PCSS School Nutrition Program Operational Changes for 2022-23 School Year

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provided waivers to allow all children to eat at no cost through the USDA Seamless Summer Option (SSO) program. Since April 2020, children throughout the United States have been able to eat meals at school at no cost to them. However, USDA no longer has the authority to grant such waivers, and, as such, school meal service will operate as it did prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020.

Operational Changes Beginning School Year 2022-23

●      Meals shall no longer be provided at no cost to all students. Students may receive meals at no cost if they are enrolled in Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), directly certified (i.e. food stamps, foster care, TANF, etc.), or qualify through a meal benefits application.

●      Additionally, meal benefits applications may be used for other funding sources in your district. Benefits of completed income applications include:

▪ increased funding to support student education, technology, and internet access

▪ discounts for fees associated with the college application process

▪ scholarship opportunities and discounted fees for SAT, ACT and AP tests

●      Students must be enrolled in a school to receive school meals. Students attending virtual academies are not eligible to participate in either of the federal school meal programs.

●      Meals shall only be provided and served on days when school is in session.