School Nutrition Bulletin 2324-22

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

Updated Community Eligibility Provision Guidance & Technical Assistance Materials

USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is pleased to share updated Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) resources for State and local Program operators. The resources were updated primarily to reflect changes made to CEP due to FNS’ Final Rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Community Eligibility Provision – Increasing Options for Schools, effective on October 26, 2023. Revisions were also made to improve clarity and to reflect other changes in CEP since these resources were originally published. The resources below will be available at the CEP Resource Center on the FNS website.
 

USDA Policy Memorandum SP 08-2024: Community Eligibility Provision: Planning and Implementation Guidance - Updated

This memo introduces the third edition of Community Eligibility Provision: Planning and Implementation Guidance. This guidance manual includes new information codified in the final rule, consolidates existing Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) guidance, policy, and best practices, and provides clarification on previously issued CEP guidance.
 

USDA Policy Memorandum SP 09-2024: Community Eligibility Provision: Guidance and Updated Q&As

This memo provides new guidance and questions and answers (Q&As) to address changes made by the CEP final rule. Additionally, it provides clarification on guidance related to CEP. The Q&As supersedes SP 54-2016, Community Eligibility Provision: Guidance and Updated Q&As.
 

USDA Policy Memorandum SP 10-2024: Community Eligibility Provision: Statutory Annual Notification and Publication Requirements and School Year 2024-25 Election Deadline

This memo provides a reminder of the annual Community Eligibility Provision notification and publication requirements, including the changes made by the recent Final Rule. It also provides a reminder that the statutory election deadline for local educational agencies to elect CEP for school year 2024-25 is June 30, 2024.
 

USDA Policy Memorandum SP 11-2024: Community Eligibility Provision: State Agency Procedures to Ensure Identified Student Percentage Accuracy

This memo provides an update to prior guidance to reflect changes made to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) due to the Final Rule, effective October 26, 2023. This final rule amended CEP regulations by lowering the minimum identified student percentage (ISP) to elect CEP from 40 percent to 25 percent. Additionally, it provides State agencies with steps they must take to determine the accuracy of a Local Educational Agency’s ISP at the time CEP is elected in order to prevent incorrect ISP calculations; thus limiting fiscal action due to an incorrect ISP during an Administrative Review.
 

Community Eligibility Provision 101 Webinar

A Community Eligibility Provision 101 webinar will be held for School Food Authority staff on February 21, 2024, at 1:00 PM CST

Participants who require a different accessibility tool to participate in this webinar should reach out to FNS.HRD.ReasonableAccommodations@usda.gov for assistance as soon as possible.
 

A New Look for the Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool (PSTTT)!

The Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool (PSTTT) has a new look with graphic images of training statistics. Employee users can quickly view their progress to meet annual training requirements along with their Achievement Badges.

Team Nutrition appreciates receiving your comments on the PSTTT and works continuously to enhance the user experience.

Explore the Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool today!

Updates from the DPI School Nutrition Team

Investing in America Toolkit and American Rescue Plan Act Funding for the Equipment Assistance Grants

On October 11, 2022, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) released an additional $50 million in Equipment Assistance Grant funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This additional funding allowed the DPI Equipment Grant Team to award more SFAs and increase the maximum award amount in FY 2022. Grant awardees from the FY 2022 NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant are encouraged to reference this New Toolkit for guidelines on using the Investing in America logo at schools benefiting from this additional funding. This is not a requirement.