More Schools Are Now Eligible to Offer Free Meals to All Students through CEP

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it is giving an estimated 3,000 more school districts nationwide—including approximately 700 additional schools in New York—the option to serve breakfast and lunch to all students at no cost by expanding the availability of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

CEP is a federal option that allows high-poverty schools to offer free meals to all students. This new final rule lowers the eligibility threshold from 40% to 25%. Effective October 26, 2023, any school district, group of schools in a district, or individual school with 25 percent or more “identified students”—children eligible for free school meals by means other than an individual household application—can participate.

While this change in CEP applies across the country, it will be particularly impactful in New York State thanks to the new CEP State Subsidy. The CEP State Subsidy ensures all CEP meals are reimbursed at the “free rate," allowing all eligible New York schools to provide free meals to all students while alleviating the financial burden.

ACTION NEEDED: Mid-year CEP Applications Accepted until December 15, 2023

The New York State Department of Education, Child Nutrition Program Administration is now accepting applications for schools to apply for CEP to add newly eligible schools. Schools that do not already offer free meals to all students are encouraged to consider the following next steps:

• Review SED’s guidance on the mid-year election for CEP, including an updated list of potentially eligible schools available to download. 
• Assess potential eligibility to adopt or expand CEP in newly eligible schools. 
• Consider applying for CEP or expanding CEP to other schools in your district. 

Need individualized assistance? Hunger Solutions New York is committed to supporting school districts to apply for and implement CEP. Our goal is that all CEP-eligible schools maximize the CEP State Subsidy in the 2023-2024 school year. We provide support to schools at no cost.

Francesca DiGiorgio, MPH
School Meals Policy and Engagement Specialist
Francesca.DiGiorgio@HungerSolutionsNY.org

ICYMI: CEP State Subsidy Resources from Hunger Solutions New York

This summer, Hunger Solutions New York hosted a webinar series and disseminated a newsletter to support schools applying for and implementing CEP in the 2023-2024 school year. View these materials on our website.

We will continue our CEP newsletter this year to share updates, new resources, and webinars. If you would like to receive this newsletter, please contact Francesca.DiGiorgio@HungerSolutionsNY.org.

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