The SNAP E&T Fiscal Management Toolkit provides state agencies with a practical, end-to-end framework for managing program funds strategically, transparently, and in alignment with program goals.

This memorandum is a reminder to state agencies and local educational agencies that the statutory deadline to elect the Community Eligibility Provision for the following school year is June 30. This memorandum also provides a reminder of the annual CEP notification and publication requirements.

This is a new information collection for the contract of the project titled “Understanding Participant Experiences in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training.” The purpose of this collection is to help us develop a comprehensive understanding of how SNAP participants experience the SNAP E&T program and to identify actionable recommendations to help programs improve their customer service and efficiently connect participants with training and services that meet their needs.

The Food and Nutrition Service is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on Nov. 18, 2024.

The final rule, SNAP Employment and Training Program Monitoring, Oversight and Reporting measures, was published in the Federal Register on Nov.18, 2024. This final rule makes changes to the SNAP regulations implemented through the interim final rule. The provisions of this final rule are effective Jan. 17, 2025. However, to allow sufficient time for state agencies to make necessary modifications to their collection and reporting processes, state agencies must implement all provisions of this rule no later than Oct. 1, 2025. 

On Nov. 18, 2024, FNS published the final rule Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training (E&T) Program Monitoring, Oversight and Reporting Measures. The final rule implements the SNAP E&T provisions of section 4022(a)(2) of the Agricultural Act of 2014.

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.

The purpose of this memorandum is to update prior guidance to reflect changes made to the Community Eligibility Provision due to the Final Rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Community Eligibility Provision – Increasing Options for Schools (FR 65778), effective on Oct. 26, 2023. This final rule amended CEP regulations by lowering the minimum identified student percentage to elect CEP from 40 percent to 25 percent. 
 

This memorandum provides a reminder of the annual Community Eligibility Provision notification and publication requirements, including the changes made by the Final Rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Community Eligibility Provision – Increasing Options for Schools. This memorandum also reminds state agencies that the statutory election deadline for schools to elect CEP for school year 2024-25 is June 30, 2024.

This memorandum provides new guidance and questions and answers to address changes made by the CEP final rule. Additionally, this memorandum provides clarification on guidance related to CEP. The attached Q&As supersede SP 54-2016, Community Eligibility Provision: Guidance and Updated Q&As.