Since the passage of the Universal Free School Meals in the FY 2026 New York State budget, there has been a dizzying level of activity as schools who were previously not part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) geared up to join and take part in this historic program. Teach NYS is proud to have assisted several schools with the School Food Authority application and advised many others about the program.
With the July 31st deadline behind us, now is a time to reflect on some of the information that we have learned over the last few months. The New York State Education Department’s Child Nutrition Program is the authoritative resource for enrollment and compliance in NSLP, and we have been in close contact with multiple staff members in this office. They are knowledgeable, helpful, and accessible to help schools qualify for the program.
One topic that has come up repeatedly is how schools can recoup costs above for lunch, if their costs are beyond what the program reimburses. Many schools previously charged parents for lunch and have wondered if they can include some sort of charge to parents to help in the case of a program deficit. While this is a valid question, the answer is simple. Since the intent of the program is a universal free meal, there can be no charges assessed to parents connected to covering program costs of serving free lunch. Essentially, the intent of the program is that a school should create a model that will cover costs and, in the best-case scenario, be slightly profitable. Those profits must be utilized by the program for program activities and are often needed for any number of expenses that schools incur in participating.
Among other key topics that have presented themselves are prior training requirements which are particularly applicable to new food service directors and annual training requirements that apply to all staff. There are different hours of training required, depending on the job titles and whether the staff work full or part time. Local Health Department inspections have many pieces that schools need to be mindful of, and regulations often change. It is crucial to be on top of the inspections and permits that are required to operate a program.
NSLP is a reimbursement program, and a school needs to be mindful of their cash flow in their lunch account. The beginning of the program year can be tricky as a school will usually need to float at least one month of expenses before getting reimbursed.
As we have discussed in other articles and webinars, NSLP is a very detailed program with many areas of compliance that need to be understood well. The Child Nutrition Program staff are there to assist you in this work and help you adjust to the regulations as seamlessly as possible. They know that there is a steep learning curve and are available to help you negotiate it. Teach NYS will continue to be involved in this important program and look forward to being a resource for our schools moving forward into the new school year.