School District
Canyon Rim Academy	Havenwood Academy	Ogden Preparatory Academy	Treeside Charter School
Canyons School District	Hawthorn Academy	Ogden School District	Uintah School District
Carbon School District	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	Wasatch Peak Academy
East Hollywood High	Lincoln Academy	Rockwell Charter High School	Wasatch School District
Edith Bowen Lab School	Logan School District	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