BULLETIN NO. 032-15 CNS

Page 5

August 31, 2015

August 31, 2015 (X) Action Required (X) Informational

BULLETIN NO. 032-15 CHILD NUTRITION SERVICES

TO: Educational Service District Superintendents

School District Superintendents

School District Assistant Superintendents for Business and/or Business Managers

School Food Service Supervisors

Administrators of Private Schools

Administrators of Residential Child Care Institutions

Child and Adult Care Food Program Institutions

FROM: Randy I. Dorn, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

RE: Child Nutrition Programs Federal and State Reimbursement Rates and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Distribution Rate for July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016

CONTACTS: Colleen McGuire, 360-725-6211

Jeff Booth, 360-725-6217

Agency TTY: 360-664-3631

Reimbursement rates for Child Nutrition Programs are set by the federal government and are updated yearly based on the Consumer Price Index. This bulletin provides information on the reimbursement rates for meals served in Child Nutrition Programs for July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016.

SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMS

School Breakfast Program (SBP) and National School Lunch Programs (NSLP)

The reimbursement rates for meals served in the SBP and NSLP are:

Free / Reduced-Price / Paid
Breakfast / $1.66 / $1.36 / $0.29
Severe Need Breakfast / $1.99 / $1.69 / $0.29
Lunch / $3.07 / $2.67 / $0.29
Lunch (economically needy) / $3.09 / $2.69 / $0.31
Snack / $0.84 / $0.42 / $0.07

Severe Need Breakfast Rate

There are two different payment levels for breakfasts served under the SBP. The severe need rate is provided to schools with a high participation rate of students qualifying for free and reduced price meals.Eligibility is determined at the school/site level, not the Local Education Agency (LEA) level. To qualify for severe need breakfast rates, the school/site must have served at least 40 percent of their lunch meals to free and reduced-price students in the second preceding year. The site application in the Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS) will collect this data and automatically apply the severe need breakfast rate as applicable.

Lunch Rate for Economically Needy

There are two different payment rates for lunches served under the NSLP. The lower payment rate applies to lunches served by LEAs in which less than 60 percent of the total lunches served to students during the second preceding school year were served to free or reduced-price eligible students.

The higher payment rate applies to lunches served by LEAs in which 60 percent or more of the total lunches served during the second preceding school year were served to free or reduced-price eligible students.

The applicable rate is automatically calculated and applied in WINS.

Performance-Based Reimbursement

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) provides an additional 6 cents per lunch reimbursement to LEAs certified to be in compliance with meal pattern requirements.

Maximum Price for Reduced-Price Meals

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets maximum prices that may be charged for reduced-price meals. LEAs have the discretion to charge less than these amounts.

Breakfast $0.30

Lunch $0.40

Snack $0.15

State Reimbursement Rates for Public Schools

Washington State legislation provides funding for additional reimbursement for reduced price meals in public schools. This funding provides reimbursement to cover the cost of the breakfast co-pay ($0.30) for students eligible for reduced-price breakfast at all grade levels and reimbursement to cover the cost of the lunch co-pay ($0.40) for students eligible for reduced-price lunch, kindergarten through third grade (K–3). Though co-payments are reimbursed by the state agency in these instances, all reduced-price breakfasts and lunches must continue to be reported and claimed in the reduced-price category.

Food Distribution - NSLP

LEAs participating in NSLP are eligible for USDA Foods entitlement based on the total lunches served from the previous school year. The 2015–16 planned assistance level is $0.2375 for each reimbursable student lunch served.

SPECIAL MILK PROGRAM

LEAs that do not participate in the NSLP and/or SBP, are eligible to participate in the Special Milk Program. Milk served to eligible students at no cost is reimbursed at the average cost per half-pint of milk. Paid milk served to non-needy students is reimbursed at $0.2000 per half-pint.

CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM (CACFP)

Child and Adult Care Centers

The reimbursement rates for meals served in CACFP centers are:

Free / Reduced-Price / Paid (Above-Scale)
Breakfast / $1.66 / $1.36 / $0.29
Lunch/Supper / $3.07 / $2.67 / $0.29
Supplements / $0.84 / $0.42 / $0.07

At-Risk Afterschool Meals

The reimbursement rates for At-Risk Afterschool Meals are $3.07 for lunch/supper and $.84 for snacks.

Food Distribution - CACFP

Sponsors of Child and Adult Care Centers and At-Risk Afterschool Meal programs receive $0.2375 as cash-in-lieu of USDA Foods for each lunch/supper served.

Family Day Care Homes

The reimbursement rates for meals served in family day care homes are:

For Providers: / For Administration:
Tier I / Tier II / Initial 50 day care homes / $111.00
Breakfast / $1.32 / $0.48 / Next 150 day care homes / $ 85.00
Lunch/Supper / $2.48 / $1.50 / Next 800 day care homes / $ 66.00
Snack / $0.74 / $0.20 / Additional day care homes / $ 58.00

For questions related to reimbursement rates, please contact Jeff Booth, Fiscal Analyst Supervisor at (360) 725-6217 or by email at .

This bulletin is also available at www.k12.wa.us/bulletinsmemos on the agency website.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

JoLynn Berge

Chief Financial Officer

CHILD NUTRITION SERVICES

Donna Parsons, MS, RD, SNS

Director

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at .

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.