Current Waivers:
Summer Meals Operations During the 2020- 2021 School Year
Allows the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO) to continue to operate through the 2020-2021 school year
Programs: Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO)
EXPIRES: June 30, 2022
Non-Congregate Feeding
Allows meals to be provided outside of a congregate feeding setting. Meals can be distributed at a site where families pick up the meals, as well as be delivered to children’s homes. USDA has provided additional guidance on meal delivery.
Programs: School Breakfast Program (SBP), National School Lunch Program (NSLP), SFSP, and Child Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option (SSO)
SFSP/ SSO EXPIRES: September 30, 2021
NSLP, SBP, CACFP EXPIRES: June 30, 2022
Meal Service Times
Provides flexibility to the meal service time requirements by allowing meals to be served outside of the standard meal times.
Programs: SBP, NSLP, SFSP, SSO, CACFP
SFSP/ SSO EXPIRES: September 30, 2021
NSLP, SBP, CACFP EXPIRES: June 30, 2022
Parents and Guardians to Pick Up Meals for Children
Allows a parent or guardian to pick up meals to take home to children. State agencies are required to create a plan that ensures accountability and program integrity.
Programs: SBP, NSLP, SFSP, SSO, CACFP
SFSP/ SSO EXPIRES: September 30, 2021
NSLP, SBP, CACFP EXPIRES: June 30, 2022
Meal Pattern Flexibility in the Child Nutrition Programs
Waives the requirements to serve meals that meet the meal pattern requirements. While the waiver is available to all states, program sponsors must submit requests to their State agency for approval that demonstrate disruptions to the availability of food products
Programs: SBP, NSLP, SFSP, CACFP
SFSP/ SSO EXPIRES: September 30, 2021
NSLP, SBP, CACFP EXPIRES: June 30, 2022
Summer Food Service Program Area Eligibility
Allows states to waive the requirement in the summer meals programs that "open site" meal service is limited to areas with at least half of the children in the area are low-income households.
Programs: SFSP, SSO
EXPIRES: September 30, 2021
CACFP At-Risk Afterschool Meal Program Area Eligibility
Allows schools and afterschool care centers, regardless of their location, to service at-risk afterschool meals and snacks to students.
Program: CACFP
EXPIRES: June 30, 2022
Monitoring Requirements for School Food Authorities and State Agencies in the School Meals Programs
Waives for all school food authorities (SFAs) and State agencies the requirement that monitoring must be conducted on-site. SFAs and State agencies should continue monitoring activities remotely.
Programs: SBP, NSLP, SSO
EXPIRES: June 30, 2021
Monitoring Requirements for Sponsors and State Agencies in SFSP
Waives for all sponsors and State agencies the requirement that SFSP monitoring be conducted on-site. This includes new sponsor, annual, and pre-approval reviews. Sponsors and State agencies should continue monitoring activities remotely.
Program: SFSP
EXPIRES: September 30, 2021
Monitoring Requirements for Sponsors and State Agencies in CACFP
Reduces the number of site reviews CACFP sponsors must conduct from three to two; reduces the number of unannounced site reviews from three to one; waives the requirement that at least one site review must be conducted during meal service; and waives the requirement that no more than six months passes between site reviews. Waives the requirement for State agencies that CACFP monitoring be conducted on-site. Sponsors and State agencies should continue monitoring activities remotely.
Program: CACFP
EXPIRES: September 30, 2021
Eligibility for Closed Enrolled Sites
Waives the requirement that closed enrolled sites collect income eligibility applications to determine eligibility.
Programs: SFSP, SSO
EXPIRES: September 30, 2021
First Week Site Visits in SFSP
Waives the requirement that SFSP sponsors visit each of their sites at least once during the first week of operation.
Program: SFSP
EXPIRES: September 30, 2021
Offer Versus Serve (OVS) in SFSP
Waives the requirement that the OVS option be limited to SFAs.
Program: SFSP
EXPIRES: September 30, 2021
Reimbursement for Meals Served Prior to Notification of Approval and Provide Flexibility for Pre-Approval Visits in SFSP
Waives the requirement that reimbursement cannot be provided for meals served before the sponsor has received written notification that the site has been approved for participation. Waives the requirement that state agencies conduct pre-approval SFSP sponsors and sites.
Programs: SFSP, SSO
EXPIRES: June 30, 2021
Food Service Management Contract Duration for NSLP and SFSP
Allows SFA and SFSP sponsors to extend existing food service management company contracts through June 30, 2021.
Programs: NSLP, SBP, SSO, SFSP
EXPIRES: June 30, 2021
Local School Wellness Policy Triennial Assessments
Waives the requirement that school districts conduct an assessment of local school wellness policy by June 30, 2020; pushes deadline to June 30, 2021.
Programs: NSLP, SBP
EXPIRES: June 30, 2021