Food and Nutrition Programs

Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Training: How to Apply to CEP, Renew CEP ISP, and Maintain Program Integrity

To:	National School Lunch Program Directors and School Business Managers
From:	Robert M. Leshin, Director Office for Food and Nutrition Programs
Date:	December 15, 2016

Join the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Office for Food and Nutrition Programs and other allied organizations as we provide a training intended for districts that are eligible and looking to apply to implement the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as well as districts currently implementing CEP. The training will cover topics such as renewing current Identified Student Percentages (ISPs) and providing new and current CEP districts with strategies to maintain program integrity and stay in compliance with USDA regulations. The training will also include opportunities to learn promising practices from districts currently implementing CEP. The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA), amended section 11(a) (1) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42.U.S.C.1759a (a) (1)) requires the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide an alternative to household eligibility applications for free and reduced price meal eligibility in high poverty Local Educational Agencies (LEAs). This initiative is referred to as the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and is available to all LEAs that have eligible sites. CEP can be implemented in individual schools, a group of schools, or as a school district, depending on sites' eligibility status. The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is an option that can help schools achieve their educational goals by ensuring that children in low-income communities have access to healthy meals at school so they are ready to learn. In this program, schools agree to offer breakfast and lunch at no charge to all students. Designed to ease the burden of administering a high volume of applications for free and reduced price meals, CEP is a powerful tool to both increase universal access to child nutrition programs and reduce paperwork at the district, school, and household levels. Attendance by the School Nutrition Director and Business Manager is strongly recommended. The conference will cover many important topics for both newly eligible and current CEP districts. Topics that will be covered include:

An overview of the CEP application process including the eligibility requirements;
The criteria and process for renewing an LEA's Identified Student Percentage (ISP) for those implementing CEP including steps to determine ISPs;
Factors to consider when applying for a school, group of schools or district wide;
Strategies to maintain NSLP program integrity and successful student participation while implementing CEP; and
Financial forecasting to ensure strong financial viability

Additionally, districts currently implementing CEP will provide promising practices for maintaining program integrity while implementing CEP. We strongly recommend any district currently implementing CEP that had findings during their most recent Administrative Review to attend the training. The training is scheduled on the following date and location.

Date Location

Tuesday, January 24, 2017 Best Western Royal Plaza, Marlborough, MA

Important Registration Information

The training is scheduled from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Registration will begin at 8:30 am.
The registration deadline is January 19, 2017. Please register as soon as possible. Directions for the location can be found on the registration link. Lunch will not be provided. Registration needs to be completed by using the following link: Annual Community Eligibility Program Training. Please contact the Office for Food and Nutrition Programs at 781-338-6480 or by email at nutrition@doe.mass.edu if you have any questions related to the training(s).

Snow Policy

If school is cancelled in the city/town where the meeting is being held, then the meeting is cancelled and will be rescheduled.

Additional Information

Temperature conditions are beyond our control. Please come prepared with a light sweater or jacket if necessary.

We look forward to seeing you at this important training session, as the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office for Nutrition, Health and Safety Program strive to enhance the efficiency and quality of Child Nutrition Programs across the Commonwealth.

Last Updated: December 21, 2016