National School Lunch Program

State of Ohio Budget Includes Reduced-Price Meal Funding

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce is thrilled to announce the State of Ohio FY24-FY25 biennial budget includes funding to cover the cost of providing no-cost breakfast and no-cost lunch to students qualifying for reduced-price meals. Starting in school year 2023-2024, the budget language requires public and chartered nonpublic schools that participate in the National School Breakfast or Lunch Program to provide a breakfast and lunch at no cost to each student eligible for a reduced-price breakfast or lunch. The state will then reimburse the schools 30 cents per reduced-price breakfast served and 40 cents per reduced-price lunch served. As of Oct. 3, 2023, the budget bill requires all participating schools to provide the no-cost meal to each student qualifying for reduced-price meals. Schools must continue to certify students for free or reduced meals and count and claim meals as free, reduced or paid.
For school year 2023-2024 only, the process for reimbursing schools is as follows. In October, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce sent an upfront reimbursement to schools based on 60% of total reduced-price breakfast and total reduced-price lunch meals served in school year 2022-2023. After all school year 2023-2024 claims are in, the Department will reconcile actual reduced breakfast meals and reduced lunch meals served and pay SFAs for the difference.
Note that schools on Community Eligibility Provision are not eligible for this reimbursement as they do not count and claim reduced-price meals. Schools on Provision 2 are eligible for the reduced-price meal reimbursement. 
Schools that are serving reduced-price meals must update all Claims Reimbursement and Reporting System (CRRS) site applications to reflect “reduced charge waived.” No applications should show 30 cents at breakfast and 40 cents at lunch collected from students qualifying for reduced price meals. If a School Food Authority collected reduced-price breakfast and lunch meal money from students after Oct. 3, the School Food Authority must refund this money to the households.


The following are forms, fact sheets, and links to federal regulations and policy memorandums from the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) that pertain to the administration of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

Information about the National School Lunch Program

Administering the Program

Application Materials

  • USDA Prototype Applications and sample instructional documents are available to assist state and local officials in the design and distribution of application materials on the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website and include the following documents:
    • Prototype Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals
    • Prototype Household Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals
    • Prototype Household Letters for State and Local Agencies
    • Web-Based Prototype Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals
  • Current NSLP application templates are available in the Claims Reimbursement and Reporting System (CRRS). Go to Applications, then Download Forms. Forms available in the CRRS include the Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application with Fee Waiver, Price Meal Application without Fee Waiver, and Special Milk Program Application. 
  • Translated Applications for limited English proficiency: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/translated-applications

Civil Rights

Claims Reimbursement and Reporting System (CRRS)

System used by schools and community agencies enrolled in USDA child nutrition programs through ODE to submit required data and apply for meal reimbursements.

Procurement

Procurement templates are available to child nutrition program sponsors in the Claims Reimbursement and Reporting System (CRRS). Go to Applications, then Download forms to access templates.
Preapproved Equipment List

Guidance, Handbooks, Regulations, and Policy Memorandums

For the most recent guidance and resources, handbooks, legislation, policy memos, press releases, and regulation updates on the National School Lunch Program, visit the USDA Food and Nutrition Service websites linked above.

Meal Pattern & Menu Planning

Provision 2 Resources

Prior approval from the Office of Nutrition is required for participation in Provision 2.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Non-Discrimination Statement

Last Modified: 11/1/2023 10:25:42 AM