FNS Documents & Resources

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. 

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.

A webinar for state agencies and local program operators sharing proactive strategies to prevent and manage unpaid meal charges as schools return to standard counting and claiming in SY 2022-23.

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.

This question and answer memorandum is designed to provide an overview of policies related to unpaid meal charges and to address common questions FNS has received from state agencies, school food authorities, and local program operators.

The purpose of this memorandum is to strongly encourage local educational agencies to accept eligibility determinations from a transferring student’s former LEA to minimize disruptions in meal benefits for low-income students and avoid student debt resulting from unpaid meal charges.

The Departments of Agriculture, Education and Health and Human Services issued a tri-agency letter outlining the categorical eligibility of children and youth in foster care for free school meals.

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.