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Latest News for School Nutrition Programs
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Published: 37 days ago
" On April 27, 2023, USDA released the newest PLE Tool. CEs required to complete PLE should use this tool to calculate their paid lunch price for SY 2023 – 2024. The tool is available under the Administration/Form tab of the National School Lunch Program page at https://squaremeals.org/Programs/National-School-Lunch-Program/Administration-Forms. "
Each year, CEs must evaluate their lunch pricing structure and determine if the cost and income from lunch meals are equitably distributed among free, reduced-price, and paid meals—Paid Lunch Equity (PLE). CEs that determine that their lunch pricing structure is not equitably distributed must take action to remedy the inequity—increase meal prices, provide additional funds from nonfederal sources, or a combination of both.
On April 27, 2023, USDA released the newest PLE Tool. CEs required to complete PLE should use this tool to calculate their paid lunch price for SY 2023 – 2024.
CEs or sites that have implemented a non-pricing policy that applies to all students are not required to complete PLE requirements—this includes the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), Provision 2 (P2), or other non-pricing, universal free feeding programs that provide reimbursable meals at no charge to all students.
Further, CEs with a positive or zero fund balance as of June 30, 2022, are not required to complete PLE requirements for SY 2023 – 2024 due to flexibility provided by Congress in the 2023 Appropriations Act.
The PLE Tool is available under the Administration/Form tab of the National School Lunch Program page at https://squaremeals.org/Programs/National-School-Lunch-Program/Administration-Forms.
For guidance on PLE requirements, see Section 19 of the Administrator’s Reference Manual (ARM) located at https://squaremeals.org/Programs/NationalSchoolLunchProgram/PolicyARM.aspx
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Assistance available in English and Spanish. Please call 877-TEX-MEAL (877-839-6325) for help. Additional translations services available as well.
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In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
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1. Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
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This institution is an equal opportunity provider. |
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