Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) provides an alternative approach for offering school meals to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools in low income areas, instead of collecting individual applications for free and reduced price meals.
The CEP allows schools that predominantly serve low-income children to offer free, nutritious school meals to all students through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. The CEP uses information from other programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance Program for Needy Families (TANF) instead of traditional paper applications. For more information about the CEP application process, please contact the Nutrition Services staff at 402-471-2488 or 800-731-2233.
Summer 2020 CEP Webinar: Tuesday August 4th at 2 p.m. CST
The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) provides school meals to students at no cost to them. With rising food insecurity due to COVID-19, CEP will be a lifeline for many students and families in Nebraska in the coming school year. CEP also simplifies counting and claiming (hello, meals in the classroom!), eliminates school meals debt, and improves student behavioral and academic outcomes. Are you considering adopting or expanding CEP this school year? Join this public webinar to learn more about how to make CEP work for your team and your students in SY20-21. Use this link to register for the webinar being hosted by our partners, Nebraska Appleseed: https://strength.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_m8UflAXQQ6SZrA8FAunhRQ
Nationwide Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Data Waiver
This waiver makes the following adjustments to annual CEP deadlines:
| CEP Requirement | Annual Deadline | Waiver Deadline |
| Data Used to Calculate ISP | April 1 | Anytime between
July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021 |
| LEA Notification | April 15 | June 30, 2021 |
| State Agency Notification | April 15 | June 30, 2021 |
| State Agency Publication | May 1 | June 30, 2021 |
| Elect CEP for Following SY | June 30 | September 30, 2021 |
CEP Annual Notification
- Covid-19: Child Nutrition Response #82 – National Waiver of CEP Deadlines
- SP 11-2018 Memo: Community Eligibility Provision: Statutory Annual Notification and Publication Requirements
- CEP Data Template
- Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Annual Notification Spreadsheet (Local Education Agency and School education.ne.gov/…/COVID19NationWideWaiver82s.pdfLevel – Masking rules apply. Proxy data are used.)
CEP Makes Cents
This July 2019 webinar uses Title 1, TEEOSA, and E-Rate data from current Nebraska CEP schools to show the program’s overall positive financial impact.
CEP Resources
- SP 61-2016 Memo – Fall 2016 Edition: Community Eligibility Provision: Planning and Implementation Guidance
- CEP Fact-Sheet – What Does It Mean For Your School or Local Educational Agency? – April 2015
- CEP Brochure
- USDA / USDE Letter of Support.pdf
- U.S. Department of Education CEP Guidance.pdf – Published March 2015
- This guidance provides ED’s interpretation of various statutory provisions and does not impose any requirements beyond those included in the ESEA and other applicable laws and regulations. It replaces guidance provided on Title I and Community Eligibility, most recently in July 2012, and does not create or confer any rights for or on any person.
- USAC Erate CEP Letter 7-31-2012
Forms
- Community Eligibility Provision Monthly Federal Reimbursement Estimator (2017-18).xls
- Worksheet for LEAs:Calculating the Identified Student Percentage
USDA Memos and Program Guidance
- SP 20-2017 CEP: Annual Notification and Publication Requirements
SP 20-2016 CEP: Extension of the Deadline for Local Educational Agencies to Elect the Community Eligibility Provision for School Year 2016-17 - SP 19-2016 CEP: Community Eligibility Provision: Guidance and Updated Q & As
- SP 19-2014 CEP: Department of Education Title I Guidance (January 31, 2014)
- SP 21-2014 CEP: Guidance and Q & As (February 25, 2014)
- SP 32-2014 CEP: Annual Nonfiction and Publication Requirements (April 01, 2014)
Power Points
- NDE Administrators Day July 30, 2014, CEP Nutrition Services and Title I
Webinars
- CEP Part 1: Making the Most of Community Eligibility Provision
- CEP Part 2: Eliminating School Meal Applications
- CEP Part 3: Determining which schools will be Eligible to Participate in CEP
- Reducing Barriers to Adopting the Community Eligibility Provision June 11, 2014
- New TEEOSA Multiplier Makes CEP Work for Schools, September 21, 2016, September 21, 2016
- Case study video: CEP Benefits at Druid Hill Elementary in Omaha, September 21, 2016
- Case study: CEP Benefits at Druid Hill Elementary in Omaha, September 21, 2016