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Resource | Federal Register Documents Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (2024-2025)

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals, free milk, and Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer benefits for the period from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. 

02/20/2024
Resource | Policy Memos CEP: State Agency Procedures to Ensure Identified Student Percentage Accuracy

The purpose of this memorandum is to update prior guidance to reflect changes made to the Community Eligibility Provision due to the Final Rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Community Eligibility Provision – Increasing Options for Schools (FR 65778), effective on Oct. 26, 2023. This final rule amended CEP regulations by lowering the minimum identified student percentage to elect CEP from 40 percent to 25 percent. 
 

SP 11-2024
02/12/2024
Resource | Policy Memos CEP: Statutory Annual Notification and Publication Requirements and School Year 2024-25 Election Deadline

This memorandum provides a reminder of the annual Community Eligibility Provision notification and publication requirements, including the changes made by the Final Rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Community Eligibility Provision – Increasing Options for Schools. This memorandum also reminds state agencies that the statutory election deadline for schools to elect CEP for school year 2024-25 is June 30, 2024.

 

SP 10-2024
02/12/2024
Resource | Policy Memos Community Eligibility Provision: Guidance and Updated Q&As

This memorandum provides new guidance and questions and answers to address changes made by the CEP final rule. Additionally, this memorandum provides clarification on guidance related to CEP. The attached Q&As supersede SP 54-2016, Community Eligibility Provision: Guidance and Updated Q&As.

SP 09-2024
02/12/2024
Resource | Policy Memos Community Eligibility Provision: Planning and Implementation Guidance - Updated

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. 

SP 08-2024
02/12/2024
Resource | Federal Register Documents Final Rule: Child Nutrition Programs - CEP Increasing Options for Schools

This final rule amends the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) regulations by lowering the minimum identified student percentage (ISP) from 40 percent to 25 percent. 

09/26/2023
Resource | Policy Community Eligibility Provision: Implementing the New Minimum Identified Student Percentage

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.

SP 22-2023
09/26/2023
Resource | Federal Register Documents Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals and Free Milk

This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection for determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk as stated in FNS regulations.

05/08/2023
Resource | Federal Register Documents Proposed Rule: Child Nutrition Programs Community Eligibility Provision - Increasing Options for Schools

This rulemaking proposes to expand access to the Community Eligibility Provision by lowering the minimum identified student percentage participation threshold from 40 percent to 25 percent, which would give states and schools greater flexibility to choose to invest non-federal funds to offer no-cost meals to all enrolled students.

03/23/2023
Resource | Policy Memos Updated Title I Guidance for Making Within District Allocations

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.

SP 10-2023
03/22/2023
Page updated: October 14, 2021