Community Eligibility Provision

Contact Information

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) provides local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools in low-income areas with an alternative approach for operating school meal programs. As opposed to collecting individual applications for free and reduced-price meals, the CEP allows LEAs and schools meeting the eligibility requirements to use information provided from other direct certification programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance Program for Needy Families (TANF). Any school, group of schools, or LEA with an enrollment consisting of at least forty (40) percent of directly certified students may take part in this new option beginning in the 2014-2015 school year.

For more information on the CEP program, please see the National School Lunch Program webpage on the WDE website. Additionally, for information regarding the CEP and the Title I-A program, please see the below guidance issued by the United States Department of Education.

For additional CEP assistance contact: