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. 

 

Read more in SNA’s press release. 

 

View the complete list of USDA’s Child Nutrition COVID-19 waivers.