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Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance CEP Planning and Implementation Guidance

A final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Community Eligibility Provision-Increasing Options for Schools (88 FR 65778), was published on Sept. 26, 2023, with an effective date of Oct. 26, 2023, that established the 25 percent minimum ISP threshold.  As a result, more students, households, and schools have the opportunity to experience CEP’s benefits, such as increasing access to school meals at no cost, eliminating unpaid meal charges, minimizing stigma, and streamlining meal service operations.

02/12/2024
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2021-0061 Department of Education Information on the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

Households with a child  approved to receive free or reduced price meals under the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program during the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year are eligible for the Federal Communication Commission’s Emergency Broadband Benefit. EBB is a federal program to help eligible families pay for internet service during the pandemic.

SP 12-2021
05/19/2021
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2020-0173 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Area Eligibility for Closed Enrolled Sites in the SFSP and the NSLP Seamless Summer Option – Extension 2

Under this waiver, for all states, Summer Food Service Program and National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option closed enrolled sites during the COVID-19 public health emergency may determine site eligibility through area eligibility without collecting income eligibility applications.

COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #64
10/09/2020
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0009 Community Eligibility Provision: Annual Notification and Publication Requirements

This memorandum details guidance on the annual Community Eligibility Provision notification and publication requirements and provides information on the USDA-developed reporting template.

SP20-2017
03/16/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0051 Eligibility Effective Date for Directly Certified Students

This memorandum addresses inquiries regarding flexibility in determining the effective date of eligibility for students who are directly certified to receive free meals or free milk in the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the Special Milk Program.

SP51-2014
06/19/2014
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0022 Determining Eligibility for Two Cent Differential Reimbursement in New Schools

Section 4 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act provides general cash for food assistance payments to states to assist schools in purchasing food. The NSLA provides two different section 4 payment levels for lunches served under the NSLP.

SP30-2014
03/28/2014
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0014 New Q&As Related to the Certification of Compliance with Meal Requirements for the NSLP

Attached are revised Questions and Answers related to the final rule entitled, Certification of Compliance with Meal Requirements for the National School Lunch Program under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

SP26-2014
03/14/2014
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2013-0086 Effective Date of Free or Reduced Price Meal Eligibility Determinations

This memorandum clarifies the flexibility available to local educational agency officials for establishing the effective date of eligibility for children certified for free or reduced price meals in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and free milk in the Special Milk Program based on household applications.

SP11 CACFP06 SFSP11-2014
12/03/2013
Resource | Guidance Documents | FNS-GD-2013-0052 Letter to Households: Notification of Selection for Verification of Eligibility

Letter to Households: Notification of Selection for Verification of Eligibility

06/14/2013
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2013-0005 Quarterly Reporting Associated with School Food Authority Certification for Performance-Based Reimbursement

This memorandum provides information regarding the state agencies’ quarterly reporting requirements associated with identifying the number of school food authorities certified to receive the performance-based reimbursement for each lunch served in compliance with the new meal pattern requirements for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

SP20-2013
01/22/2013
Page updated: October 14, 2021