Wilkes County will continue its policy to operate the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Program under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program for the 2025-2026 school year. All Wilkes County Schools qualify to operate CEP and will serve breakfast and lunch to all children in grades Pre-K - 12th grade at no charge and eliminate the collection of meal applications for free, reduced-price, and paid student meals.

Children need healthy meals to learn. Wilkes County offers healthy meals every school day at no charge to your child(ren) in grades Pre-K -12th. Our food service receives support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs (NSLP).

Section 104(a) of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (Act) amended section 11(a)(1) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to provide an alternative that eliminates the need for household applications for free and reduced-price meals in high-poverty local education agencies (LEAs) and schools. This alternative, which is now part of the NSLP, is referred to as the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

To be eligible, LEAs and/or schools must meet a minimum level of “identified students” for free meals in the year prior to implementing the CEP; agree to serve free breakfasts and lunches to all students; and agree to cover with non-Federal funds any costs of providing free meals to students above the amounts provided by Federal assistance. Reimbursement for each LEA or school is based on claiming percentages derived from the percentage of identified students, i.e., students certified for free meals through means other than individual household applications. The claiming percentages established in the first year for an LEA or school may be used for four school years and may be increased if the percentage of identified students rises for the LEA or school.

Special Assistance Alternative Community Eligibility Provision

PUBLIC MEDIA RELEASE

NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH/SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAMS

By participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and eliminating the need for meal applications, Wilkes County School District will reduce administrative and printing costs. Families also benefit from the elimination of completing and submitting meal applications.

Children need healthy meals to learn. Wilkes County offers healthy meals every school day at no charge to your child(ren). Our food service receives support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

The following schools will be participating in this alternative provision and provide meals at no charge to children:

Washington Wilkes Primary School

Washington Wilkes Elementary School

Washington Wilkes Middle School

Washington Wilkes Comprehensive High School

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