Overview
School Food Authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) are eligible to apply for the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) to serve free meals to children, age 18 years and under, and 19-21 receiving special education services. Meals may be provided in low-income areas during the traditional summer vacation periods and, for year-round schools, during vacation periods longer than 10 school days. Meals are reimbursed at the “free” rates for the NSLP, SBP, or Afterschool Snack Program.
Schools seeking options for summer food service are encouraged to provide free meals in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) as the eligibility requirements are the same as the SSO, but the SFSP offers a higher reimbursement rate and use of a simpler meal pattern. If your District is interested in operating the SFSP for the first time, please contact Amy Kolano at amy.kolano@dpi.wi.gov (608) 266-7124.
Eligibility Requirements
Most eligible schools are located within areas that are considered low income (area eligible). The following data may be used to determine if a location is area eligible.
- Free and Reduced-Price Eligibility: An SSO site will qualify with a school eligibility of 50% or more or within the attendance area of a public school with an eligibility of 50% or more. This is determined using the Enrollment & Participation Report from October of the most current year.
- Census Data may be used in lieu of the Wisconsin Free/Reduced Eligibility Data. The USDA Capacity Builder Map is capable of identifying eligible areas. Enter an address in the Find Address or Place search field. The pink areas qualify.
- Although not typical, SSO can operate in areas that do not qualify via census data or school data. These types of programs provide meals to children who have specifically been determined to be low-income. Contact SSO@dpi.wi.gov to discuss further.
Once established, area eligibility remains in effect for five years.
Resources
- The Seamless Summer Option In a Nutshell
- Rural Non-Congregate Meals in the SSO In a Nutshell
- Rural Designation Map
Memos
- SP 09-2017: Questions and Answers for the National School Lunch Program’s Seamless Summer Option
- Interim Final Rule: Establishing the Summer EBT Program and Rural Non-Congregate Option in the Summer Meal Programs
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SFSP 07-2024, SP 13-2024: Non-Congregate Meal Service in Rural Areas Q&A #1
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SFSP 08-2024, SP 13-2024: Non-Congregate Meal Service in Rural Areas Q&A #2
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SFSP 03-2025, SP 08-2025: Non-Congregate Meal Service in Rural Areas: Q&A #3
Contact
For questions about SSO, please email: SSO@dpi.wi.gov.