Seamless Summer Option (SSO)

Only program operators administering the NSLP or SBP may participate in the SSO. With California Department of Education (CDE) approval, approved program operators may operate non-school sites, such as parks or recreation centers.

In order to be approved for the SSO, a program operator sponsor must have the California Department of Education's (CDE)'s approval to participate in either the NSLP or SBP and must demonstrate its administrative capability and financial viability to properly operate during school vacation periods. The CDE will not approve applications from a program operator that has significant problems operating either the NSLP or SBP or has been seriously deficient in the administration of the SFSP or SSO. Previous participation in the SFSP is not a requirement for SSO participation.

Program operators must digitally sign and e-mail the Permanent Single Agreement for Child Nutrition Programs (Form ID SNP-NSLP-01) to the Nutrition Services Division at NSDPSA@cde.ca.gov. The agreement, as well as instructions, can be found in the Download Forms section of the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS). In addition, program operators must access the Seamless Summer Site Application link from their CNIPS Application Packet and submit a site application for each participating site.

Training is not required.

The method that program operators may use to establish most sites’ eligibility is referred to as area eligibility. Sites within the geographical boundaries of a school attendance area with at least 50 percent of its children approved for free or reduced-price meals are area eligible. Area eligibility may be based on the percentage of enrolled children approved for free or reduced-price meals as of the last day of operation of the most recent school year or any month during the current school year. Area eligibility may also be determined using other data as described in Question 10.

Open - An open site serves all children through age 18 at an area eligible site. Meals served at open sites are reimbursed at the free rate.

Restricted Open - A restricted open site serves children through age 18 but must limit participation due to security, safety, or control concerns. The program operator must publicize that the site is open on a first-come, first-served basis to all community children, but participation will be limited. On each site application, program operators must explain why attendance is restricted. Meals served at restricted open sites are reimbursed at the free rate.

Closed-Enrolled - A closed-enrolled site serves only children who are enrolled in a specific program or activity. These sites usually provide recreational, cultural, religious, or other types of organized activities. To qualify as a closed-enrolled site, at least 50 percent of the enrolled children at the site must be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The program operator may determine enrolled children’s eligibility using:

1. Applications submitted to the site and approved by the sponsoring school;

2. Direct Certification (DC) conducted by the sponsoring school; or

3. Information obtained from the enrolled child’s school.

Please note:

• Schools serving only enrolled summer school students that are closed to the community are ineligible to participate in the SSO as a closed-enrolled site (see Question 14).
  
  
• Schools offering only expanded learning opportunity program (ELOP) activities may operate as closed-enrolled and can determine eligibility as a traditional closed-enrolled site or through area eligibility.
  
  
• On each site application, program operators must explain why the site is closed (see Question 9). Meals served to all children in attendance at closed-enrolled sites are reimbursed at the free rate.

Migrant - This site primarily serves children of migrant families as certified by the district’s migrant coordinator. Meals served to all children in attendance at migrant sites are reimbursed at the free rate.

Camps - A residential or non-residential (day) camp offering a regularly scheduled food service as part of an organized program for enrolled children may qualify as a SSO camp site. Program operators of non-residential camp sites must offer a continuous schedule of organized cultural or recreational programs for enrolled children between meal services. Camps are not approved based on area eligibility or enrolled children’s eligibility, e.g. 50 percent or more of the camp’s enrolled children approved for free or reduced-price meals. Meals served to children who are not eligible for free or reduced-price meals at camps are not reimbursed and the program operator may charge the children for the meals (see Questions 21 and 40). The program operator may determine enrolled children’s eligibility using:

1. Applications submitted to the site and approved by the sponsoring school;

2. Direct Certification (DC) conducted by the sponsoring school; or

3. Information obtained from the enrolled child’s school. Meals served to enrolled children who qualify for free or reduced-priced meals at camps are reimbursed at the free rate.

With California Department of Education approval, a program operator may be approved to operate sites that are outside of its district.

With California Department of Education (CDE) approval, an approved SSO program operator may operate a site that is managed by a local government, school, or private nonprofit organization. The CDE cannot approve a site that is managed by a for-profit entity.

The use of area eligibility to establish closed-enrolled site eligibility is not allowed. Program operators must use the methods listed in Question 6 Closed-Enrolled to establish eligibility. Program operators requesting to operate a closed-enrolled site must provide a justification explaining why the site is not operating as an open site. The California Department of Education (CDE) must approve the justification prior to the start of meal service.

As noted in Question 6, schools offering only expanded learning opportunity program (ELOP) activities may operate as closed-enrolled and can determine eligibility as a traditional closed-enrolled site or through area eligibility.

Additionally, the CDE may permit a closed-enrolled site to operate and use area eligibility to determine site eligibility if at least one of the following criteria is met:

1. A site may operate as closed-enrolled using area eligibility if there is a documented safety concern at the meal site.

2. A site may operate as closed-enrolled if there is another nearby open site. In this case, the site operates as closed-enrolled to protect program integrity and prevent duplication of meal services.

