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Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for Child Nutrition - AAEA Summer Conference August 5, 2015

Learn about the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) that allows schools to serve meals at no charge to enrolled students. Discover how CEP differs from traditional school meal programs and the benefits it provides to students, parents, and schools.

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Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for Child Nutrition - AAEA Summer Conference August 5, 2015

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  1. CommunityEligibility PROVISION (CEP) Child Nutrition Unit AAEA Summer Conference August 5, 2015

  2. What is the Community Eligibility Provision? TheCommunity Eligibility Provision,or CEPallows schools withahigh percentageofneedy childrentoservemeals at no charge toall enrolled studentsfora period ofup tofour consecutiveschool years Individualschools,groups of schools,orentireschool districtsmayelectCEP, provided theymeetthe participationrequirements

  3. What Makes CEP Different? Traditionalschoolmeal programsrequireschoolsto determinechildren’seligibility for freeor reducedpriceschool mealsonan individualbasis CEPdoesnot requirethe collection of meal applications andeliminatestheneedto collectmoneyfromstudents CEPreliesondata of otherassistanceprograms, liketheSupplementalNutritionAssistance Program(SNAP)

  4. CEPBenefits • Students: • Healthy meals at no charge • Withuniversalmeal service,thereisno stigmaattachedtoa freemeal Parents: Schools: • Reduces paperworkand administrativecosts • Donothavetofillout individualhousehold applications • Streamlinesmealservice operation • Donothavetoworry aboutrefillingmeal accounts,orwhether theirchildhasan opportunitytoeatat school • Studentsspendlesstime waitinginlinesand more timeeating;they areless likely to discardfood and cometoclassbetter nourishedandreadyto learn

  5. FIN-15-110Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Procedures Procedures for SY 2015-16

  6. ElectionandEligibility • LEA must participate in NSLP or SBP and have a record of operating those programs within federal regulations • LEAs mayelecttheProvisionfor: • allschoolsin theLEA • agroup ofschoolsor • anindividualschool • Eligibleschoolorgroupofschoolsmusthavean aggregateidentified studentpercentageofatleast40percent • LEAs are required tosubmit the election formbyAugust 31 tobeginCEP intheSY2015-16 • ElectionisanLEAleveldecisionbutrequiresapproval fromtheStateagency

  7. Definitions Identified Students – the number approved as free eligible who are not subject to verification. SNAP, Homeless, Migrant, Runaways, Head Start, pre-K Even Start, Foster children certified through means other than an application any other non-applicants approved by local officials.. DOES NOT INCLUDE students who are categorically eligible based on submission of a free and reduced price application

  8. How is the Identified Student Percentage (ISP) calculated? # of IdentifiedStudents Identified Student%= X100 Total#of enrolled students Theidentifiedstudent percentagemaybe determinedby: anindividualparticipatingschool agroupofparticipatingschoolsintheLEA entireLEA if allschoolsparticipate

  9. How are schools grouped? Schools can be eligible to participatein CEP individually,ina group, or district-wide When schools are grouped, ISPis calculatedusing theidentifiedstudentandenrollmenttotalsforall schools in thegroup Schools thatwouldnotbe eligibletoparticipatein CEP individuallymay participateas partofa group, provided thatthegroup’s ISP is still atleast 40% LEAscan enrollmultiple groups in CEP

  10. Grouping Example Inthisexample,threeschoolsare groupedtogether by their LEA: Totalidentifiedstudentsforgroup (248)Totalenrollmentforgroup (420)

  11. Howaremealsclaimed? ISP is multiplied bya factor of1.6to determinethe%oftotalmealsservedthat will be reimbursedat the FederalFREErate 1.6 multiplier approximatesfreeandreduced%if applicationswerestill collected The remaining% of total meals is reimbursed at the FederalPAIDrate IfISP>62.5,allmealsreimbursedatFREE rate (62.5x1.6=100)

  12. Examples • District percentage of identified students is 40%. • 40% x 1.6 = 64%. The district can claim 64% of meals served as free. The remaining 36% is claimed as paid. NO REDUCED IS CLAIMED • District percentage of identified students is 50% • 50% x 1.6 = 80%. The district can claim 80% of meals served as free. The remaining 20% is claimed as paid. NO REDUCED IS CLAIMED. • District percentage of identified students is 60% • 60% x 1.6 = 96%. The district can claim 96% of meals served as free. The remaining 4% is claimed as paid. NO REDUCED IS CLAIMED.

  13. When do LEAshave tocover operatingcosts? WhenthelevelofFederal reimbursementreceivedunderCEPis lessthanthe costof providingmeals at no charge to all student, LEA uses other non-federal funds such as district operating funds.

  14. Other Programs • Districts/schools can use the CEP percentage (identified students x 1.6) for determining area eligibility in the: • Summer Food Service Program through DHS • Seamless Summer through ADE • Child and Adult Care Food Program(CACFP) • At-Risk-Afterschool Snacks through DHS • Afterschool Snacks through the NSLP • Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program • CONTACT STATE AGENCY FOR FURTHER GUIDANCE

  15. Can CEP be Stopped? LEAsorschool(s)mayreturntostandard countingandclaiminganytimeduringthe school year. (New applications must be distributed and processed) State agencies must provide schools or LEAs dropping out in the middle ofa school year atleast30daystotransitionbackto standardcountingand claiming

  16. Changes During the 4-Year Cycle • Anew identified student percentagemaybe establishedeach year (April 1) • Duringthe2nd,3rdand 4thyears,theLEA/school may select thehigher of the identified student percentagefrom: • theyeardirectlyprior;OR • theyearpriortothefirstyearofoperatingCEP • LEAs/schoolsin year4withan identifiedstudent percentageof less than40%butmorethan30%may elect foran additional year (a grace year)

  17. Recordkeeping • Records must be maintained for the duration of the CEP plus 5 years from the last claim submitted for the CEP cycle and for any period with unresolved audit findings • LEAs MUST retain ALL records and documentation used to calculate the ISP%

  18. Financial Viability Ensuring financialviability is key whenelecting CEP USDA EstimatorTool http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/community-eligibility-provision Includes: Policyguidance Programrequirements/information CEPguidancefromotherFederalagencies

  19. CNU Contact Information: Patricia Winders Donna Ratliff Suzanne Davidson 501-324-9502 CNU Email Addresses: firstname.lastname@arkansas.gov

  20. ? Questions

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