Introduction
INTRODUCTION: The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has been approved for a series of 12(l) waivers to allow for the service of meals during a school shutdown with or without virtual learning for up to 10 consecutive days. This waiver is not to be used to serve students that are enrolled in long-term virtual programs. Use of the waiver(s) is only allowed for short-term, or emergency situations such as natural disasters, unscheduled major building repairs, court orders relating to building safety or other issues, labor-management disputes, or similar unanticipated causes for up to 10 consecutive days. Approvals for the waiver flexibilities will be made by MDE on a case-by-case basis. The 12(l) waivers are available through June 30, 2026.
Requesting use of a waiver is optional. Sponsors are not required to complete this form if they are not requesting use of a waiver. Until a school building is closed, traditional meal service is required to be followed. If this occurs, it would be appropriate to request use of the 12(l) waiver. Do not complete this form pre-emptively or ‘just in case’.
Completing the waiver request form:
- Sponsors may amend the form if circumstances change.
- For audit purposes, sponsors are required to keep a list of sites that use this waiver at the local level.
- Sponsors are required to keep accurate counting and claiming information to document meal claims.
- Sponsors are required to submit to MDE the meal counts served under the waiver, in addition to the regular monthly claim.
- Sponsors must develop a procedure to handle point of service for multiple meal distribution.
- Sponsors are required to have participated in the Summer Food Service Program in the last 2 years if no virtual learning is occurring and the site must be eligible through income or census data.
- The Summer Food Service Program and Child Adult Care Food Program can only hand out up to 7 days worth of meals at a time.
- National School Lunch Program can hand out up to 5 days of meals at a time.
- Under Michigan School Meals, multiple meal distributions need to follow free/reduced/paid claiming, if the school is not CEP.
MDE may deny a waiver request, if requirements are not met. Failure to document your school closure may result in disallowed meals.
INSTRUCTIONS: Complete all fields in this online form. Once the form is complete, hit the submit button to turn your electronic form in. The Office of Nutrition Services (ONS) will review and you will be notified if there are questions.
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| Contact Information |
| Sponsor Name | Sponsor Number/Agreement Number |
required | required |
| Contact Person Name (First/Last) | Contact Person Phone Number | Contact Person Email Address |
| required | requiredPlease enter Phone Number in the correct format ###-###-####. | requiredPlease enter a valid Email Address. |
| Contact Person Title |
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Home Day Care Name | |
1. Is a school building(s) closed and virtual classes are being offered and you would like to offer non-congregate meals? If answered ‘yes’ to question 1, then question 2 should be ‘no’. | required |
2. Is a school building(s) closed and no virtual classes are being offered and you would like to offer non-congregate meals? If answered ‘yes’ to question 2, then question 1 should be ‘no’. | required |
3. Is the Child and Adult Care Food Program closed and you would like to offer non-congregate meals? | required |
| Sponsor has viewed the webinar under Unanticipated School Closure.
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Waiver Section 1
When school building(s) closed and virtual learning is being offered, meals will be claimed under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program.
The following waivers are intended to provide needed flexibility to support school food authorities (SFAs) only when congregate meal service is limited due to natural disasters, unscheduled major building repairs, court orders related to school safety or other issues, labor-management disputes, or similar unanticipated causes for up to 10 consecutive operating days while virtual learning is provided.
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Dates requested (up to 10 consecutive operating days, M/D/Year):
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Reason for Closure:
500 characters remaining |
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Waiver Section 2
When a school building(s) closed and no virtual learning is being offered, meals will be claimed under Unanticipated School Closures with the Summer Food Service Program and open to everyone in community.
The sponsor needs to amend the SFSP Site Calendar Page in the Coordinated Application to select the dates and meals that were served during the unanticipated school closure.
Reminder, SFSP sites must be in the attendance area of an elementary, middle, or high school where at least 50 percent of the enrolled children are eligible for free or reduced priced school meals, in a geographic area where, based on the most recent census data available, at least 50 percent of the children residing in those areas are eligible for free or reduced price meals, or in a geographic area where a site demonstrates, based on approved sources that at least 50 percent of the children enrolled are eligible for free or reduced price meals.
The following waivers are intended to provide needed flexibility to support sponsors only when congregate meal service is limited due to natural disasters, unscheduled major building repairs, court orders related to school safety or other issues, labor-management disputes, or similar unanticipated causes for up to 10 consecutive operating days when no virtual learning is provided.
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| The following waivers are requested in order to serve non-congregate, parent/guardian pick up of multiple meals. These waivers are effective through June 30, 2026: - Non-Congregate Meal Service during Unanticipated School Closures – This waiver would allow children to eat meals away from the serving location [42 U.S.C. 1753(b)(1)(A), 42 U.S.C. 1761(a)(1)(D), and 7 CFR 225.6(i)(15)]
- Parent and Guardian Meal Pick-Up – This waiver would allow a parent or guardian to get meals or snacks for a child when the child is not with them. [42 U.S.C. 1761(f)(3) and 7 CFR 210.10(a), 220.2 (Breakfast), 220.8(a), 225.2 (Meals), and 225.9(d)(7)]
- Meal Service Times – This waiver allows multiple meals to be served at once. Breakfast and lunch may be served at the same time [7 CFR 210.10(l), 7 CFR 220.8(l), 7 CFR 225.16(c)(1), (2), and (3)]
- Service of Meals at School Sites for Unanticipated School Closures [42 U.S.C. 1761(c)(1) and 7 CFR 225.6(h)(1)(iv)]
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Dates requested (up to 10 consecutive operating days, M/D/Year):
500 characters remaining |
Reason for Closure:
500 characters remaining |
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Waiver Section 3
Child and Adult Care Food Program sponsors includes building closures for child care centers, adult day care centers, emergency shelters, day care homes, outside-school-hours care centers, and/or at-risk afterschool sites. When the at-risk afterschool program closed, meals will be claimed under the Child and Adult Care Food Program. As a reminder, CACFP regulations require that at-risk afterschool centers must be located in the attendance area of a public school where at least 50 percent of the students are eligible for free or reduced price meals under the National School Lunch Program.
The following waivers are intended to provide needed flexibility to support school food authorities (SFAs) only when congregate meal service is limited due to natural disasters, unscheduled major building repairs, court orders related to school safety or other issues, labor-management disputes, or similar unanticipated causes for up to 10 consecutive operating days while virtual learning is provided.
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Dates requested (up to 10 consecutive operating days, M/D/Year):
500 characters remaining |
Reason for Closure:
500 characters remaining |
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