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Resource | Training and Outreach 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 Community Eligibility Provision Deadlines in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs

FNS is establishing a targeted waiver, for all states and local educational agencies, to extend statutory and regulatory deadlines relating to Community Eligibility Provision reporting and election during the public health emergency due to COVID–19.

03/26/2021
Resource | Policy Memos TEFAP State Plan Requests and Allocations for FY 2021 Farm to Food Bank Projects

This memo is addressed to TEFAP state agencies and provides the initial allocations for FY 2021 Farm to Food Bank Projects. This memo includes details on information collections under OMB# 0584-0293 and OMB# 0584-0594.

10/07/2020
Resource | Policy Memos Nationwide Waiver of Community Eligibility Provision Deadlines in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs

FNS is establishing a nationwide waiver to support the Community  Eligibility Provision while schools are responding to the novel coronavirus. The deadlines affected by this waiver include the CEP election, notification and reporting deadlines.

04/23/2020
Resource | Policy Memos 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.

06/10/2019
Resource | Policy Memos FY 2019 Homeless Shelter Deduction Memo

On Dec. 20, 2018, SNAP was reauthorized as part of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. This information memorandum describes the provisions of Section 4004 of the Act, which is self-executing. An information memorandum outlining the remaining SNAP provisions will follow shortly.

02/08/2019
Resource | Policy Memos 2017 Edition: Overcoming the Unpaid Meal Challenge - Proven Strategies from Our Nation’s Schools

This is the 2017 Edition of Overcoming the Unpaid Meal Challenge: Proven Strategies from Our Nation’s Schools. This best practice guide is designed to support state agencies and local program operators in their efforts to find workable solutions to the challenge of unpaid meal charges.

05/10/2017
Resource | Policy Memos Unpaid Meal Charges: Guidance and Q&As

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.

03/23/2017
Resource | Policy Memos 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.

03/16/2017
Resource | Guidance Documents 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.

12/01/2016
Page updated: October 14, 2021