All the most current resources you need to successfully operate the School Nutrition Programs are available here. TDA keeps this page updated with any new policy updates and news, including the following:
- Handbook release notices with update summaries
- Form release notices
- Brand new policy updates that have not yet been updated within the handbooks
- FAQs and other resources, as required
Please bookmark this page and check back periodically.
April 17, 2024 - Expansion of SFSP and SSO Options during Unanticipated School Closure
While regulation limits the use of SFSP and SSO during an unanticipated school closure to the months of October through April, TDA has received waiver approval to allow schools to serve SFSP and SSO if an unanticipated closure occurs outside of that window.
Currently, the waiver is allowable through June 30, 2024. TDA will request a similar waiver for School Year 2024-2025 to allow for this option for the entire school year.
April 10, 2024 - 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act's Effect on Sodium Levels, Milk Options, and Paid Lunch Equity
On March 9, 2024, the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act was signed into law that provides new guidelines affecting the Child Nutrition Programs, as follows:
- School Food Authorities (SFAs) with a zero or positive balance in their non-profit food service account as of June 30, 2023, are exempt from Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) requirements.
- Current School Year 2023–2024 sodium limits for the School Nutrition Programs shall remain effective through School Year 2026–2027, after which sodium limits that may be included in any rulemaking, notice, or guidance will not be more restrictive than the established Target 2 sodium levels.
- Service of low fat or fat free flavored milk in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) for grades Kindergarten through 12th grade and in the Child and Adult Care Food Program for participants 6 years of age and older remains allowable.
- SFAs participating in SBP can continue to credit any vegetable offered, including potatoes and other starchy vegetables, in place of fruit without including vegetables from other sub-groups in the weekly menus.
- No Child Nutrition Program funds can be used to procure raw or processed poultry products or seafood imported into the United States from the People’s Republic of China.
March 1, 2024 - RELEASE: Small Purchase Log
A revised Small Purchase Log has been released on the CACFP, Summer Meals, and NSLP Administration/Forms pages on SquareMeals. The previous version of this form was designed specifically for NSLP CEs, but it has been updated so that any Child Nutrition Program operator can track their small purchases throughout the Program Year.
March 1, 2024 - RELEASE: 2024-2025 Income Eligibility Guidelines
The 2024-2025 Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEGs) for all child nutrition and household programs have been released and posted to SquareMeals here: https://squaremeals.org/FandN-Resources/Income-Eligibility-Guidelines.
Household applications with the new IEGs will be posted to SquareMeals in the coming months.
February 9, 2024 - RELEASE: School Data for Area Eligibility Report
TDA must, on an annual basis, publish a list of schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in which at least one-half of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The School Data for Area Eligibility 2023-2024 report, based on October 2023 claims data for non-CEP schools and the April 2023 CEP ISP report for CEP schools, has been posted to SquareMeals in the following locations:
http://www.squaremeals.org/Programs/ChildandAdultCareFoodProgram/CACFPAdministrationamp;Forms.aspx
http://www.squaremeals.org/Programs/SummerFeedingPrograms/SummerFeedingAdministrationamp;Forms.aspx
https://squaremeals.org/Programs/National-School-Lunch-Program/Administration-Forms
January 11, 2024 - RELEASE: Updated TDA and USDA CEP Resources
TDA has released and posted to the NSLP Administration/Forms page an updated Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Calculation Worksheet for Identified Student Percentage (ISP) and Claiming form. The form has been updated to reflect the reduction of the CEP Eligibility threshold from 40% to 25%. Additionally, USDA has provided a new SY 2023-2024 Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Monthly Federal Reimbursement Estimator tool. The estimator tool and other CEP resources can be found on USDA's Community Eligibility Provision Resource Center.
January 5, 2024 - RELEASE: Unanticipated School Closure Forms
If a school closes due to an unanticipated event and wants to serve students during the closure, the school district must choose an appropriate Program to operate (SFSP, SSO, or CACFP At-Risk) and notify TDA via the newly released Unanticipated School Closure Notification Form. The form also captures whether the district will choose to serve non-congregate meals. More guidance related to unanticipated school closures is available in the newly released FAQs (see entry at top of this page) - this guidance will also be added to the ARM in a future update. The Unanticipated School Closure Notification Form is available permanently on the NSLP Administration/Forms page.
January 4, 2024 - RELEASE: NEW Duplicative Costs FAQ
TDA has released a set of FAQs related to duplicative costs. A duplicative cost is an unallowable expense that results from a Contracting Entity (CE) paying for the same service under multiple contracts using federal funding. Duplicative costs occur when a CE enters a contract for a service currently provided by TDA or partners of TDA, including Education Service Centers (ESCs) and the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN). The Duplicative Costs FAQs are posted on the NSLP, CACFP, and Summer Programs Resources pages (under Policy Documents). This guidance will also be added to Program handbooks in future updates.