The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a federal program that enables eligible schools to serve free meals to all students by providing federal funding. Currently, schools qualify for CEP if 40% of more of the student population are identified to be enrolled in Head Start or Early Head Start, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as food stamps), and other similar federal assistance programs, or are homeless, migrant, runaway, or are in foster care.

USDA’s new proposal would lower this threshold to 25%, which means that many more schools will be eligible for the program and the number of students benefiting from healthy school meals will dramatically increase! Join us in showing your support for this new rule by submitting a public comment today.

*Comments are due May 8, 2023.

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