Yes. An SFA may document the area eligibility of their proposed open or restricted open sites on the basis of census data. SSO sites that choose to establish eligibility using census data are required to use the most recent data available. Fifty percent or more of the children in a Census Block Group (CBG) or census track must be eligible for free or reduced-price school meals to establish eligibility. For guidance on the census data for area eligibility determinations in SSO, please view the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Memorandum SP 08-2017, CACFP 04-2017, SFSP 03- 2017, Area Eligibility in Child Nutrition Programs, December 1, 2016 web page .

The USDA Area Eligibility Mapper is a tool that can help state agencies and sponsors determine area eligibility in both SSO and SFSP using census data. The Area Eligibility Mapper utilizes the most recent census data available.

The requirement to establish eligibility depends upon the site type and the initial method that the program operator used to establish the site’s eligibility. Sites that were approved by the California Department of Education (CDE) based on area eligibility are authorized for five years. Sites that were approved by the CDE based on census data are certified until new census data becomes available. The CDE may require more frequent certification if it becomes aware of significant economic changes in the area. A program operator is required to establish site eligibility annually for sites, such as closed enrolled sites and camps, that were approved based on individual children’s eligibility.

The California Department of Education (CDE) will accept data from a school’s most recent Provision 2 or 3 current base year to determine area eligibility. Program operators must use the school’s eligibility percentages, not the claiming percentages of students receiving meals. The CDE may also accept alternative data sources (see Question 10).

A program operator should operate sites according to its financial and administrative capabilities. The California Department of Education encourages all program operators to expand their summer meal programs to children in the community by sponsoring non-school sites that are operated by nonprofit organizations (see Question 8).

If the school site provides meals only to enrolled summer school students, it is not eligible to participate in the SSO. Meal services at academic summer school sites must be open to children in the community in order to qualify for the SSO. Academic summer school meals remain eligible for reimbursement at free, reduced-price, and paid rates under the NSLP/SBP. Sites operating summer school (whether as an open SSO site or a summer school site operating under the NSLP/SBP) must comply with the California State Meal Mandate for each school day.

The program operator must use the same facilities to feed both students and community children. Program operators may serve meals at staggered times to different groups of children provided all the children have access to the same meal service (food served, length of serving time, eating area, etc.).

Program operators must make a reasonable effort to advertise that free meals will be available to all community children, including children who will not be attending summer school if the meals will be provided during summer school. The program operator must describe how each site will advertise the availability of meal services to community children. The program operator should provide enough detail so the advertising method can be documented and confirmed during a California Department of Education (CDE) or Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) review. For example, if meals are advertised the program operator must maintain copies of the advertisements. The program operator must also maintain documentation of public service announcements by radio or television stations and copies of flyers provided to students or mailed to households.

If the meal service schedule changes from what is advertised, the program operator must update the corresponding site application in Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) immediately for CDE review. The CDE is required under federal regulations to ensure that all program operators accurately report their site service information in the CNIPS. Therefore, if a program operator incorrectly reports their service information, the CDE may disallow all meals served at that site. This information is also used to populate the site finder information on the California (CA) Meals for Kids mobile application and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and CDE web pages, so it is important that this information be accurate.

The California Department of Education may approve year-round schools, provided the school is on a year-round, continuous schedule and the off-track breaks are more than 10 school days and are officially part of the school schedule.

Schools on a traditional school calendar may not serve SSO meals during winter or spring breaks, unless the break is more than 10 school days (excluding weekends and holidays). SSO operating months for traditional schools are May through September, when school is not in session. Schools may also participate any time during the year at a non-school site that is responding to an unanticipated school closure (see Question 20).

An unanticipated school closure is defined as a natural disaster, unscheduled major building repair, court order relating to school safety or other issues, labor-management dispute, or other similar cause as approved by the California Department of Education. For more information, visit the Disaster Guidance for Child Nutrition Programs web page.

All persons in the community who are 18 years of age and under and those persons over age 18 who meet the California Department of Education definition of having a mental or physical disability may participate.

Program operators must provide free meals to all children at all approved SSO sites, except camps. A camp program operator may charge for the meals served to children who are not eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals.

To be approved as a closed-enrolled site, at least 50 percent of the enrolled children at the site must be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Once eligibility is determined and the site is approved to operate as a closed enrolled site, the program operator should claim meals for all children enrolled at the site regardless of individual eligibility (see Question 6 - Closed-Enrolled).

With the limitations described in Question 24, the types of meals a site may serve would be breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and/or supper. Menu planning must follow one of the Menu Planning Approaches in Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 210.10 for the NSLP and 7 CFR, Part 220.8 for the SBP.

The number of meals that are eligible for reimbursement depends on the type of site where the meals are served. For meals served at open, restricted open, or closed enrolled sites, program operators are eligible for reimbursement of up to two meals per child, in any combination except lunch and supper (lunch and breakfast, lunch and a snack, or breakfast and a snack). Second breakfasts are reimbursable (see Question 32). For meals served at camps and migrant sites, program operators are eligible for reimbursement of up to three meals per day, including lunch and supper on the same day. Program operators will only be reimbursed for meals served to children eligible for free or reduced-price meals when served at camps (see Question 6 - Camps).

