Provision 2

This Provision reduces application burdens and simplifies meal counting and claiming procedures. It allows schools to establish claiming percentages and to serve all meals at no charge for a 4 year period. Schools must offer 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. At the end of each 4 year period, the state agency may approve 4 year extensions if the income level of the school’s population remains stable. Schools electing this alternative must pay the difference between Federal reimbursement and the cost of providing all meals at no charge. The money to pay for this difference must be from sources other than Federal funds.

In order to participate in Provision 2, the LEA MUST notify DESE PRIOR to their 1^st day of school.  DESE prefers BY August 1.  They must get the policy statement filled out and sent to DESE BY October 31.

• Provision 2 Guidance
• Provision 2 Public Release
• Approval-Denial Letter to Households
• Revised Policy Statement Provision 2 and 3 - New Base Year

Provision 3

Provision 3 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. 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. At the end of each 4 year period, the state agency may approve 4 year extensions if the income level of the school’s population remains stable. Schools electing this alternative must pay the difference between Federal reimbursement and the cost of providing all meals at no charge. The money to pay for this difference must be from sources other than Federal funds.

In order to participate in Provision 3, the LEA MUST notify DESE PRIOR to their 1^st day of school.  DESE prefers BY August 1.  They must get the policy statement filled out and sent to DESE BY October 31.