Overview

School Nutrition Programs webpage | CACFP webpage | SFSP webpage

All schools and institutions that participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Child Nutrition Programs must comply with the federal civil rights laws. This includes school nutrition programs and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

School Nutrition Programs Civil Rights   |   CACFP Civil Rights  |   SFSP Civil Rights

School Nutrition Programs Civil Rights Requirements

The USDA's school nutrition programs include the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Afterschool Snack Program (ASP), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), Special Milk Program (SMP), and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) of the NSLP.

• “And Justice for All” Civil Rights Poster (USDA Form AD-475A)
  To obtain copies of this poster, please contact the CSDE's school nutrition staff.
• Complaint Procedures: Civil Rights Complaint Procedures for the School Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
• CSDE Operational Memorandum No. 01-20:Civil Rights Complaint Procedures for School Child Nutrition Programs
• CSDE Operational Memorandum No. 02-20: Reminder Regarding Local Educational Agency (LEA) Responsibilities toward Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Households
• CSDE Operational Memorandum No. 07-20: Proper Use of the Nondiscrimination Statement and the “And Justice for All” Posters
• FNS Instruction 113-1: Civil Rights Compliance and Enforcement: Nutrition Programs and Activities (USDA) Required language for schools is on page 13
• Limited English Proficiency
  • Eligibility Manual for School Meals (USDA)
  • Language Access Training: How to Bridge language and Cultural Barries with FNS Support (USDA)
  • Limited English Proficiency (LEP) (USDA)
  • Taglines and Providing Meaningful Access to the Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
  • Sample Taglines Form (CSDE)
  • USDA Memo SP 37-2016: Meaningful Access for Persons with Limited English Proficiency in the School Meal Programs: Guidance and Q&As
• Presentation
  • Overview: Civil Rights: Your Responsibilities in the School Nutrition Programs (CSDE)  six slides per page
  • Presentation: Civil Rights: Your Responsibilities in the School Nutrition Programs PowerPoint Presentation (CSDE)
• Procedural Safeguards: Requirements for Procedural Safeguards for Meal Modifications in School Nutrition Programs

CACFP Civil Rights Requirements

CACFP sponsors and institutions include child care centers, family day care homes, emergency shelters, and adult day care centers.

• “And Justice for All” Civil Rights Poster (USDA Form AD-475A)
  To obtain copies of this poster, please contact the CSDE's CACFP Staff.
• Building for the Future (USDA) Applies only to child care institutions
• Complaint Procedures: Civil Rights Complaint Procedures for the CACFP (CSDE)
• Civil Rights Requirements for the CACFP (CSDE)
• FNS Instruction 113-1: Civil Rights Compliance and Enforcement: Nutrition Programs and Activities (USDA)
• Forms
  • Civil Rights Pre-award Survey for the CACFP (CSDE)  Applies only to new sponsors
  • Data Collection (visual observation is prohibited)
    • Civil Rights Potential Beneficiary Data Determination Form for the CACFP (CSDE)
      • Population by Race per Town Based on 2012 Public School Enrollment (CSDE)
    • CACFP Civil Rights Beneficiary Data Collection Form (CSDE)
    • USDA Memo CACFP 11-2021 and SFSP 07-2021: Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data by Visual Observation and Identification in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program – Policy Rescission Memorandum
    • USDA Memo CACFP 09-2022 and SFSP 05-2022: Questions and Answers Related to Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data by Visual Observation and Identification in CACFP and SFSP – Policy Rescission
    • USDA Memo CACFP 12-2024 and SFSP 16-2024: Questions and Answers Related to CACFP 11-2021, SFSP 07-2021 Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data by Visual Observation and Identification in the CACFP and SFSP – Policy Rescission – Set 2
• Limited English Proficiency
  • Language Access Training: How to Bridge language and Cultural Barries with FNS Support (USDA)
  • Limited English Proficiency (LEP) (USDA)
• Presentation
  • Overview: Civil Rights: Your Responsibilities in the CACFP (CSDE)  Six slides per page
  • Presentation: Civil Rights: Your Responsibilities in the CACFP (CSDE)

SFSP Civil Rights Requirements

• “And Justice for All” Civil Rights Poster (USDA Form AD-475A) 
  To obtain copies of this poster, please contact the CSDE's Summer Meals staff.
• Forms
  • Civil Rights Requirements for the SFSP (CSDE)
  • Civil Rights Pre-award Survey for the SFSP (CSDE)  Applies only to new sponsors
  • Participant Data Collection (visual observation is prohibited)
    • Sample Participant Data Collection Form
      • Albanian: Civil Rights Beneficiary Data Collection Form for the SFSP (CSDE)
      • Arabic: Civil Rights Beneficiary Data Collection Form for the SFSP (CSDE)
      • English: Civil Rights Beneficiary Data Collection Form for the SFSP (CSDE)
      • Haitian Creole: Civil Rights Beneficiary Data Collection Form for the SFSP (CSDE)
      • Portuguese: Civil Rights Beneficiary Data Collection Form for the SFSP (CSDE)
      • Simplified Chinese: Civil Rights Beneficiary Data Collection Form for the SFSP (CSDE)
      • Spanish: Civil Rights Beneficiary Data Collection Form for the SFSP (CSDE)
    • Data Summary Form: Summary Form for SFSP Civil Rights Beneficiary Data Collection (CSDE)
  • USDA Memo CACFP 11-2021 and SFSP 07-2021: Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data by Visual Observation and Identification in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program – Policy Rescission Memorandum
  • USDA Memo CACFP 09-2022 and SFSP 05-2022: Questions and Answers Related to Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data by Visual Observation and Identification in CACFP and SFSP – Policy Rescission
  • USDA Memo CACFP 12-2024 and SFSP 16-2024: Questions and Answers Related to CACFP 11-2021, SFSP 07-2021 Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data by Visual Observation and Identification in the CACFP and SFSP – Policy Rescission – Set 2
• Guidance on civil rights requirements: "Apply" section of the CSDE's SFSP webpage
• Limited English Proficiency
  • Language Access Training: How to Bridge language and Cultural Barries with FNS Support (USDA)
  • Limited English Proficiency (LEP) (USDA)
• Presentation  The presentation for school nutrition programs also applies to the SFSP
  • Overview: Civil Rights: Your Responsibilities in the School Nutrition Programs (CSDE)  Six slides per page
  • Presentation: Civil Rights: Your Responsibilities in the School Nutrition Programs PowerPoint Presentation (CSDE)

Nondiscrimination Statements (USDA and CSDE)