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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 | 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 | 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 | 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-2017-0014 Local School Wellness Policy: Guidance and Q&As

Local educational agencies participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program are required to develop a local school wellness policy that promotes the health of students and addresses the problem of childhood obesity.

SP24-2017
04/06/2017
Resource | Final Rule Final Rule: Local School Wellness Policy Implementation Under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010; Approval of Information Collection Request

The final rule titled Local School Wellness Policy Implementation Under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 was published on July 29, 2016. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) cleared the associated information collection requirements on Sept. 12, 2016. This document announces approval of the ICR.

01/09/2017
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 | Final Rule Final Rule: Local School Wellness Policy Implementation Under the HHFKA of 2010

This final rule requires all local educational agencies that participate in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to meet expanded local school wellness policy requirements consistent with the requirements set forth in section 204 of the Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act of 2010.

07/29/2016
Resource | Final Rule Final Rule: Eliminating Applications Through Community Eligibility as Required by the HHFKA of 2010

This final rule establishes requirements for state agencies, local educational agencies, and schools operating the Community Eligibility Provision, a reimbursement option that allows the service of school meals to all children at no-cost in high poverty schools without collecting household applications.

07/29/2016
Page updated: October 14, 2021