CEP Background:

Copyright © 2012 School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. www.schoolnutrition.org

Community Eligibility Provision (CEP): What do I need to know?

Sunday, March 2, 9:45 am – 10:45

Speakers:

Robert Leshin Assistant Director, Office for Nutrition, Health and Safety

Massachusetts Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education

Josephine MackDirector of School Nutrition

Richmond County School System, GA

Lisa McCartyAssistant Superintendent of Support Services

Owensboro Public Schools, KY


CEP Background:• Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a

four-year reimbursement option for eligible high poverty LEAs and schools

• Advantages: All students receive free meals, eliminates over identification issues, simplifies meal claiming and reduces paperwork.

• Formerly known as Community Eligibility Option (CEO)

• Currently participating: DC, IL, KY, MI, NY, OH, WV, FL, GA, MD, MA

• Available nationwide on July 1, 2014


Eligibility Requirements:• LEAs must have at least 1 school with 40% or more “Identified Students” (certified without application)

• Eligible LEAs/schools must offer breakfast AND lunch at no charge to all students

• Do not collect free and reduced price applications from households in participating schools during the period of participation in CEP.

• CEP can be implemented in 1 school, group of schools or district-wide.


Identified Students:Students certified for free meals w/o the use of a household application

– e.g. directly certified with SNAP, TANF, FDPIR, categorically eligible – migrant youth, homeless, head start etc.


CEP Reimbursements• % Identified Students x 1.6 = % meals reimbursed at “free” rate. All other meals reimbursed at “paid” rate– eg: At a school with 50% Identified Students, 80% of brkfst/lunches served would be reimbursed at free rate, 20% reimbursed at paid rate (50 x 1.6 = 80)

• CEP schools/LEAs are guaranteed the same reimbursement rate for 4 years (or a higher rate if the Identified Student rate increases)

• Total monthly meal counts needed for claim


USDA CEP Calculator:


Massachusetts Implementation SY 2013-2014

• Published guidance on website• Boston Public Schools only LEA participating in SY 2013-2014

• Increase in federal reimbursement• Additional CEP information sessions for LEAs with eligible schools

• Presentation at state school business officials association


Massachusetts Challenges

• Implications of not collecting household income applications: Other Federal and State funding programs (Title 1, IDEA, E-Rate etc.)

• Working with other offices to properly interpret USED issued guidance

• Goal is to utilize existing sources of information to provide comparable low income statistics to eliminate collection of household income data


Massachusetts Challenges

• Updating NSLP application and claim reimbursement system to support CEP claiming

• New staff member dedicated to CEP• Data: Validating ISP


Josephine MackDirector of School Nutrition

Richmond County School System, GA


Richmond County Implementation SY 2013-2014

Student Meals at No Cost

Richmond County is pleased to provide breakfast and lunch meals at NO COST to ALL students in

our schools. No application is required.

Students, please join us for breakfast and lunch at NO COST.

A la carte items may still be separately

purchased.


Richmond County School System Challenges

• Board members were reluctant to approve CEP because the concerned of school system losing funds and /or not qualify for other Federal and State programs (Title 1, E-Rate, etc.)

• Completing all the calculations to determine how Title 1 would be impacted

• Collaborating with other agencies to certify identified students (homeless, foster children)


Richmond County School System Challenges

• Determining how many more students will participate in Breakfast and Lunch Programs in order to have enough food purchased

• Determining how to calculate our Free and Paid percentages for reimbursement


Benefits of Community Eligibility Provision

• No Paper Applications• Eliminate Student Charges• Eliminate Serving Alternative Meals• Eliminate Returned Checks• Increase Breakfast and Lunch Participation• It is what’s best for children…. in order for them to go to class and be ready to learn


Lisa McCartyAssistant Superintendent

of Support ServicesOwensboro Public Schools, KY


OWENSBORO PUBLIC SCHOOLSOWENSBORO, KENTUCKY

2011-2012School FREE REDUCED PAID TOTAL % FREE % REDUCED %F/R % DIRECT

CERTCLAIMFREE

CRAVENS 267 21 22 310 86 7 93 66.91% Group 100%Free

ESTES 391 26 34 451 87 6 92 68.61% Group 100%Free

FOUST 331 19 36 386 86 5 91 68.37% Group 100%Free

HAGER 351 16 35 402 87 4 91 60% Group 100%Free

NEWTONPARRISH

227 65 151 443 51 15 66 33.65% Group 100%Free

SUTTON 137 40 210 387 35 10 46 24.18% Group 100%Free

OMSSOUTH

450 55 182 687 66 8 74 43.31% Group 100%Free

OMSNORTH

411 47 171 629 65 7 73 42.81% Group 100%Free

OHSHIGH SCHOOL

655 98 361 1114 59 9 68 31.67% Pay for Meals

7-HILLSALTERNATIVE

53 6 7 66 80 9 89 54.41% Group 100%Free


IMPLEMENTING CEP

INVOLVE KEY PLAYERS IN DISCUSSION*SUPERINTENDENT

*PRINCIPALS*SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS


Questions to Consider???

• What will the community think about students not having to pay for their meals?

• Will it be positive or negative publicity for the district?

• Will there be an increase in student enrollment?

• Will the SFS lose money?• Will our cost increase?


“STRATEGY”• Avoid using the statement “Free Lunch or Free Meals”

• It is not free, SFS pays for the food, labor, and other expenses

• Promote it as “ A no cost meal to students”


RESULTS

• Parents love it!• Second year for Preschool-Elementary• First year for Middle School• Increase in participation• Increase in revenue-$200,000 (2012-2013)• Increase in food cost-$40,000


CEP RESOURCES• SNA’s CEP Webinar Series:

www.schoolnutrition.org/webinar – Making the Most of Community Eligibility Provision (under archives)– Eliminating School Meal Applications (March 26)– Determining which Schools will be Eligible to Participate in CEP (April 2)

• SNA’s ANC Boston: www.schoolnutrition.org/ANC– CEP pre-con and ed sessions

• Links to key USDA and State Materials:www.frac.org/community-eligibility

http://www.schoolnutrition.org/webinar

http://www.schoolnutrition.org/ANC

http://www.frac.org/community-eligibility

Documents

CEP Background: