This flyer explains how the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the school lunch and breakfast program works. CEP is a federal option that allows highpoverty schools to provide free meals—both breakfast and lunch—to all students without having to collect school meal applications. Instead schools are reimbursed through a formula based on the number of “identified… Read more »
Child Nutrition
Hungry to Learn: Addressing Food and Housing Insecurity Among Undergraduates
- Download "Wisconsin_hope_lab_hungry_to_learn"
- Download "Wisconsin_HOPE_Lab_Data Brief 16-01_Undergraduate_Housing and_Food_Insecurity"
In December 2015, the Wisconsin HOPE Lab released Hungry to Learn: Addressing Food and Housing Insecurity Among Undergraduates. This report surveys more than 4,000 undergraduate students at 10 community colleges from around the country to assess the incidence of food and housing insecurity, including homelessness, among these students. According to survey results, “half of all… Read more »
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Policy on Non-Citizen Eligibility
A person must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible, lawfully-present non-citizen to qualify for SNAP benefits. Non-citizens who are eligible based on their immigration status must also satisfy other SNAP eligibility requirements such as income and resource limits to receive SNAP benefits. Access the policy summary at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/snap-policy-non-citizen-eligibility.
USDA SNAP Homeless Youth Policy 2013
This memorandum provides policy clarification that will help to ensure that eligible homeless youth can access the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Access to Food for Homeless and Highly Mobile Students
Best Practices in interagency collaboration
This brief is designed for state and local child nutrition program administrators, cafeteria managers, State Coordinators for Homeless Education, and local homeless education liaisons. It explains the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Child Nutrition Division (CND) policies regarding eligibility for free school meals for certain homeless, migrant, runaway, and foster students; addresses frequently asked questions about implementing these policies; and offers tools to ensure that these students can access food both inside and outside of school.
Child Nutrition Brief
The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-265) expands federal child nutrition programs in several ways to assist homeless and runaway children and youth by providing:
• Automatic eligibility for free school meals to homeless and runaway children
• Streamlined procedures to document such eligibility
• Full school year eligibility for free school meals
• Federal nutrition funds for shelters that serve children and youth up to age 18
USDA Memo: Effective Date of Free or Reduced Price Meal Eligibility Determinations
This memorandum clarifies the flexibility available to local educational agency (LEA) officials for establishing the effective date of eligibility for children certified for free or reduced price meals in the National School Lunch (NSLP) and School Breakfast Programs (SBP) and free milk in the Special Milk Program (SMP) based on household applications. Please note, while this memorandum specifically discusses the NSLP, SBP and SMP, this flexibility extends to the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program, as applicable.
USDA Memo: Eligibility Effective Date for Directly Certified Students
This memorandum addresses inquiries regarding flexibility in determining the effective date of eligibility for students who are directly certified to receive free meals or free milk in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and the Special Milk Program (SMP).
USDA Memo: Statutory Change Regarding Child Nutrition Programs
Section 107 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Act) amended section 9(b) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act makes runaway, homeless and migrant children categorically eligible for free meal benefits under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and is effective July 1, 2004. In addition to establishing free meal eligibility, the Act also establishes a requirement for documenting a child’s status as runaway, homeless, or migratory.