Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)

Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) was created as part of the USDA’s National School Breakfast and Lunch Program. It allows schools with high eligibility for free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch to "opt in" to provide free meals for all students in the qualifying school, regardless of income.

Yes. All students in the 14 CVSD qualified CEP schools will receive free breakfast and lunch, regardless of income:
- Adams Elementary, Bowdish Middle School, Broadway Elementary, Greenacres Elementary, Greenacres Middle School, McDonald Elementary, Mica Peak High School, North Pines Middle School, Opportunity Elementary, Ponderosa Elementary, Progress Elementary, Riverbend Elementary, South Pines Elementary, University Elementary

Only students at the 14 CEP schools will receive free breakfast and lunch through this program.
Students at non-participating schools may apply for free and reduced meals.

Students who are not eligible for free and reduced-price meals, according to the criteria of the National School Lunch Program, ONLY receive free breakfast and lunch if they attend a CEP participating school.

It’s important for all families to complete the CNEEB (Child Nutrition Eligibility & Education Benefit) application and return it to school. This survey helps the school district maintain Title 1 benefits from the federal government, which are used for educational programs, services and benefits for students.

If a household does not complete the application, the delivery of programs and services in your child’s school may be impacted. Therefore, it is very important that every household accurately completes the application. It's more than a meal... it's about gaining benefits for your child, their friends, teacher, school and community!
NOTE: If you received a letter in the mail that you are "direct certified "(approval of meal benefits), then you do not need to fill out the CNEEB application. This letter means your child has been qualified through the state of Washington and no form is needed. If you did not receive this letter, please fill out the CNEEB application form for the benefit of your school programs and services.

Unfortunately, no. Only CEP-designated schools are covered under the CEP benefit. Families may apply for the free and reduced-price meal program in our other schools.

Students can receive a full meal breakfast, which includes an entrée, fruit, juice and milk. Students can also receive a full meal lunch, which includes an entrée, fruit, vegetable and milk. Students must take the full meal and cannot just select one item or another. This provides a balanced nutritional offering to each student.

CEP requires that only complete meals be served at no-cost in order to provide a balanced nutritional offering to each student. We encourage students and families to take advantage of this by planning accordingly. Individual ala carte items may be purchased, but please note that your student’s account will be charged if they do not take a complete meal.

If you do not want your child to participate in CEP, you are always welcome to pack a lunch for your student.

The information collected in the CNEEB application will be protected using the same protocol as the information collected through the free and reduced-price program applications. Families that wish to share their eligibility status for other program benefits, such as decreased fees to participate in other school programs, must fill out a "Consent to Share" form. This form is included with CNEEB application along with the on-line applications.