Public Notification – Child Nutrition Program Waiver Requests

Published on Wednesday, April 06, 2022

The Rhode Island Department of Education plans on submitting a waiver request for relief from certain requirements related to the use of Federal funds for schools wishing to offer universal free meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) for the 22-23 school year. Specifically, RIDE is requesting flexibility for SFAs to use existing surplus balances in their non-profit school lunch account funds to support the implementation of universal free meals under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), Provision 2, or via a non-pricing program for SY22-23 rather than being required to infuse non-Federal funds to support such a program.

 

If granted, these waivers will serve to enable RIDE to best support schools/districts in their efforts to provide on-going food access for children and youth in communities throughout the state, despite the COVID-19 health crisis. 

For more information on the program, call the Rhode Island Department of Education, Office of Statewide Efficiencies, Child Nutrition Programs at (401) 222-4269.