Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Announcements from the WI DPI School Nutrition Team (SNT)
Updates from the DPI School Nutrition Team
Feeding Children in Summer 2023
As summer plans take shape, many students experience food insecurity. The healthy meals your school has offered during the school year may no longer be available to them. Schools and school districts are encouraged to consider offering one of the meal service programs available that would allow for the continuation of healthy school meals to be provided during the summer months. The Summer Program Comparison Chart shows the differences between each of the programs available to feed children during the summer months.
Serving Summer Meals in School-Based Childcare Centers
The ability to provide meals to children enrolled in a school-based childcare center over the summer varies based on the program being operated. Please review School Nutrition Bulletin 2122-41 (April 26, 2022 – Updated Guidance for School-Based Childcare Centers) for more information.
National School Lunch (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP) and/or Afterschool Snack Program (ASP)
This option allows School Food Authorities (SFAs) to feed enrolled students attending summer school under the NSLP, SBP, and/or ASP programs, similar to how the programs were operated during the regular school year.
- Schools do not have to be located within an area that qualifies as area eligible.
- Follows the NSLP/SBP/ASP program requirements and meal patterns.
- Students are counted and claimed based on individual student name and eligibility.
- These sites cannot operate as open site(s); only enrolled summer school students are eligible.
- The reimbursement rates are the NSLP, SBP, and/or ASP free, reduced and paid rates.
- All summer program operating dates must be included in the applicable school nutrition online contract.
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
This option allows SFAs to provide meals at no charge to all enrolled summer school students, as well as other children, age 18 and under, in the community.
In order to qualify, sites must either be located within the attendance area of a school where at least 50% of its’ students are eligible for free and reduced price meals (using data from October 2022) and/or be located within an eligible census area using the USDA Capacity Builder Map. Select the FY23 FNS CACFP and SFSP Eligibility Layer to determine if a site is eligible with census data. The SFSP has the same eligibility requirements as the SSO.
We encourage SFAs that qualify and want to offer meals over the summer to do so through the SFSP. The advantage of participating in the SFSP after the end of the academic school year includes:
- A higher SFSP Reimbursement Rate than the NSLP free rate.
- An additional shipment of SFSP USDA Foods in June.
- Allows for the use of the simplified SFSP Meal Pattern.
- Free Outreach Materials to promote your Program (posters, door hangers, banners, lawn signs, etc.).
More information on SFSP can be found on the SFSP Webpage.
Please contact Amy Kolano at amy.kolano@dpi.wi.gov or call (608) 266-7124, if you have further questions regarding the SFSP.
Seamless Summer Option
This option allows SFAs to provide meals at no charge to all children attending summer school as well as other children, age 18 and under, in the community.
In order to qualify, sites must either be located within the attendance area of a school where at least 50% of its’ students are eligible for free and reduced price meals (using data from October 2022) and/or be located within an eligible census area using the USDA Capacity Builder Map. Select the FY23 FNS CACFP and SFSP Eligibility Layer to determine if a site is eligible with census data. The SSO has the same eligibility requirements as the SFSP.
- All NSLP, SBP, and/or ASP requirements still apply, including the applicable meal patterns.
- The maximum number of meals that may be offered under the SSO is two meals, or one meal and one snack, per child, per day, in any combination except lunch and supper.
- Meals are reimbursed at the free rate for the NSLP, SBP or NSLP Afterschool Snack Program.
- A Summer SSO Application, available in early March, is required to be submitted by May 24, 2023. Approval is required prior to starting the program. Late applications will not be accepted.
- All summer program operating dates for SSO need to be included on the applicable school nutrition online contract for claiming purposes.
More information is available on the SSO Webpage. Any SFA considering the SSO, should contact the SSO Specialists at SSO@dpi.wi.gov to discuss further and request the application.
Please contact the School Nutrition Team at dpifns@dpi.wi.gov or call 608-267-9228 if you have questions about summer operations for your school food authority.
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Jill K. Underly, PhD, State Superintendent
125 S Webster Street
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 266-3390 • (800) 441-4563