DCPS Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) does not require a new dietary accommodation form to be submitted each school year!
You should submit a new dietary accommodation form only if:
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- Your student is new to DCPS and requires dietary accommodations, or
- Your student has a new dietary accommodation, such as a newly diagnosed food allergy, or
- There are changes to the students’ current dietary accommodation form on file with Food and Nutrition Services.
Please note that all dietary accommodation forms submitted in school year 2019-2020 or later will carry over each school year. If your student will be participating in summer programming and has a dietary accommodation during the school year please reach out to [email protected] with the name of your student and the school location that they will be at during summer.
FNS does not serve meals that contain peanuts or tree nuts. Pork may be served with advanced notice only. It is our pleasure to serve vegetarian meals in every school, every day. If your student requires vegetarian meals (will not contain meat, poultry, or fish, but may contain dairy and/or eggs), you do not need to complete a Dietary Accommodation form.
To request a dietary accommodation, please follow these steps:
Step 1: Complete the appropriate Dietary Accommodation form for each child in your household who needs a dietary accommodation.
- Forms
- Medical Dietary Accommodations Form (for medical accommodations such as food allergies/intolerances, texture modifications, or Diabetes management). Requires a medical provider’s signature.
- Milk Substitution & Philosophical Dietary Accommodations Form (not intended to accommodate taste preferences nor take the student(s) off of the USDA Child Nutrition meal pattern).
Step 2: Submit the completed dietary form to [email protected] (preferred), to your school’s cafeteria Lead or by mail to:
DCPS Food & Nutrition Servicesc/o Nadine James - Dietary Accommodation Form
1200 First Street, NE 9th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
Fax: (202) 727-2512
Step 3: Food and Nutrition Services will contact you via e-mail to confirm receipt of the form.
Step 4: Our Dietitians will contact you by phone or email with any follow-up questions or to discuss the modified menu if necessary.
If your student has a severe or life-threatening food allergy, we also encourage you to work with your school to develop a section 504 plan. Please contact your school directly or email [email protected]. Please note that if you have a 504 plan and require dietary accommodations, you should submit a dietary form to [email protected] in addition to having a 504 plan. If a modified menu is needed, a dietary form is required.
Before completing a dietary accommodation request form, please note:
- Dietary accommodations are tracked centrally via student ID number. If your student transfers to another DCPS school during the school year or less than 4 weeks before the start of a new school year, the form does not need to be resubmitted to us, however, we strongly encourage you to alert us so accommodations can continue without interruption at your destination school. Please email us at [email protected].
- Forms must be complete before accommodations can be met, including parent/legal guardian signatures and licensed medical provider signatures (when applicable).
- The information in the form may be shared with pertinent DC Public Schools and food service management vendor staff in order to properly accommodate your student unless you specify otherwise in writing.
Please select the dietary form for which your student requires a MEDICAL dietary accommodation:
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If you wish to discontinue your student's dietary accommodation form, please click here to fill out the Dietary Accommodation Discontinuation request.
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DCPS reserves the right to discontinue accommodations if the parent or guardian fails to respond to communication requests after three attempts or does not demonstrate intent to complete the required documentation, including obtaining necessary information such as a medical provider's signature (when applicable).
Dietary Accommodations Q & A
- Are there vegetarian/vegan options available to students?
Vegetarian breakfast and lunch options are available daily. There are frequent vegan breakfast and lunch meal offerings; however, if a student requires daily vegan meals, please submit a MSPAF to ensure the student is accommodated daily.
- Is DCPS a peanut and tree-nut free district?
No, DCPS is not a peanut or tree-nut free district. DCPS Staff, its contractors, and Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) are prohibited from serving/providing these allergens. However, students may pack peanuts and tree nut products in their meals. Please note that some schools may designate allergy-free tables in the cafeteria or allergy-free classrooms to reduce the risk of cross-contact with certain allergens. Please also note that individual schools may choose to be peanut and/or tree-nut free. Schools are encouraged to review the Food Allergy Management in Schools Resource Guide and contact FNS for support.
- What accommodations/information are available for students who have diabetes?
Carbohydrate content can be found on each school's menu page. For students who need additional servings of meal components (i.e. additional serving of whole fruit) as it relates to diabetes, please complete a MDAF indicating this request. If students need emergency glycogen or assistance with tracking carbohydrate intake, please coordinate this with the school’s student health services.
- If my student has a 504 plan or Individualized Education Plan (IEP), are they automatically set up to receive cafeteria provided dietary accommodations?
No, if a student has a 504 plan or IEP and require cafeteria provided dietary accommodations, FNS requires families to request dietary accommodation at [email protected]. The dietary accommodation form may also be required should the 504 plan not cover all required information.
- Does FNS provide requested brand name products?
Generally, FNS does not provide specific brands requested unless the brand name item is medically necessary as outlined in the medical statement. Rather, FNS will provide a reasonable modification that accommodates the student's disability and provides equal opportunity for the student to participate in and benefit from the child nutrition programs. In some instances, when a brand name is medically necessary, FNS may need to work with the parent/guardian or medical provider to provide a different brand when the product is very expensive or difficult to procure or obtain.
- Will the cafeteria heat up meals brought from home to accommodate students' dietary needs?
FNS does not store or reheat meals from home due to food safety concerns. FNS encourages families to utilize the dietary accommodations process if the assistance of FNS is needed. Alternatively, families can work with the school to check for other available options for storing and reheating.
- Who is required to sign the medical dietary accommodation form?
In addition to the parent/guardian, a Licensed Healthcare Professional (licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physicians assistant) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is required to sign and provide orders.
