Eligibility | CEP | Verification
Determining Household Eligibility
- 7CFR 245 - Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals and Free Milk in Schools
- SP 36-2017 - Policy Memo re: 2017 Edition of the Eligibility Manual for School Meals
- SP 36-2017a - Eligibility Manual for School Meals: Determining and Verifying Eligibility
- USDA Provision 2 Guidance
Continuing Education Resources
- Determining Eligibility Webinar Recording and PowerPoint Slides Handout
- Eligibility Manual for School Meals
- Eligibility Definitions and Acronyms
Economically Disadvantaged Student Data (EDS)
Application for Need-Based Assistance
Every school year, a variety of opportunities are available for students from families with limited financial resources. SFAs should use the designated space on this form to describe how the school plans to use the household socioeconomic information to assist the student. Examples include, but are not limited to, fee waivers for Advanced Placement Testing or SATs, a grant for classroom technology, after-school tutoring, band or athletic uniforms, etc.
Record of Extended Benefits Form Template
The Extended Benefits form provides a recording tool to maintain documentation of all benefits that are extended. This is an optional template that can be used if eligibility software does not provide this information. All extended benefits documentation must be maintained for three (3) years plus the current year.
Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
Section 104(a) of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 amended the National School Lunch Act to provide an alternative to household eligibility applications for free and reduced price meals in high poverty local educational agencies (LEAs) (or districts) and schools. The overall purpose of the CEP is to improve access to nutritious meals for students in high poverty areas by providing meals to all students “at no cost” to the students.
Section 104(a) of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 amended the National School Lunch Act to provide an alternative to household eligibility applications for free and reduced price meals in high poverty local educational agencies (LEAs) (or districts) and schools. The overall purpose of the CEP is to improve access to nutritious meals for students in high poverty areas by providing meals to all students “at no cost” to the students.
- SP 08-2024 - Community Eligibility Provision: Planning Implementation Guidance - Updated
- Community Eligibility Provision (CEP): Planning and Implementation Guidance Manual
- SP 09-2024 Community Eligibility Provision: Guidance and Updated Q&As | Food and Nutrition Service
- CEP - Title I Guidance (USDE) (rev 15-0011.doc)
- FCC-14-99A1 - Modernizing the E-rate Program for Schools and Libraries