Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is an alternative to collecting, approving, and verifying household eligibility applications for free and reduced price eligible students in high poverty local educational agencies (LEAs) for schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. For a LEA to be eligible to use CEP for school year 2020-2021, the LEA must have one or more schools having an identified student percentage of 40% or greater for the 2019-20 school year. School Food Authorities (SFAs) may use data collected for individual student through June 30th of the current school year. Please note that this is an extended period that has been granted by USDA due to the COVID 19 pandemic. The identified student percentage is NOT the same as the total number of students eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Identified student counts ONLY include the following:
- Directly certified students and extension of direct certification benefits to other household members
- Homeless students certified as such by the district liaison
- Migrant youth certified by local officials
- Runaway youth certified by local officials
- Head Start students and
- Foster children, certified based on documentation from the foster child case worker
The LEA and school must agree to offer all enrolled students breakfasts and lunches at no cost (free) and cover any cost above the federal reimbursement received with non-Federal funds. CEP is approved for four successive school years, with an option annually to return to traditional meal counting and claiming procedures. Reimbursement for schools participating in CEP is based on claiming percentages (Free and Paid only) derived from the percentages of identified students multiplied by a USDA established factor. Please watch the presentation below for more information. Applications and CEP worksheets are due to the State Agency no later than August 31, 2020, or the first day of school of the submitting SFA, whichever comes first. This due date, normally June 30th, has been extended by USDA as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic
- CEP Webinar - Beyond the Basics (9/5/18)
- 2020 Community Eligibility Annual Notification of Schools.xlsx - Keep in mind these eligibility percentages are calculated using proxy data pulled from STN reports and matched with Food Stamp/TANF date. LEAs interested in electing CEP must provide actual school-level identified student and enrollment data between April 1 and June 30, 2020.
CEP Application and supporting documents information
CEP Forms SY 2020-2021
- CEP Agreement SY 2020-2021 - the deadline to apply for SY 2020-2021 is August 31, 2020 (or the LEA's first day of school, whichever comes first)
- CEP Site Worksheets SY 2020-2021
- CEP Sample Letter Households SY 2020-2021
- CEP Estimator Worksheet SY 2020-2021
CEP Guidance
- Joint Letter (USDA and USDOE) Regarding Title 1 and CEP
- U.S. Department of Education CEP and Title I Guidance (updated March 2015)
- USDA Memo SP 15-2016 - State Agency Procedures to Ensure ISP Accuracy
- USDA Memo SP 22-2016 - CEP Planning and Implementation Guidance (Memo)
- USDA Manual SP 22-2016 - CEP Planning Implementation Guidance (Manual)
- USDA Memo SP 26-2016 - CEP Annual Notification and Publication Requirements
- USDA Memo SP 54-2016 - CEP Updated Q & A (September 2016)
CEP Resources
- CEP Schools - Textbook Application SY 2020-2021 fillable
- CEP Schools - Textbook Application SY 2020-2021 (Spanish) - coming soon
- CEP Schools - Direct Certification Notification Letter for Textbooks
- How to File a Site Claim for CEP Sponsors
For more information about the Community Eligibility Provision, contact Marcia Yurczyk or Tina Herzog.
