FNS Documents & Resources

Attached is the third edition of Community Eligibility Provision: Planning and Implementation Guidance. The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) meal service option that allows schools and local educational agencies (LEAs) in high poverty areas to offer meals at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications. 

This map contains links to state-specific information on local educational agencies and schools that may be eligible to elect the Community Eligibility Provision.

The CEP resource center provides extensive resources for parents, teachers, and school officials at the local, state and Federal level to better understand CEP and its positive benefits, along with useful tools to help facilitate successful implementation of the provision in your school!

A webinar for state agency and school food authority staff focused on the Final Rule: Child Nutrition Programs Community Eligibility Provision — Increasing Options for Schools. 

USDA published a final rule in the Federal Register on Sept. 26, 2023, to expand access to the Community Eligibility Provision by lowering the minimum identified student percentage participation threshold from 40 percent to 25 percent. 

This guidance applies to state agencies and local educational agencies administering the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. This guidance provides information on the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Community Eligibility Provision – Increasing Options for School.

From this page, you may download the Spanish translation of the Prototype Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals and accompanying materials.

A webinar for state agencies and school food authority staff focused on the proposed rule Child Nutrition Programs: Community Eligibility Provision – Increasing Options for Schools.

Comparison table for CEP proposed rule: current requirements vs. proposed changes.

The purpose of this memo is to share updated guidance from the U.S. Department of Education for making within-district Title I allocations under Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.