Important Dates for Schools

School Lunch Program School Year


School Year Calendar - Important Dates

July 1 – Start of New Program Year

July 1 – Direct Certification list for the new school year is available in the CNP system online.

July 15Annual Financial Statement for Non-public schools, Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs), and Government Agencies must be completed online in the CNP System.

July 15 – Sponsor/Site Program Applications updated in the online CNP system for school sponsors and RCCIs claiming reimbursement in July.

July-August – Sponsors distribute Free/Reduced Application Packet to households.

August 15 – Deadline for schools to update the Sponsor/Site Applications via the web-based reporting system for the upcoming school year.

August 31 – Direct Certification – Enter all students to NDE using one of four methods listed on the Direct Certification and Direct Verification Timelines. On the Direct Certification and Direct Verification page click on Calendar to view.

30th School Day – Last date free/reduced approvals from previous school year can be honored.

September – SFAs participating in the After School Snack Program must complete an On-Site Review at each site within the first 30 days of operation.  A second On-Site Review must be completed at each site before the end of the school year.

October – Sponsors considering a Food Service Management Company (FSMC) for the next school year must contact Nutrition Services.

October 1 – Date free/reduced applications must be counted for verification pool. Verification process begins. New option is Direct Verification (click here for more information).

October  11-15, 2021 – National School Lunch Week

October 15 – Deadline for recording the number of Health Inspections received by each feeding site the previous school year in the online CNP system.

October 31 – Direct Certification – Enter any new or transfer students to NDE using one of four methods listed on the Direct Certification and Direct Verification Timelines. On the Direct Certification and Direct Verification page click on Calendar to view.

November 1 – Fixed Price Food Service Management Company (FSMC) Request for Proposal (RFP) is available from NDE-Nutrition Services

November 15 – Verification must be completed and the online Verification Report entered in CNP.
Deadline for SFAs to request NDE’s RFP Packet if considering a FSMC for the next school year.  Civil Rights Summary (Attachment H-1) must be completed; keep on file at school

January 15 – Deadline for SFAs to submit the completed RFP Packet to NDE.  This only applies to SFAs planning to outsource operations to a Food Service Management Company.

February – April – Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) Tool must be completed by all SFAs that charge for student meals.

February 1 – Attachment I On-Site Reviews must be completed for each feeding site in districts with two or more feeding sites.

February 28 – Direct Certification – Enter any new or transfer students to NDE using one of four methods listed on the Direct Certification and Direct Verification Timelines. On the Direct Certification and Direct Verification page click on Calendar to view.

March 1 – Last date for the RFP notification in a newspaper with statewide distribution

March 8-12, 2021 – National School Breakfast Week  – School Breakfast: Score Big with Breakfast

April – May – Nutrition Services spring mailing which includes information for the next
school year – program changes, updated forms, training dates, etc.

April – May – FSMC Contract addendum due to Nutrition Services for approval.

May – 1st full week – School Nutrition Employee Appreciation Week

May – 2nd Wednesday – Nebraska School Food Service Employee Appreciation Day

May 15 – Deadline to receive SFA’s FSMC RFP/Contract for approval prior to execution

June – FSMC Contract addendum due to Nutrition Services for approval.

Summer 2021 – Nebraska School Nutrition Association Annual Conference (hybrid conference due to COVID-19)

July 11-13, 2021 – School Nutrition Association National Conference – Chicago, IL

Updated September 19, 2023 11:41am