[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-537339-105":59,"doc-detail-537339-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":124,"head_meta":126,"extra_data":128,"updated_unix":130},105,"en","sfsp-and-nslp-sso-waivers-response-letter-april-17-2026","SFSP and NSLP SSO Waivers Response Letter - April 17, 2026","","April 17, 2026 letter from Mark Haller, Director Nutrition for the Illinois State Board of Education, responding to an Illinois State Board of Education request for statewide waivers under Section 12(l) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. The response explains FNS findings that the waivers support continued access to nutritious meals and satisfy statutory requirements. It details flexibilities for Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option operations during excessive heat and air quality advisories, including non-congregate meal service, parent/guardian pick-up, and meal service time adjustments, with conditions tied to NOAA/NWS and EPA/CDC thresholds.",{"@graph":69,"@context":123},[70,84,106],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":35,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/sfsp-and-nslp-sso-waivers-response-letter-april-17-2026/537339/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/sfsp-and-nslp-sso-waivers-response-letter-april-17-2026/537339.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Blue Pony","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-09","2026-10-10",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":105},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",11,{"@type":107,"mainEntity":108},"FAQPage",[109,115,119],{"name":110,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What authority does FNS use to issue the statewide waiver described in the letter?","Question",{"text":113,"@type":114},"FNS issues the waiver under Section 12(l) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA), 42 U.S.C. 1760(l).","Answer",{"name":116,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":117},"Under what conditions can SFSP and SSO sponsors provide non-congregate meal service during excessive heat?",{"text":118,"@type":114},"The flexibility applies to approved outdoor sites in good standing on days when the National Weather Service issues a Heat Advisory, Excessive Heat Warning, or Excessive Heat Watch for the site area.",{"name":120,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":121},"What additional requirements apply if a sponsor uses the meal service times waiver?",{"text":122,"@type":114},"Sponsors must not change times less than 24 hours in advance, post printed notice at the site, alert the community through appropriate channels, and comply with any additional state agency requirements.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":125,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":127,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":129,"site_id":62},537339,1791667230,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":132},{"doc_id":129,"user_id":133,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":34,"category_name":35,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":105,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":44,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},962090760266,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","April 17, 2026  \nMark Haller  \nDirector Nutrition  \nIllinois State Board of Education  \n100 North First Street Springfield, IL, 62777  \nDear Mark Haller:  \nThis letter is in response to Illinois State Board of Education’s ( ISBE) April 3, 2026 request to waive certain requirements in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO) for summer 2026 operations. In order to support continued access to nutritious meals, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) recognizes that certain operational flexibilities may be necessary.  \nFNS has authority to issue statewide waivers under Section 12(l) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA), 42 U.S.C. 1760(l). To grant a Section 12(l) waiver, the NSLA requires that the waiver must facilitate the purpose of the Program, the public must receive notice and information regarding the proposed waiver, and the waiver will not increase the overall cost of the Program to the Federal Government. FNS finds that ISBE’s waiver request satisfies these statutory requirements.  \nSpecifically, ISBE requested a statewide waiver of the requirements explained below.  \nSummer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) Operations During Periods of Excessive Heat  \nThe waivers in this section allow ISBE to approve SFSP and SSO sponsors operating outdoor meal sites without access to temperature-controlled alternative sites, and who are in good standing, to provide non-congregate meal service on days when the area is experiencing excessive heat. These waivers may only be used for approved outdoor sites on days when the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Heat Advisory, an Excessive Heat Warning, or an Excessive Heat Watch for the area where the site is located. These waivers are effective May 1, 2026, through September 30, 2026.  \nNon-Congregate Meal Service (SFSP/SSO)  \nUnder NSLA, 42 U.S.C. 1753(b)(1)(A), 42 U.S.C. 1761(a)(1)(D), and Program regulations at 7 CFR 225.6(i)(15), SFSP meals must be served in a congregate setting and must be consumed by participants on site. Please note that this waiver is not the same as the option to provide a rural non-congregate meal service as described in Section 13(a)(13) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761) . This waiver is not limited to sites in rural areas and may only be applied to sites approved for congregate meal service.  \nPursuant to the waiver authority granted at Section 12(l) of the NSLA, FNS waives the aforementioned requirements to serve meals through the SFSP in a congregate setting. Any other requirements referenced in these provisions remain in effect. FNS also extends the non-congregate meal service flexibility to SSO for the duration of this waiver.  \nParent and Guardian Meal Pick-Up (SFSP/SSO)  \nUnder the NSLA, 42 U.S.C. 1761(f)(3), and program regulations at 7 CFR 225.2 (Meals), and 7 CFR 225.9(d)(7), SFSP meals must be served to eligible children.  \nPursuant to the waiver authority granted at Section 12(l) of the NSLA, FNS waives the aforementioned requirements that meals may only be served directly to children. Anyother requirements referenced in these provisions remain in effect. State agencies opting to use this flexibility must have a plan for ensuring that local operators are able to maintain accountability and program integrity. This includes putting in place processes to ensure that meals are distributed only to parents or guardians of eligible children, and that duplicate meals are not distributed to any child. FNS also extends the parent and guardian pick up flexibility to SSO for the duration of this waiver.  \nMeal Service Times (SFSP/SSO)  \nUnder Program regulations at 7 CFR 225.16(c)(1), (2), and (3), meals served in the SFSP must follow meal service time requirements.  \nPursuant to the waiver authority granted at Section 12(l) of the NSLA, FNS waives the aforementioned requirements that set meal time parame","cbCaio1kqJftD01e","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaio1kqJftD01e","pdf",223218,"English","# Response to Section 12(l) Waiver Request\n## Excessive Heat Waivers (May 1, 2026 - Sept 30, 2026)\n## Non-Congregate Meal Service (SFSP/SSO)\n## Parent and Guardian Meal Pick-Up (SFSP/SSO)\n## Meal Service Times (SFSP/SSO)\n## Air Quality Advisory Waivers","[{\"question\":\"What authority does FNS use to issue the statewide waiver described in the letter?\",\"answer\":\"FNS issues the waiver under Section 12(l) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA), 42 U.S.C. 1760(l).\"},{\"question\":\"Under what conditions can SFSP and SSO sponsors provide non-congregate meal service during excessive heat?\",\"answer\":\"The flexibility applies to approved outdoor sites in good standing on days when the National Weather Service issues a Heat Advisory, Excessive Heat Warning, or Excessive Heat Watch for the site area.\"},{\"question\":\"What additional requirements apply if a sponsor uses the meal service times waiver?\",\"answer\":\"Sponsors must not change times less than 24 hours in advance, post printed notice at the site, alert the community through appropriate channels, and comply with any additional state agency requirements.\"}]","SFSP and NSLP SSO Waivers Response Letter - April 17, 2026 | PDF",1791604461,23]