The purpose of this communication is to notify all school food authorities (SFA) of the deadline to apply to participate in Provision 2 (P2) or to extend an expiring P2 cycle.
P2 is a federal claiming alternative that reduces paperwork and other administrative burdens at the local level by simplifying the traditional operating procedures for meal eligibility and meal counting. Complementing California’s Universal Meals Program, SFAs operating under P2 serve meals at no cost to all students, regardless of free or reduced-price (F/RP) eligibility. SFAs operating under P2 collect household meal applications only once every four years (unless approved for an extension). There is no minimum F/RP eligibility threshold to participate in P2.
During the first year of the P2 cycle, SFAs must complete all standard meal counting and claiming activities. These activities include establishing F/RP eligibility for students through household meal applications and direct certification, claiming meals by the appropriate free, reduced-price, and paid types, and completing the annual verification process. After the first year of the cycle, P2 offers schools a reduction in the administrative burdens associated with the determination of household eligibility for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program and tracking meal counts by eligibility type.
It is important to note that after the first year of the P2 cycle, SFAs are still expected to make individual F/RP eligibility determinations for the purpose of SUN Bucks through direct certification and the collection of Universal Benefits Applications (UBA). SUN Bucks benefits help families buy groceries during the summer months when students might not have access to school meals. For guidance on SUN Bucks and the UBA, please visit the California Department of Education (CDE) SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) – Nutrition web page.
For SFAs operating in a normal school schedule, the deadline to apply to participate in P2 is June 30 prior to the school year in which the SFA is requesting to either begin participation or to extend their current P2 cycle.
For SFAs operating in a year−round school schedule, the deadline to apply is June 1 prior to the school year in which the SFA is requesting to either begin participation or to extend their current P2 cycle.
Prior to the application deadline, SFAs applying to establish a new P2 cycle must submit the Policy Statement Addendum – Provision 2 Implementation – New Cycle (SNP-13), as well as watch the School Nutrition Programs (SNP) P2 Overview for SFAs training video. Form SNP-13 is located in the Download Forms section of the Child Nutrition Information and Payment Systems (CNIPS). The SNP P2 Overview for SFAs training video is accessible through the Nutrition Services Division (NSD) Learning Site. The NSD Learning Site is available to Child Nutrition Program operators, which includes directors, managers, and both full and part-time staff. SFAs must set up an account before taking the training course. After setting up an account, enter Provision 2 in the search field to be directed to the P2 training. For help setting up an account on the NSD Learning Site, please download the LMS 001 – LMS Account Set Up Job Aid located in the CNIPS Download Forms section. If you need assistance or have questions regarding registration, please email NSDLearning@cde.ca.gov.
Additional information regarding P2 is on the CDE P2 web page.
Prior to the application deadline, SFAs applying to extend their current P2 cycle must submit the Extension Request—Claiming Alternatives, Provision 2. The P2 Extension Request is in the CNIPS Download Forms section, Form ID SNP-15a and SNP-15b.
Contact Information
If you have any questions or need assistance regarding applying for P2, please contact your SNP County Specialist. A current list of SNP County Specialists is available on the SNP Specialist Directory web page. You may also email Provision2@cde.ca.gov.
If you need assistance or have questions regarding the NSD Learning Site, please email NSDLearning@cde.ca.gov.