Food and Nutrition Programs

National School Nutrition Programs Reimbursement Rates for Fiscal Year 2015

To:	Superintendents of Public Schools, Administrators of Private Schools, Residential Child Care Institutions and School Nutrition Directors
From:	Kathleen C. Millett, Executive Director Office for Nutrition, Health and Safety Programs
Date:	July 28, 2014

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the reimbursement rates for School Food Service Programs effective July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015. Federal reimbursement for free and reduced price lunches has increased. The state share is based on a state matching funds formula established at the federal level. The USDA Foods assistance level is at $0.2475 per lunch served for 2013-2014.

Reimbursement Rates
National School Lunch	State Share	Federal Share	Total
Paid Lunch	$ .0575+	$ .28	$ .3375
Reduced Price Lunch	$ .0575+	$ .28 + 2.30	$ 2.6375
Free Lunch	$ .0575+	$ .28 + 2.70	$ 3.0375

Additional Six Cents Reimbursement Rate
Federal Share	Total
$ .06	$ 0.3975
$ .06	$ 2.6975
$ .06	$ 3.0975

Severe Need Lunch - School systems in which 60% or more of the lunches served in 2012-2013 were free or reduced price will receive an additional 2 cents per lunch for all reimbursable lunches. The maximum charge for a reduced price lunch is 40 cents. Six Cent Certification - School Food Authorities that meet the new requirements outlined in the final rule for Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch Program and approved will receive an additional six cents for each reimbursable lunch.

School Breakfast	Federal Non- Severe Reimbursement	Federal Severe Need Reimbursement
Paid Breakfast	$ .28	$ .28
Reduced Price Breakfast	$ 1.32	$ 1.63
Free Breakfast	$ 1.62	$ 1.93

School Breakfast Program - The maximum charge for a reduced price breakfast is 30 cents. A "severe need breakfast school" is one in which 40% of lunches served in 2012-2013 were free or reduced price lunch meals. As a result of the reauthorization of Child Nutrition Programs (Public Law 108-265), severe need breakfast schools do not need to submit cost documentation to receive the federal severe need breakfast reimbursement. Schools required to offer breakfast under state law will be eligible for up to $0.0975 for breakfast costs that exceed Federal Severe Need Reimbursement. These state-mandated schools must provide documentation of costs to receive this additional state reimbursement. Special Milk reimbursement is $0.23 per half pint. Special milk recipients may not participate in other child nutrition programs. Pricing programs with the free milk option receive the average cost per pint for eligible students. After School Snack Reimbursement (All "At Risk" snacks are reimbursed at the Free Rate of $0.82). Maximum charge for a reduced price snack is 15 cents.

Paid Snack	$ 0.07
Reduced Price Snack	$ 0.41
Free Snack	$ 0.82

Meal Pricing Guidelines - In general, the pricing of paid student meals should not exceed the actual cost of preparing the meals less the federal and state reimbursement rounded off to the next highest multiple of 5 cents. Adult meal charges must be priced to at least cover the actual cost of preparing and serving the meal. In addition, adults must be charged the state meals tax. Equity in Meal Pricing - An annual review of paid meal prices must be conducted and reported to be in compliance with the equity in meal pricing provision of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-296).

Last Updated: August 8, 2014