Child Nutrition Program Operations during the COVID-19 Pandemic, July 2021 through September 2022. School Meals Operations Study, Year 3 Report (Final)

Abstract

This report summarizes findings from the School Meals Operations Study (SMO), part of an ongoing series to assess school meal operations on a school year (SY) basis. This volume of the study covers July 2021 through the end of September 2022 and includes SY 2021-2022. When the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-127) allowed the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) to establish nationwide waivers for the Child Nutrition Programs to provide meals and take appropriate safety measures. FNS used SMO to gather information about Child Nutrition Program operations as well as statutorily required information on the COVID-19 Child Nutrition nationwide waivers. Prior reports for this study series summarize findings for March through September 2020 and July 2020 through December 2021. The waivers discussed in this report include those that were newly authorized for use during SY 2021-2022 as well as the waiver extensions authorized for use during this time. The waivers that were active in 2022 were set to expire on June 30. However, on June 24, 2022, Congress passed the Keep Kids Fed Act, which extended certain flexibilities and provided other supports as State agencies and local program operators transitioned to meal service without most of the waivers that had been in place for the past three years. A key provision in the bill extended nationwide flexibilities to summer meal programs through September 2022, allowing sites to continue serving meals in all areas, at no cost to families. This report summarizes findings related to meal service methods in SY 2021-2022, summer 2022, and fall 2022, Child Nutrition Program participation and meals served, use of the waivers and how they improved services to children, and meal service challenges.