Child Nutrition Programs: Community Eligibility Provision-Increasing Options for Schools

Issuing agencies

Abstract

This rulemaking proposes to expand access to the Community Eligibility Provision by lowering the minimum identified student percentage participation threshold from 40 percent to 25 percent, which would give States and schools greater flexibility to choose to invest non-Federal funds to offer no-cost meals to all enrolled students. As a result, more students, families, and schools would have an opportunity to experience the benefits of the Community Eligibility Provision, including access to meals at no cost, eliminating unpaid meal charges, minimizing stigma, reducing paperwork for school nutrition staff and families, and streamlining meal service operations. When all students have access to healthy school meals, meal participation tends to increase, and more children can experience nutritional benefits that fuel their learning, growth, and development. This proposed rule would also support State and local choices to expand the availability of free school meals for all through programs supported by State or local funding. Lowering the eligibility threshold would allow States and local educational agencies to optimize use of the Community Eligibility Provision, helping them to support school meals in a more streamlined manner.