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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Food & Nutrition​

    Healthy meals are an essential component to learning and growing. Every day, more than one million children and students receive nutritious meals through Federal School Nutrition Programs, which include the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program.

     

    The Pennsylvania Department of Education is committed to ensuring that all children and students have access to healthy meals through these federal programs and initiatives.

    ​Accessibility Information (file a complaint and/or grievance)
    USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

    Nutrition Programs

    Governor Shapiro shaking hands with student

    Governor's School Breakfast Challenge

    Schools will be encouraged and recognized for increasing breakfast participation while incorporating sustainable changes that incorporate more nutritious and local foods.

    Governors School Breakfast Challenge

    Online Services

    Child Nutrition Program Electronic Application and Reimbursement System (CNPEARS)
    CN PEARS is a web-based application and payment system for seven federal Child Nutrition Programs. The online system is now available to all public and private school sponsors of the National School Lunch, School Breakfast, Special Milk, and Afterschool Snack Programs. Sponsors of the Summer Food Service Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program sponsors also use CN PEARS to submit required documentation to the Bureau of Food and Nutrition.

    COMPASS
    Schools participating in the National School Lunch Programs can utilize COMPASS to receive applications online for free and reduced school meals and perform benefits queries.

    Pennsy​lvania Student Eligibility System (PA-SES) 
    The Pennsylvania Student Eligibility System is an online comprehensive package for school meals that is made available by the Department of Education to schools in the state at no cost. This system uses the PrimeroEdge Software Solution.

    Utilizing this technology will reduce eligibility determination errors, assist schools with the workload of processing Free and Reduced Meal Applications, and expedite the Administrative review process.  

    Reports

    Contact Us 

    Pennsylvania Department of Education
    Bureau of Food and Nutrition
    607 South Drive, 4th Floor
    Harrisburg, PA 17120
    717-787-7698 or 800-331-0129

    Child and Adult Care Program – RA-CACFP@pa.gov
    School Nutrition Program – RA-NSLP@pa.gov
    Summer Food Service Program – RA-SFSP@pa.gov