You are here

School Nutrition Bulletin 1920-15

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Announcements from the WI DPI School Nutrition Team (SNT)

Updates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

 

USDA Policy Memorandum SP 11-2020: Questions and Answers related to the Child Nutrition Programs Monitoring and Reporting Nationwide Waivers

This memorandum provides clarification to the Child Nutrition Program Monitoring Nationwide Waivers #7 through #12 available to all States, School Food Authorities (SFAs), and sponsoring organizations during the novel coronavirus public health emergency.

Clarifications around flexibilities for onsite monitoring, record keeping requirements, Administrative Reviews in the School Meal Programs, monitoring the Seamless Summer Option, procurement reviews, 60 day reporting requirement flexibilities, and Equipment Assistance Grant extensions are included.

This memorandum provides clarification on questions related to the administration of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) during school closures in all States and SFAs during the novel coronavirus public health emergency.

The flexibilities related to the operation of the FFVP, provided in this memorandum are effective from January 27, 2020, and remain in effect until June 30, 2020, or until expiration of the federally declared public health emergency, whichever is earlier.

Items to note:

  • Elementary schools offering the FFVP foods in a non-congregate setting may not provide those foods to parents or guardians unless they are accompanied by their child(ren). Because the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-127) did not include FFVP as a “qualified program,” the nationwide waiver allowing parents to pick up meals for children at non-congregate sites does not apply to FFVP.

This memorandum provides clarification on questions related to the nationwide waivers issued by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in response to the novel coronavirus. Please read all questions and answers that relate to the programs you are operating.

Items to note:

  • The State agency (SA) is required to submit a report about the impact of each waiver that has been elected to implement. That being said, the DPI School Nutrition Team will likely be checking in periodically and asking for information on the use of the waiver.
  • SFAs need to maintain documentation of their participation in all programs that are being operated during COVID-19 emergency feeding for future management evaluations (SA) and administrative reviews (SFAs). This is a reminder that program records must be maintained for at least three years.
  • SFAs must ensure that children do not receive duplicates of the same meal.
  • SFAs are required to maintain accurate meal counts by program and submit claims by program.
  • When serving multiple meals at one time, keep the following in mind:
    • Required food components must be included in the proper minimum amounts for each reimbursable meal being claimed.
    • Food items are clearly identifiable.
    • Providing menus is strongly encouraged with instructions that indicate which items are to be used for each meal and the portion sizes.
    • Consider whether households have access to refrigeration, stoves, microwaves, etc.
    • Ensure that only minimal preparation is required and that food is not provided as ingredients for recipes that require chopping, mixing, baking, etc.

This memorandum provides clarification on questions related to the operation of the Child Nutrition Programs during the novel coronavirus. Please read all questions and answers that relate to the programs you are operating.

Items to note:

  • USDA “And Justice for All” (AJFA) posters must be prominently displayed in all facilities and locations that distribute program benefits or administer services. Meals delivered from stationary vans or buses should display the AJFA poster. Vehicles making door-to-door drop deliveries at homes and businesses do not have to have the AJFA poster displayed. If printed AJFA posters are not available for display, paper copies, printed from the USDA website, may be substituted as necessary.

Updates from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) School Nutrition Team

 
State Level Civil Rights Compliance

In compliance with Civil Rights Regulations, we would like to inform you of free language assistance services for individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and free auxiliary aids and services and other reasonable modifications for individuals with disabilities as required by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service Instruction 113-1, Section VII; USDA, Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Regarding the Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Persons with Limited English Proficiency, 79 Fed. Reg. 70771, (Nov. 28, 2014) (USDA LEP Policy Guidance); 7 CFR 15b.7; 28 CFR 35.106.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has the following available:

  • DPI Main Phone Line: (608) 266-3390, (800) 441-4563 (Language assistance available) This phone line is staffed Monday through Friday from 7:45 am to 4:30 pm. For telephone accessibility for those who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing, visit the Wisconsin Relay Service.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

This is a communication from the WI Department of Public Instruction, School Nutrition Team.

You can contact the School Nutrition Team at dpifns@dpi.wi.gov.

To subscribe to schoolmealsnews, please send an email to dpifns@dpi.wi.gov.
dpi.wi.gov/school-nutrition #WISchoolMealsRock