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Thank you for your continued support in ensuring students have healthy and available food options in school. In September, the USDA announced an expansion of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Previously, 40 percent of enrolled students were required to be in households participating in specific income-based federal assistance programs; this has decreased to a threshold of 25 percent, as outlined in this final rule.
What Does This Mean for Oregon?
ODE Child Nutrition Programs applied for a USDA waiver to permit mid-year CEP election and allow newly eligible schools to participate in CEP during the 2023-2024 school year.
On October 23, 2023, FNS determined that approval of the waiver request would facilitate the ability of the State and its local educational agencies (LEAs) to carry out the purpose of the School Meals Program.
FNS approved ODE’s request with the following response:
- As requested, the waiver will allow ODE to extend the CEP election deadline for LEAs statewide to November 30, 2023.
- The waiver also allows use of data as of October 1, 2023, only in cases where schools do not have data as of April 1, 2023. If available, data as of April 1, 2023, must be used to calculate the ISP to elect CEP for SY 2023-2024. If an LEA does not have April 1, 2023, data, it may use data drawn as of October 1, 2023., which would include students directly certified for free meals with Medicaid.
- Because the CEP rule is not effective until October, Oregon LEAs electing mid-year may begin using their CEP claiming percentage the month they elect under the new claiming percentage and not before October 2023.
Student Success Act Community Eligibility Provision Incentive (CEPI) State Funds:
As a reminder, CEPI funds (also referred to as Student Success Act (SSA) funds) are only available to public schools and eligible public charters that meet the 40 percent threshold of qualifying students. ThisOAR outlines the guidelines for qualifying for Oregon CEP Incentive funds.
For LEAs interested in mid-year CEP election for sites that meet the 25 percent threshold using April 1, 2023, data, please complete the Community Eligibility Provision: SY 2023–24 Mid-Year Waiver survey by October 31, 2023.
If you have any questions, please contact your Child Nutrition Specialist.
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