Paid Lunch Equity (PLE)

Lunch Pricing – School Food Service Account Revenue

Regulations at 7 CFR 210.14(e) require school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program to ensure sufficient funds are provided to the nonprofit school food service account for meals served to students not eligible for free or reduced price meals. There are two ways to meet this requirement: either through the prices charged for “paid” meals or through other non-Federal sources provided to the nonprofit school food service account. For SFAs in strong financial standing, FNS Memorandum SP 19-2015, Paid Lunch Equity: Guidance for School Years 2015-16 and 2016-2017, provides additional guidance for requesting an exemption to the Paid Lunch Equity requirement.

Below is the SY 2018-19 Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) Tool to assist SFAs as they make these required calculations.

• Paid Lunch Equity: School Year 2018-2019
  • SP12-2018s – Policy Memorandum
  • PLE Calculation Tool SY 18-19
  • PLE Exemption Procedure for SY 18-19
  • Instructions for completing the PLE Calculation Tool
    
• Paid Lunch Equity: School Year 2017-2018
  • SP11-2017s – Policy Memorandum
  • PLE Calculation Tool SY17-18

• Policy Memorandums
  • SP 19-2015 PLE Exemptions
  • USDA Memo SP 39-2011 – Q & A’s
  • SP 03-2015 PLE Calculations & Tool.pdf
  • SP 03-2015 – Revised.pdf
  • SP1-2014 PLE: SY 2014-15 Calculations Memorandum.pdf
  • SP 15-2014 PLE: SY 2014-15 Calculations & Tool Memonradum.pdf
  • SP 25-2013 Memorandum.pdf
  • SP19-2013 Paid Lunch Equity: School Year 2013-2014 Calculations.pdf
  • Equity in School Lunch Pricing Fact Sheet.pdf
• Cover Memorandum on Equity in School Lunch Pricing from Bev Benes, Director of Child Nutrition Services mailed to schools April 2, 2012.
• Interim Rule: National School Lunch Program: School Food Service Account Revenue Amendments Related to Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (6/13/11)
  • USDA Memo SP 22-2012 Paid Lunch Equity: School Year 2012-2013 Calculation Tool.pdf
  • USDA Memo SP 39-2011 Guidance on Paid Lunch Equity and Revenue from Non program Foods.pdf
• Presentations
  • School Year 2012-2013 Paid Lunch Equity Tool.pdf – presentation March 21, 2011