Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Announcements from the WI DPI School Nutrition Team (SNT)
Updates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
National School Lunch Program Menu/Signage Display Requirements
Q. What are National School Lunch Program (NSLP) menu/signage display requirements in scenarios where school food authorities (SFAs) are providing non-cafeteria meal service in classrooms and remote pick-up locations? Do menus need to be displayed at all if meal options are pre-plated/bagged?
A. The regulations at 7 CFR 210.10 and 220.8 do not specifically list “signage” as a requirement, and 210.18 allows schools to use “signage” or “other methods” to assist students in identifying the reimbursable meal; the exact language from the regulations follows:
- 210.10(a)(2) and 220.8: “Schools must identify, near or at the beginning of the serving line(s), the food items that constitute the unit-priced reimbursable school meal(s).”
- 210.18(g)(2)(i)(B)(1): “Observe meals at the beginning, middle and end of the meal service line, and confirm that signage or other methods are used to assist students in identifying the reimbursable meal.”
Due to various COVID-19 response meal service scenarios, we acknowledge that posting menus at or near the beginning of serving lines may not be possible. To meet this requirement in the current circumstances, menus may be displayed at alternate locations, such as on a cart, at the pick-up location for take home meals, or online. Menus may also be posted on the school doors or in a prominent location in the school. This is applicable when meals are pre-bagged/plated. Furthermore, the schools are not required to include signage at the alternate feeding locations as long as “other methods” are used to help students identify a reimbursable meal. Example — a message that states: Today’s meal includes milk, meat or meat alternate, vegetable, fruit, and grain.
This waiver allows schools and afterschool care centers, regardless of their location, to serve at-risk afterschool meals and snacks to students after the regular school day, through December 31, 2020. This means that schools and afterschool care centers may operate without having to meet the requirement of at least 50 percent of the children receiving meals being eligible for free or reduced-price meals. If implementing, schools and afterschool centers must have a plan for ensuring that meal sites target benefits to children in need. Additionally, USDA reserves the right to withdraw this approval subject to availability of funding.
Education/ Enrichment Activity Requirement: USDA clarified that CACFP At-Risk programs must provide an education or enrichment activity for each day the meal/snack is served. This requirement has not been waived for agencies providing non-congregate meals. You must continue with this requirement. When meals are served using the non-congregate and parent pick-up waivers, these activities may be conducted virtually or in other non-congregate ways. For example, programs may offer online homework assistance, activity packets, electronic games and books, or other e-learning activities for the participants to complete at home.
For more information about participating in the CACFP At-Risk component, please contact DPI at cnt@dpi.wi.gov.
Notice of Publication: Evaluation of DCM-F/RP, Year 2
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published the Evaluation of the Direct Certification with Medicaid for Free and Reduced-Price Meals (DCM-F/RP) Demonstrations, Year 2. This report examines the impact of using Medicaid data to directly certify students for free and reduced-price school meals in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs in fifteen states in School Year (SY) 2017-18. Key findings include:
- Similar to SY 2016-17, DCM-F/RP resulted in an incremental increase in the number and percentage of students certified for free and reduced-price meals, but effects varied across states. In total, 1,019,865 students were certified for free meals and 258,893 students were certified for reduced-price meals using Medicaid data through DCM-F/RP in SY 2017-18. Changes in certification rates were not, however, associated with corresponding changes in participation or reimbursement rates.
- A substantial group of students identified by DCM-F/RP were likely already certified for free meals via application; in these cases, the demonstration alleviated administrative burden on both households and School Food Authorities by reducing the need to complete and process applications by hand.
- Implementation of DCM-F/RP was generally successful, but with longer timelines than expected. Administrative costs to state agencies involved in the demonstrations were modest during start-up and largely negligible following implementation.
Now Available! Deactivate Past Employees for a Particular School Year from the Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool
New features are now available on the Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool (PSTTT). Team Nutrition appreciates receiving your feedback on the PSTTT and works continuously to enhance the user experience. Per the overwhelming feedback, Team Nutrition has further enhanced the capability for directors and manager users to deactivate and remove staff that no longer work at the school, district, or organization. This update now allows the user to deactivate/remove the staff for a particular school year and indicate the specific date the deactivation will take or took effect. In addition, the user guides have been updated to reflect the newest features to ensure users are reaping all the benefits of the PSTTT’s enhancements to date.
Track your professional standards required training hours today using USDA’s free Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool at https://pstrainingtracker.fns.usda.gov/.
USDA Foods in Schools Webinar Recordings
On July 30, FNS hosted a webinar for State Distributing Agencies who manage USDA Foods in Schools programs. It's a New School Year: What's Happening with USDA Foods in Schools provided guidance on the USDA Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and National Processing Program. We covered updates on allocating funds and adding new sites to USDA DoD Fresh, monitoring USDA Foods inventories, and details on SY 2020-21 entitlement calculations, including the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Opt-In Waiver for School Year 2020-21 National School Lunch Program USDA Foods Entitlement Calculations. The webinar recording can be viewed at this link.
On September 3, FNS hosted a USDA Foods in Schools webinar entitled COVID-19 Guidance for Managing USDA Foods Inventories in SY 2020-2021. This webinar provided guidance on flexibilities available to help manage USDA Foods in Schools during these unprecedented times due to COVID-19. Topics included information on USDA Foods direct delivered products, USDA Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, and the National Processing Program. We covered some actions you can take to assist with utilization of USDA Foods inventories and minimize food loss. This webinar was intended for State Distributing Agency and FNS Regional Office staff who manage USDA Foods in Schools programs. The webinar recording can be viewed at this link.
Other Updates and Information
State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor recognizes National School Lunch Week (NSLW) through a proclamation which is posted on the School Nutrition Team’s National School Lunch Program webpage. The proclamation recognizes the significant contributions of School Nutrition Professionals and the importance of their work in serving Wisconsin students nutritious, well-balanced school meals. The proclamation, available in English and Spanish, may be used in conjunction with other activities to promote NSLW, such as tools posted on the School Nutrition Association’s webpage. The theme this year is Now Playing: School Lunch.
Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) Program
The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) have just released three products on the Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) program, which are available at https://frac.org/pebt-study and www.cbpp.org/pebt.
- A short paper highlighting states’ success in rolling out P-EBT and how critical it is that Congress extend this expiring option given that it would mitigate hardship during the current COVID crisis;
- 52 state profiles that document state implementation of P-EBT across issues such as how states identified eligible children, their methods for issuing benefits, outreach activities, etc. The information is based on the results of a national survey that many of you filled out (thank you!), as well as in-depth interviews with several states (including SNAP and CN state officials as well as stakeholders and a handful or recipients), and publicly available information.
- A searchable resource library.
Within a few weeks they will finalize a narrative report summarizing their findings and case studies of eight states. These materials will be available at the same websites.
The goal has been to document the development and implementation of P-EBT covering the spring of 2020, including the various approaches states took as well as key preliminary lessons in the hope that the information will help to strengthen implementation efforts when Congress extends the option for the 2020-21 school year.
They worked with Koné Consulting and Rachel Cahill Consulting to compile the information.
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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.
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