Eligibility

Any school that is part of a school food authority (SFA) that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is eligible to operate the ASP. Schools that are approved by the CSDE to operate the ASP must agree to assume full responsibility for complying with all program requirements. To participate in the ASP, the school must meet the preliminary requirements below.

  1. The school must be participating in the NSLP.
  2. The school must be sponsoring or operating an afterschool care program for children ages 3-18 that:
    • provides regularly scheduled activities in an organized, structured and supervised environment;
    • includes educational or enrichment activities such as mentoring/tutoring programs; and
    • meets state or local licensing requirements and health and safety standards.
  3. The SFA must complete an annual online application for each site and submit to the CSDE for approval. The application must be approved by the CSDE before the site is eligible to receive federal reimbursements. New sites that start during the school year must have approved applications.

Determining Eligibility

Reimbursement Rates

The ASP reimbursement rate depends on students’ meal eligibility. In schools where 50 percent or more of enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, snacks are reimbursed at the free rate for all children. In schools where less than 50 percent of enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, snacks are reimbursed by student eligibility status (free, reduced, or paid).