Program operators must use the NSLP meal pattern and menu planning options for suppers.

Meal times for breakfast and lunch must follow the designated times in the SBP and NSLP regulations. According to 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 220.2(b), program operators must serve breakfast to children in the morning hours, at or close to the beginning of the day. Program operators must offer lunch between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., as provided in 7 CFR, Part 210.10(l). The CDE recommends allowing at least three hours between the end of breakfast and the beginning of lunch to minimize food waste and ensure good nutrition practices. Snack service times must also be evenly and adequately spaced for the same purposes.

Although á la carte sales are discouraged during summer meal service, they are allowed provided the items sold do not violate the requirements restricting foods of minimal nutritional value. Program operators should encourage children to participate in the provided meal service before they pay for á la carte items.

The CDE may allow sponsors to provide meals on weekends, provided the sponsor includes this information in its application.

Since all off-track students at SSO sites receive meals free of charge, the school must be able to distinguish between them and the on-track students being served reimbursable meals under the California Universal Meals Program.

Unlike the SFSP, SSO program operators are not required to obtain permission prior to serving meals on a field trip. Program operators are encouraged to post signage and make announcements on applicable outreach channels to notify the public of upcoming field trips. Doing so can prevent families from arriving for a meal service that may be happening off-site.

The program operator may allow offer versus serve, but it is not required.

Program operators may offer second lunches and snacks but may not claim these meals for reimbursement. However, program operators may offer second breakfasts and claim those meals for federal reimbursement in accordance with 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 220.9(a), which states in part that any excess breakfasts that are prepared may be served to eligible children and may be claimed for reimbursement unless the CDE determines that the program operator has failed to plan and prepare breakfasts with the objective of providing one breakfast per child per day.

Program operators of camps may serve family style meals. Other site types may not serve family style meals.

A non-congregate meal service is a food service model that provides meals to children to consume off site. For more information, see the Non-Congregate Meal Service Option in Rural Areas web page.

Program operators operating sites in rural areas may be eligible to operate a non-congregate meal service to better meet the needs of their community. Non-congregate meal service may only be operated at sites designated as rural with no congregate meal service. For more information, see the Non-Congregate Meal Service Option in Rural Areas web page.

Each year, program operators are required to review each SSO site at least once during its first week of operation to ensure that the site is in compliance with meal counting, claiming, menu planning, food safety, and record keeping requirements.

No. Any new site (not operated under the NSLP/SBP during the regular school year) is required to have a pre-operational site visit prior to the first date of service. Additionally, congregate sites that are new to rural non-congregate feeding are considered new sites and require a pre-operational visit.

Program operators must maintain records of all site visits that occurs and make available for review by the CDE, in the event of review by the CDE. As stated in 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 210.15(b)(8), an SFA must maintain records for the current year plus three-years to demonstrate program compliance.

As set forth in 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 210.10(a)(3), program operators must keep menus and menu production records for the meals they produce. These records must allow the CDE to evaluate how the meals contribute to the required food components or menu items.

Edit checks are not required for SSO sites. However, the program operator should ensure that meal counts match participation and reimbursement claims reflect the number of meals served. When operating summer school under the NSLP/SBP, the program operator must conduct edit checks.

Meals served at most SSO sites are reimbursed at the free rates prescribed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the NSLP (including snacks) and SBP. Supper meals are reimbursed at the NSLP’s free lunch rate. Meals served at camps to children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals are reimbursed at the free rate. Meals served at camps to children who are not eligible for free or reduced-price meals are not reimbursable, and camps may charge these children for their meals.

For more information on reimbursement rates, see the CDE Rates, Eligibility Scales, and Funding web page.

Schools that qualified for the severe need rate during the school year will continue to receive that rate. Please note, these sites must have the same existing Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) site ID to automatically qualify.

Schools will earn the full commodity allotment for both lunches and suppers served under SSO.

SNP program operators will continue to receive the two-cent differential if they already receive this additional reimbursement during the regular school year.

SSO sites that do not operate the SNPs during the regular school year will receive the applicable free NSLP and SBP reimbursement rates. SSO sites without NSLP claiming data during the regular school year will not be eligible for additional severe need reimbursement.

Program operators must submit SSO reimbursement claims via the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) Seamless Summer Claim Entry section. With regard to SSO claims, program operators Sponsors:

1. Must submit a separate claim for each month when SSO meals are served;

2. May not claim SSO meals with other NSLP/SBP meals; and

3. Must include annual cost and revenue totals for SSO sites in the revenue and cost totals reported on the SNP June claim.

Claims assistance is available on the CDE Nutrition Fiscal Services - School Nutrition Program web page, or by contacting the Nutrition Fiscal Services Unit at 1-800-952-5609.

Yes, an FSMC may handle SSO administrative tasks if the contract covers summer meal services under the NSLP. FSMC personnel need to follow the NSLP regulations in 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 210.16, which describes permissible administrative tasks that the company can perform on behalf of the program operator sponsor. Program operators must follow all procurement requirements in 7 CFR parts 210.21 and 220.16 when contracting out SSO operations.