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Resource | Notices FNS Information Collection Needs Due to COVID-19; Comment Request for Extending Approval for OMB #0584-0654

FNS is seeking public comment on its intent to ask the Office of Management and Budget to extend approval of the information collection under OMB approval #0584-0654 from Jan. 31, 2022 until Aug. 27, 2023.

12/16/2021
Resource | Research | Impacts/Evaluations Evaluation of the Independent Review of Applications in USDA Child Nutrition Programs

This study examined the processes, procedures, and effectiveness of a second, independent review of applications for certain local education agencies under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. The requirement, which was first implemented in School Year 2014-15, is intended to reduce administrative certification error in LEA processing of household applications.

12/01/2021
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations USDA Summer Meals Study

The Summer Meals Study provides a comprehensive, nationally representative assessment of the two summer meal programs operated by USDA: the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option. It is the first national study to simultaneously examine the facilitators and barriers to program participation among participating and nonparticipating families, sponsors, and sites. This study examines the characteristics of participating and nonparticipating children, including sociodemographic characteristics, household food security status, reasons for participation or nonparticipation, and satisfaction with the meals served to children in the summer of 2018. 

10/20/2021
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study

This study is the first nationally representative, comprehensive assessment of the school meal programs since the updated nutrition standards for school meals were phased in beginning School Year 2012-2013. A study methodology report that describes the study design, sampling and data collection and a summary report that provides a brief overview of the study and key findings from the various reports are also available.

10/19/2021
Resource | Federal Register Documents CACFP Meal Pattern Revisions Related to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010; Technical Amendments

On Oct. 1, 2021, the requirement to credit grains served in the CACFP in "ounce equivalents" was implemented. This action also applied to the crediting of grains served to infants and toddlers in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. This document corrects the final regulations to align meal pattern tables and corresponding endnotes with regulatory requirements.

10/18/2021
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations Study of School Food Authority Procurement Practices

The Study of School Food Authority (SFA) Procurement Practices is the first study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service to comprehensively describe and assess the decision-making process regarding school food procurement practices at the SFA level. The sample for this study was a subset of the 1,679 SFAs that participated in the Child Nutrition Operations Study II (CN-OPS-II), which included a module on SFA procurement practices in school year (SY) 2016–17. Findings are based on the perceptions and experiences of the SFA and they may not reflect actual regulations and policies; this study was not an audit. 

09/21/2021
Resource | Notices | Assessing/Improving Operations Comment Request - School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II

This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection for the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II. The purpose of SNMCS-II is to provide a comprehensive picture of school food service operations and the nutritional quality, cost, and acceptability of meals served in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.

09/14/2021
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations Third Access, Participation, Eligibility, And Certification Study (APEC-III), SY 2017-18

This is the third study in the Access, Participation, Eligibility, and Certification study series, conducted in school year 2017-18. FNS relies upon the APEC series to provide reliable, national estimates improper payments made to school districts operating the NSLP and SBP. APEC studies also help identify sources of error and inform FNS policy and technical assistance for state agencies and school food authorities to reduce error. FNS conducted previous iterations of the study in school years 2005-06 and 2012-13.

09/03/2021
Resource | Notices Correction: National School Lunch, Special Milk, and School Breakfast Programs, National Average Payments/Maximum Reimbursement Rates

The Food and Nutrition Service published a document on July 16, 2021, concerning reimbursement rates for the National School Lunch, Special Milk, and School Breakfast Programs. The document contained an incorrect table entry.

08/31/2021
Resource | Notices Request for Information: Buy American in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program

This is a request for information from stakeholders, including local operators, state administrators, industry and producers, about the Buy American provision in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. The programs play a critical role in ensuring that America's children have access to nutritious food they need to learn and succeed in the classroom, in addition to supporting American agriculture, and small, minority, and women's businesses and agricultural producers.

08/04/2021
Page updated: October 14, 2021