The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) mission is to ensure that students reach their full potential through rigorous and joyful learning experiences provided in a nurturing environment. As part of that mission, DCPS is committed to providing high quality, healthy meals to all students in a manner that supports any necessary dietary accommodations. This Dietary Accommodations for Student Meals Policy aims to establish a comprehensive and consistent framework for how DCPS identifies, manages, and supports student dietary accommodation needs across all schools and food service operations. It establishes the requirements and expectations necessary to ensure safe, equitable, and compliant meals for students with medical, philosophical, or religious dietary needs.
The DCPS Division of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) operates the School Breakfast Program (SBP), the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the Afterschool Snack Program (ASSP), the At-Risk Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as administered by the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). FNS also supports access to healthy meals for all students, including students with disabilities who may have special dietary needs. FNS must reasonably accommodate students with disabilities as required by a licensed healthcare professional or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). FNS must also provide reasonable accommodations for philosophical reasons, religious reasons, and fluid milk substitutions with the consent of a parent or guardian. This accommodation must not include personal diet preferences nor remove the student from the reimbursable school meal pattern. FNS supports allergen-aware school settings in which students, staff, and families have the tools necessary to navigate dietary needs through having access to ingredients and nutrition information for FNS menus.
This policy applies to all DCPS schools, students, and staff throughout the school year, as well as when students are enrolled in DCPS summer or afterschool programs.
Additional information on dietary accommodations is available at dcps.dc.gov/page/dietary-accommodations.
