COVID-19 Nationwide Waivers Extended for 2021-2022 School Year
April 20, 2021
Today, Tuesday, April 20, the Biden Administration
announced the extension of several COVID-19 waivers to ensure students can continue to safely receive free school meals through the 2021-22 School Year. SNA members had
called for waiver extensions
to provide safe, equal access to healthy school meals and address continued pandemic meal service challenges.
According to the
USDA memo summarizing the waivers, all schools in States that opt-in are permitted to serve and claim meals through the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) through the 2021-22 School Year. The waivers also allow schools to continue receiving the higher per-meal reimbursement rate offered under the Summer Food Service Program. Further, USDA is issuing a nationwide waiver to allow schools to utilize specific meal pattern flexibilities.