Afterschool Care Programs--
Reimbursement for Snacks
The Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 1998 includes
a provision authorizing the reimbursement of snacks provided as part of
an afterschool child care program for agencies eligible to participate
in NSLP. Some additional details regarding program requirements
are listed below.
What are the eligibility requirements?
The afterschool care programs must be administered by a
Sponsor that operates NSLP in at least one of its schools.
The school does not have to use the school's personnel or regular school
facilities, but the school must retain final administrative and management
responsibility for the program.
The Sponsor must be the party that enters into the agreement with the
State Agency and must assume full responsibility for meeting all program
requirements.
Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCI) may participate in the Afterschool Snack Program if all other program requirements are met.
The purpose of the program must be to provide care in afterschool settings
Programs that are operated within the school building are exempt from
any childcare licensing requirements. However, if the program will
be operated in a different building or location the Sponsor must contact
their county childcare licensor to determine if additional licensing is
required.
Programs must be organized to provide children with regularly scheduled
activities in a setting that is structured and supervised.
Formal enrollment procedures are not required, but a means of determining
that children are present on a given day, such as a roster or sign-in
sheet must be used.
Eligible programs must include education or enrichment activities in organized,
structured, and supervised environments.
Extracurricular activities such as school choir, debate team, drama society,
et al. can qualify to participate under this provision only if
their basic purpose is to provide afterschool care.
Under no circumstances can organized athletic programs engaged in interscholastic
sports be approved as afterschool care programs under this provision.
Programs, which include supervised athletic activity along with education
or enrichment activity may participate.
How to Get Started
- Plan snack menus
- Call Linda at 1-888-338-3663
- Update your your School Nutrition Program Sponsor and
site(s) applications
- File claims for reimbursement
What level of reimbursement will we receive?
Schools may claim reimbursement for one snack, per child,
per day.
Children are eligible to participate through age 18. If a child
turns 19 during the school year, reimbursement may be claimed for the
entire school year.
Sites located in areas served by a school in which at least 50% of the
enrolled children are certified eligible for free or reduced price meals
are eligible to receive reimbursement at the free rate for snacks served
to all children.
Other sites must count meals and claim reimbursement by type (free, reduced
price, and paid), and must have documentation of eligibility for all meals
served free or at a reduced price.
The charge for a reduced price snack may not exceed 15 cents.
Students may not be charged for snacks that are claimed for free reimbursement.
The current rates of reimbursement are:
$.05 (paid)
$.30 (reduced price)
$.61 (free)
Are there restrictions on the times of operation?
The programs must provide care for children after their
school day has ended.
There is no reimbursement for snacks served before or during
the school day.
There is no reimbursement for snacks served on weekends
or holidays, including vacation periods.
What do I have to serve for a snack?
The snack must contain two of the four food components in
the quantities listed below:
Milk-1 cup
Meat/meat alternate-1 ounce
100% Juice or fruit or vegetable-3/4 cup
Grains/breads-1 slice bread or 3/4c dry cereal
See also: Sample Snack Menus
What records do I have to keep?
The sponsor participating under this provision must maintain
the following records:
- If all meals are claimed free, documentation that the
site is located in an area served by a school in which at least 50%
of the enrolled students are certified eligible for free or reduced
price meals.
- For all other sites, documentation of free and reduced
price eligibility for all children for who free and reduced price
snacks are claimed.
- Meal counts (total for sites qualifying for free reimbursement
for all children; meal counts by type for other sites).
- Documentation of compliance with meal pattern requirements.
- Documentation of compliance with monitoring requirements.
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