Our Mission

Kansas school sponsors that participate in the lunch program receive reimbursement from USDA for each meal served to eligible students. In return, they must serve lunches that meet federal requirements, and offer reduced price and free lunches to eligible students.

To meet USDA nutrition requirements, local sponsors choose the menus and use Nutrition Standards for School Meals, a food-based preparation method. Regulations establish a standard for school lunches to provide one-third (1/3) of the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, and calories.

For more information about menu planning, refer to Food Service Facts, Chapter 16.

Any student enrolled in a participating school and in the building at the time of lunch service, may purchase a meal through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Students from households with incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for free lunches. Those between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced price lunches, for which students can be charged no more than 40 cents. Students from households with incomes over 185 percent of the poverty level pay full price, though their lunches are still subsidized with federal and state funds. Local sponsors set their own prices for full price lunches. View current reimbursement rates. 

Public schools and non-profit private schools of high school grade or under are eligible to participate in the NSLP. Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs) are also eligible. In Kansas nearly 1,700 schools and RCCIs participate in the NSLP.

Over 63,000 children in more than 1,400 Kansas schools start each school day with a nutritious school breakfast. The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a federal program that provides states with cash assistance for non-profit breakfast programs in schools and RCCIs. Participating schools and institutions must serve breakfasts that meet federal nutrition standards and must provide reduced price and free breakfasts to eligible children. The same Income Eligibility Guidelines apply for the SBP as were described in the previous section for the National School Lunch Program. Schools that serve a high percentage of lunches to students eligible for reduced price or free meals may be eligible for higher reimbursements through the Severe Need Breakfast reimbursement option. View current reimbursement rates. Refer to Food Service Facts, Chapter 25 for additional information.

Public schools in Kansas are required to offer the SBP in each public school building under the jurisdiction of the school district's board of education. Kansas law allows public school sponsors to apply for SBP waivers for individual attendance centers, if the attendance center has 35% or less of its enrolled students eligible for reduced price or free meals during March of the preceding year. The KSDE appoints a committee to evaluate the waiver applications, determine the validity of the reason(s) for which a waiver is requested, and recommend to the Kansas State Board of Education (KSBE) whether to grant or deny the waiver request. The KSBE evaluates the committee's recommendations and makes the final decision to approve or deny the request.

Teachers have reported students are more alert and perform better in class if they eat breakfast. Studies support that conclusion. Recognizing the importance of a nutritious breakfast, USDA has actively promoted the SBP, and at the same time has made a commitment to improve the nutritional quality of all school meals. Regulations require that all school breakfasts meet the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In addition, breakfasts must provide one-fourth (1/4) of the daily recommended levels for protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C and calories.

For more information about the School Breakfast Program, refer to Food Service Facts, Chapter 25.

The Afterschool Snack Program (ASP) was first implemented in 1999 as a result of the 1998 reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. This program provides funds for the service of nutritious snacks for children enrolled in eligible after school care programs. To qualify for the reimbursement, the snacks must meet nutritional standards and must be served to students enrolled in after school programs that include an education or enrichment component. View current reimbursement rates. For more information, refer to Food Service Facts, Chapter 26.

The Special Milk Program (SMP) provides milk to children attending schools and childcare institutions who do not have the opportunity to participate in other federal Child Nutrition Programs. The program reimburses schools for the milk they serve. The SMP is also available to children who attend “split session” classes (half day) and do not have breakfast or lunch offered to them. For more information, refer to Food Service Facts, Chapter 28.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) became a permanent program as a result of The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill). The FFVP provides all children in participating schools with a variety of free fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the school day. It is an effective and creative way of introducing fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snack options. The FFVP also encourages schools to develop partnerships at the State and local level for support in implementing and operating the program.

The goal of the FFVP is to create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices, expand the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience, increase children's fruit and vegetable consumption, and make a difference in children's diets to impact their present and future health. Grantee schools receive reimbursement for the cost of making free fresh fruits and vegetables available to students during the school day. These fresh fruits and vegetables must be provided separately from the lunch or breakfast meal, in one or more areas of the school during the official school day.

For further information, refer to Food Service Facts, Chapter 17.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program that provides reimbursement for healthful meals and snacks served to children and adults.  Because CACFP participants’ nutritional needs are supported on a daily basis, the program plays a vital role in improving the quality of day care and making it more affordable for families.

