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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 | Guidance Documents | FNS-GD-2013-0024 El virus estomacal

El virus estomacal: lo que el personal de la escuela debe saber

09/07/2023
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0052 Requirements for Students Transferring from Provision to non-Provision Schools

This memorandum reminds state and local program operators about a provision in the final rule effective on July 1, 2019, relating to free and reduced price eligibility for students transferring between LEAs during the school year.

SP30-2019
06/10/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0027 CEP: Statutory Annual Notification and Publication Requirements and SY 2019-20 Election Deadline

This memorandum details guidance on the annual Community Eligibility Provision notification and publication requirements.

SP17-2019
03/26/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0064 Donated Food Storage, Distribution, and Product Dating

This memorandum is meant to provide clarification and guidance on policies and procedures for donated food storage and distribution as they relate to product dating.

FD-107
11/21/2017
Resource | Policy Memos Area Eligibility in Child Nutrition Programs

The purpose of this memorandum is to revise guidance on the use of school and census data to establish area eligibility in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the At-Risk Afterschool component of CACFP, the Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option of the National School Lunch Program.

SP08 CACFP04, SFSP03-2017
12/01/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2015-0025 Updated Title I Guidance for Schools Electing Community Eligibility

One important goal of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 is to ensure that children have access to the nutrition they need to grow into healthy adults.

SP35-2015
04/27/2015
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0079 Updated E-Rate Guidance for Schools Electing Community Eligibility

This memorandum notifies state agencies and local program operators of recently updated rules issued by the Federal Communications Commission regarding the calculation of discount rates under the E-Rate program for schools electing the Community Eligibility Provision.

SP08-2015
11/21/2014
Resource | Guidance Documents | FNS-GD-2014-0045 Responding to Food Recall Procedures for Recalls of USDA Foods

This manual was developed to provide an overview of the recall process for USDA Foods with a focus on school meals programs.

05/30/2014
Resource | Guidance Documents | FNS-GD-2013-0028 The Food Allergy Book

English and Spanish versions of, "The Food Allergy Book: What School Employees Need to Know". Written by NEA Healthy Futures, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the National Education Association. 

08/21/2013
Page updated: October 14, 2021