TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NOTE
No. 03-10
Contact:
FOOD AND NUTRITION MANAGEMENT
Bureau of School Business Services
Irene Wimbush
(800) 504-6609
Charlie Crist,
(850) 487-0020
Commissioner
DATE:
December 20, 2002
TO:
Sponsors of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs
FROM:
?
Milton T. Tankersley, Administrator
Food and Nutrition Management
SUBJECT:
?
Reimbursement of Meals Served to Children Placed in Schools Not
Participating in the National School Lunch Program
We are issuing this technical assistance note to address questions and answers provided by USDA
regarding the eligibility for reimbursement of meals served to children who are placed by a public school
district in special schools or institutions (hereafter termed "pupil placement"), which are either not eligible or
choose not to participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and/or the School Breakfast
Program (SBP).
Only those meals served to children in an eligible "school" that participates in
the NSLP and/or SBP may be reimbursed.
•
What are "eligible schools”?
An "eligible school" is defined as any public or nonprofit private school of high school grade or under, and
any public or licensed nonprofit private residential child care institution.
NSLP and SBP regulations found at 7CFR 210 and 220.2, respectively, require that public or nonprofit
private schools and institutions be recognized as part of the educational system in the State in order to be
"eligible schools" for program purposes. Private for–profit schools/institutions are not eligible to participate
in the NSLP/SBP.
What is "Pupil Placement"?
When a public school district is unable to provide needed services directly to children, it may contract with
a school to provide the needed educational services. For example, public school districts may place
children who are discipline problems in an alternative school, or place disabled children in a specialized
school, in order to better meet their needs.
TA Note: 03-10
December 20, 2002
Page 2
Under the terms of the pupil placement contract, the public school district pays the tuition to the school in
which the student is placed. Although these children may be considered to be "enrolled" in the district and
may be included in the district's State education funding formula, the children spend their entire day at the
placement school and are matriculated in that setting.
•
May meals served to children in pupil placement situations be claimed for reimbursement?
The key to whether the meals served to these children may be claimed for reimbursement depends on
whether the school at which the meal is served participates in the NSLP/SBP.
Meals may
not
be claimed for reimbursement by the placement school, the school district, or another
participating school (even if the district or another participating school provides the meal), if the meal is
served in:
*
Schools that are not eligible to participate in the NSLP/SBP, or
*
Schools that choose not to participate.
•
Are there special considerations for pupil placement for students with disabilities?
As previously mentioned, the key to whether the meals served to these children may be claimed for
reimbursement depends on whether the school at which the meal is served participates in the NSLP/SBP.
•
Are there any provisions that accommodate off-site consumption?
Schools that participate in the NSLP/SBP may claim meals for reimbursement for off-site consumption
when they meet the meal pattern and are served on supervised field trips and/or work-study programs.
If you have questions, please contact Irene Wimbush at 1-800-504-6609 or email
irene.wimbush@fldoe.org.
MTT/IW/set