CACFP facilities follow the meal patterns established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

• Breakfast requires a serving of milk, fruit or vegetable and bread or grain product.
• Lunch and dinner consist of milk, bread or grain product, meat or meat alternate, and two different servings of fruits and/or vegetables.
• Snacks include servings from two or the four components: milk, fruits or vegetables, bread or grain product, or meat or meat alternate.

• Children age 12 and under
• Migrant children age 15 and younger
• Youths through age 18 in the Area Eligible Snack Program and in emergency shelters
• Functionally impaired children through age 18 in child care centers or day care homes.
• Functionally impaired adult participants or adults age 60 and older enrolled in an adult day care center

• Child care centers serving meals and snacks to children who are enrolled for care
• Head Start Programs serving meals and snacks to enrolled children
• After school care sites providing programming and snacks for low-income school age children and youth.
• Emergency shelters providing temporary residence and food service to children
• Adult day care centers providing structured, comprehensive services to nonresident adults who are functionally impaired and/or 60 years of age or older
• Licensed or registered family or group day care homes participating under a KSDE-approved sponsoring organization.  The 20 sponsoring organizations in Kansas play a critical role in supporting home child care providers through training, technical assistance and monitoring.

To be eligible to participate in the CACFP a center must:

• Be a public entity, or
• Have tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or
• Meet the requirements for a for-profit center.  For-profit child care centers are eligible if 25% or more of enrolled participants or 25% of the licensed capacity are receiving child care subsidies or are low-income children.  For-profit adult day care centers are eligible if the center meets the 25% rule with Medicaid beneficiaries.

In addition, a child care center must be licensed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).  An adult care center must be licensed appropriately for the care of non-residential adults.  Emergency shelters and domestic violence shelters must have health and safety inspection certificates.

To be eligible to participate in the CACFP, a day care home must be licensed by KDHE and sign a provider agreement with a sponsoring organization.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture bases CACFP reimbursement on the type of meal and the income level of participants.  The meal types are breakfast, lunch/dinner and snacks. Centers have three income categories:  free, reduced price and paid.  Family day care homes have two income categories:  Tier 1 and Tier 2.  Facilities earn reimbursement for eligible meals and snacks served to enrolled participants.  View current reimbursement rates. 

CACFP partially reimburses participating centers for serving nutritious meals.  The program is administered at the federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Child Nutrition & Wellness at the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) administers the CACFP in Kansas.  Child Nutrition & Wellness approves independent centers and sponsoring organizations to operate the program at the local level.  KSDE also monitors the program and provides training and assistance to ensure successful participation in the CACFP.

Please contact Child Nutrition & Wellness at 785-296-2276. 

Just as learning does not end when school lets out, neither does the need for good nutrition.  The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free, nutritious meals and snacks to help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow, throughout the summer months when they are out of school.

The Food and Nutrition Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, administers SFSP at the Federal level.  State education agencies administer the program in most States. In some areas, the State health or social service department or an FNS regional office may be designated.

Locally, SFSP is run by approved sponsors, including school districts, local government agencies, camps, or private nonprofit organizations.   Sponsors provide free meals to a group of children at a central site, such as a school or a community center.  They receive payments from USDA, through their State agencies, for the meals they serve to children at eligible sites.

Schools, public agencies, and private nonprofit organizations may apply to become a sponsor and receive reimbursement for food service to enhance their education or recreation program. Applications are due May 1 of each year. Click this link for additional information for new sponsors.

States approve SFSP meal sites as open, enrolled, or camp sites.   Open sites operate in low-income areas where at least half of the children come from families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the Federal poverty level, making them eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. Meals are served free to any child at the open site.  Enrolled sites provide free meals to children enrolled in an activity program at the site where at least half of them are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.  Camps may also participate in SFSP.  They receive payments only for the meals served to children who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.

Children 18 and younger may receive free meals and snacks through SFSP.  Meals and snacks are also available to persons with disabilities, over age 18, who participate in school programs for people who are mentally or physically disabled.

At most sites, children receive either one or two reimbursable meals each day.  Camps and sites that primarily serve migrant children may be approved to serve up to three meals to each child, each day.

View current reimbursement rates