Special Dietary Needs

USDA Child Nutrition Programs support access to healthy meals to all children, including  children with disabilities who have special dietary needs. A disability is defined as an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. This can include allergies and digestive conditions. However, it does not include personal diet preferences.

In some cases, a student with special dietary needs may need a Section 504 plan. Contact your district’s Section 504 Coordinator for more information.

Regardless of whether a student needs a 504 plan, sponsors of USDA Child Nutrition Programs must follow certain guidelines when accommodating a student with allergies and digestive conditions. For more information regarding these requirements, please review our Special Dietary Needs Reference Sheet for school districts.

How do I get Special Dietary accommodations for my child?

Contact your School District’s School Nutrition/Food Service Director for the process to

submit a request.

The request must include:

• Food(s) to be omitted/avoided from the child’s diet.
• How the ingestion of the food impacts the child.
• Food(s) to be substituted.
• A signature of a State-recognized medical authority (a licensed health care

professional authorized to write medical prescriptions in Washington) for

example:

• Medical Doctor (MD)
• Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)
• Physician’s Assistant (PA) with prescriptive authority
• Naturopathic Physician
• Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP)

The school MAY use a Request for Special Dietary Accommodations form, but it is not required.

Continuing to work with your school:

Continued communication is necessary for the most up-to-date care. Times to communicate with your school may include:

• New special dietary needs.
• Updated restrictions (for example: your child was not able to eat tomatoes, but now they can).
• Questions or concerns about your child’s care.

Concerns and Complaints

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) enforces civil rights laws for federally funded programs, and prohibits discrimination in public schools on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, and age. File complaints with OCR within 180 calendar days (6 months) of the date of the alleged discrimination.

• Contact your school district’s Section 504 Coordinator if you believe discrimination has taken place.
• Visit OSPI’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights webpage for more information.
• Use the USDA Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Program Discrimination Complaint Form to file a complaint.

Resources:

• 504 Coordinator Contact Information
• 504 General Information
• [Questions and Answers on the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 for Students with Disabilities](https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/individuals-disabilities/section-504/questions-and-answers-ada-amendments-act-of-2008-students-disabilities-attending-public-elementary-and-secondary-schools)

References:

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
• Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• SP40-2017 2017 Edition of Accommodating Children with Disabilities in the School Meal Programs
• SP26-2017 Accommodating Disabilities in the School Meal Programs: Guidance and Q&As
• SP59-2016 Modifications to Accommodate Disabilities in the School Meal Programs

District Wellness Plan

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/​sites/default/files/documents/​USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-​0508-0002-508-11-28-​17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

email: program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.