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
colleen.mcguire@k12.wa.us
jeff.booth@k12.wa.us
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.
BULLETIN NO. 032-15 CNS
Page 2
August 31, 2015
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:
Breakfast
Severe Need Breakfast
Lunch
Lunch (economically needy)
Snack
Free
$1.66
$1.99
$3.07
$3.09
$0.84
Reduced-Price
$1.36
$1.69
$2.67
$2.69
$0.42
Paid
$0.29
$0.29
$0.29
$0.31
$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.
BULLETIN NO. 032-15 CNS
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August 31, 2015
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 copayments 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.
BULLETIN NO. 032-15 CNS
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August 31, 2015
CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM (CACFP)
Child and Adult Care Centers
The reimbursement rates for meals served in CACFP centers are:
Breakfast
Lunch/Supper
Supplements
Free
Reduced-Price
Paid (Above-Scale)
$1.66
$3.07
$0.84
$1.36
$2.67
$0.42
$0.29
$0.29
$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:
Tier I
Breakfast
$1.32
Lunch/Supper
$2.48
Snack
$0.74
Tier II
$0.48
$1.50
$0.20
For Administration:
Initial 50 day care homes
Next 150 day care homes
Next 800 day care homes
Additional day care homes
$111.00
$ 85.00
$ 66.00
$ 58.00
For questions related to reimbursement rates, please contact Jeff Booth, Fiscal Analyst
Supervisor at (360) 725-6217 or by email at jeff.booth@k12.wa.us.
This bulletin is also available at www.k12.wa.us/bulletinsmemos on the agency website.
BULLETIN NO. 032-15 CNS
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August 31, 2015
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
JoLynn Berge
Chief Financial Officer
CHILD NUTRITION SERVICES
Donna Parsons, MS, RD, SNS
Director
RD:sh
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 program.intake@usda.gov.
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.