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Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs)

Overview

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A Residential Child Care Institute (RCCI) is any public or private nonprofit residential child care facility which operates principally for the care of children. The term RCCI applies to facilities with non-day students and/or facilities with day students.
 
An RCCI may participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Afterschool Snack Program (ASP), Wisconsin School Day Milk Program (WSDMP) if there are eligible students in grades Pk-5, and Special Milk Program (SMP) is there are eligible students who do not have access to any other United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Meals Programs.
 
An RCCI is required to comply with all USDA Child Nutrition Program regulations as found in 7CFR Part 210, unless specific flexibility is given by USDA or the WI-Department of Public Instruction (DPI). However, because of the unique needs and processes of an RCCI some areas of compliance may look different than a traditional school.
 
Residential Child Care Institution Manual
Residential Child Care Institutions In a Nutshell

Menu Planning

 

Meal Pattern Tables

Substitution of vegetables for fruit at breakfast: School food authorities (SFAs) participating in the School Breakfast Program (SBP) may credit any vegetable offered in place of fruit. This flexibility is effective for school years 2021-22 and 2022-23, and provides additional flexibility in planning breakfast menus, but does not require SFAs to make any menu changes (USDA Policy Memorandum SP 08-2022).

Menu Planning Worksheets

Weekly Nutrient Calculator

Breakfast and Lunch
Meal Pattern Waivers

 

  • The USDA provides flexibilities for juvenile detentions, correctional facilities, and alternative schools in specific areas of the meal pattern. Please submit an online request for any of the following flexibilities:
  • Offer versus Serve (OVS) flexibility
    • With the OVS flexibility, it is not required to provide students in grades 9-12 the option to decline up to two meal components. Instead, you may serve all five required components in the daily minimum amounts to each student.
    • Without the OVS flexibility, OVS is required at lunch for grades 9-12. See OVS In a Nutshell for more information.
  • Meal Pattern flexibility
    • With the meal pattern flexibility, you may choose to serve only one meal pattern to all students, regardless of their age/grade group. You must follow the meal pattern for the highest age/grade group at your institution (usually grades 9-12).
    • Without the meal pattern flexibility, students must be served according to their corresponding meal pattern. See the meal pattern tables for more information.
  • Milk Variety flexibility
    • With the milk variety flexibility, a variety of milk types may be offered over the course of the week, instead of at each meal service.
    • Without the milk variety flexibility, a variety of milk must be offered daily, at each meal service. See Milk in a Nutshell for more information.
Resources
Policy and Guidance

Contact

Michelle Zvonar
Nutrition Program Consultant
(608) 267-9125
 
Haley Donlan, MBA, RDN
Public Health Nutritionist
(608) 266-7292
Jennifer Tweed, RDN, CD, LD, NDTR
Nutrition Program Consultant
(608) 266-5191