Introduction
The School Nutrition Programs is a federally assisted meal program operating in more than 97,700 public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions throughout the United States. Through this program, nutritionally balanced low-cost or free meals are served to more than 27 million children daily. The School Nutrition Programs consist of the following program types: National School Lunch, School Breakfast, Special Milk, Meal Supplements, and Summer Seamless Feeding Option. California's School Nutrition Programs is administered by the California Department of Education.
Once approved to participate in the School Nutrition Programs, each sponsor must submit a monthly Claim for Reimbursement to receive payment for meals served. Instructions and sample worksheets are provided in this publication to assist the claim preparer complete the claim form. If the claim preparer has questions related to claim completion or payments, he or she may contact the Child Nutrition Fiscal Services Unit, 916-322-8313.
For specific details related to allowable operating and administrative costs, program income, and meals, please refer to the School Nutrition Programs Guidance Manual or contact the field consultant for your sponsoring agency.
Claiming Types and Instructions
- National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Meal Supplements
- Special Milk Program
- Summer Seamless Feeding Option Program
Printable Forms
- School Nutrition Claim (DOC; 113KB; 1p.) (must be printed on Goldenrod paper)
- Seamless Summer Feeding Option Claim (DOC; 65KB; 1p.) (must be printed on Mint Green paper)
- Corrective Action Plan (DOC; 31KB; 1p.)
Worksheets
- School Nutrition Program Claim Checklist (DOC; 23KB; 2pp.)
- School Nutrition Program Calculation Worksheet (DOC; 24KB; 2pp.)
- Seamless Summer Feeding Option Program Calculation Worksheet (DOC; 32KB; 2pp.)
- Special Milk Program Calculation Worksheet (DOC; 36KB; 1p.)
- Monthly Worksheet for Calculating Reimbursable Milk Served for the Special Milk Program (DOC; 25KB; 1p.)
- Monthly Worksheet for
Calculating Percentage of Milk Served to Children for the Special
Milk Program
(DOC; 89KB; 1p.) - Nonexpendable Equipment Depreciation Schedule Worksheet (DOC; 45KB; 1p.)
- Summary Worksheet Food Service Cost Allocations sample and blank form (DOC; 86KB; 2pp.)
Policies and Procedures
- Late Claims
- Claim Submission Dates
- Address Change and Labels
- June Claim Only
- Printable School Nutrition Programs Reimbursement Instruction Booklet (DOC; 547KB; 56pp.)
Reimbursement Rates
- Reimbursement Rates for all claiming types can be found at the California Department of Education Web site.
- For further program information, please visit the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (Outside Source) Web site.
