Provisions 1, 2, & 3 Fact Sheet
SPECIAL
ASSISTANCE ALTERNATIVES
In an effort to reduce paperwork at the local level, Congress has
incorporated into Section 11(a)(1) of the National School Lunch Act three alternative
provisions to the normal requirements for annual determinations of eligibility for free
and reduced price school meals and daily meal counts by type (free, reduced price and paid
meals) at the point of service.
PROVISION 1
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In schools where at least 80 percent of the children enrolled are eligible for free or
reduced price meals, annual notification of program availability and certification of
children eligible for free meals may be reduced to once every 2 consecutive school
years. All other households must be provided a meal application and are allowed to apply
for meal benefits each school year. There is no requirement to serve meals at no charge to
all students.
PROVISION 2
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Schools must serve meals to all participating children at no charge for a period of 4
years. During the first year, or base year, the school makes eligibility determinations
and takes meal counts by type. During the next 3 years, the school makes no new
eligibility determinations and counts only the total number of reimbursable meals served
each day. Reimbursement during these years is determined by applying the percentages of
free, reduced price and paid meals served during the corresponding month of the base year
to the total meal count for the claiming month. The base year is included as part of the 4
years.
PROVISION 3
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This Provision reduces application burdens and meal counting and claiming procedures. It
allows schools to simply receive the same level of Federal cash and commodity assistance
each year, with some adjustments, for a 4 year period.
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Schools must serve meals to all participating children at no charge for a period of 4
years. These schools do not make additional eligibility determinations. Instead, they
receive the level of Federal cash and commodity support paid to them for the last year in
which they made eligibility determinations and meal counts by type, this is the base year.
For each of the 4 years, the level of Federal cash and commodity support is adjusted to
reflect changes in enrollment and inflation. The base year is not included as part of the
4 years.
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