School Meals
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) are federally funded programs that provided meal reimbursement to public and nonpublic schools and Residential Child Care Institutions.* These Programs provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or no-cost lunches and breakfasts to children each school day. The funds provided for these Programs are from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and are administered in Iowa through the Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services in the Department of Education.
*Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCI) - Includes, but is not limited to: homes for the mentally, emotionally or physically impaired, and unmarried mothers and their infants; group homes; halfway houses; orphanages; temporary shelters for abused children and for runaway children; long-term care facilities for chronically ill children; and juvenile detention centers. A long-term care facility is a hospital, skilled nursing facility, intermediate care facility, or distinct part thereof, which is intended for the care of children confined for 30 days or more.
Iowa School Nutrition Fact Sheet - provides an overview of School Nutrition Programs in Iowa including the benefits, how to build a reimbursable lunch, participation data, and reimbursement information.
Assigned Consultants - Consultant assignments for Child Nutrition Programs in schools:
Public Notice: National School Lunch Program Administrative Review Cycle Waiver Request
The Iowa Department of Education, Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services submitted a waiver request to USDA Food and Nutrition Service to extend the Administrative Review cycle from the current 3-year cycle to a 5-year cycle. A 5-year cycle will allow the Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services to provide additional technical assistance and reduce the administrative burden for local public school districts, nonpublic schools and Residential Child Care Institutions participating in the National School Lunch Program. For more information contact Kala Shipley, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services at kala.shipley@iowa.gov.
Iowa Waiver Request 3 Year Administrative Review
Iowa CNP - web-based program for school meal applications and claims.
Student Meal Debt - In 2018, the Iowa Legislature passed and the Governor signed into legislation HF2467 addressing student meal debt. The following documents provide guidance and answers pertaining to the legislation:
- HF2467 Student Lunch Debt Guidance
- HF2467 Q & A Revised 2018
- Meal Charge Policy School Food Authorities are required to have a policy implemented by July 1, 2017 which describes how students without funds in an account and no cash to purchase a meal will be impacted. This document provides a multitude of suggestions and important points to consider in developing a policy.