Lake Dallas ISD has some exciting news! During the 2024-2025 school year, all students at Lake Dallas Elementary, Corinth Elementary, and Shady Shores Elementary will receive free breakfast and lunch thanks to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).
The CEP allows us to offer meals at no cost to every elementary student, no matter their eligibility for free or reduced lunch. This program is based on a specific percentage of students enrolled in SNAP, TANF or Medicaid, and our schools have met the required 25% ISP to qualify.
Families with students at Lake Dallas Middle and High School will still need to apply for meal benefits since those campuses aren’t covered by the CEP. Families with students enrolled in Elementary school may still help the district’s school funding if they do fill out the application.
DID YOU KNOW that submitting your application for the National School Lunch Program can do MORE than just provide access to free and reduced-price school meals? Qualification under NSLP may also mean you are eligible for:
- Pandemic EBT Benefits
- Increased School Funding
- Reduced Registration fees for AP, SAT, and ACT testing
- Discounted rates associated with college applications
- Discounted rates on Internet services
Click here to apply in Skyward Family Access
We’re confident that this initiative will help ease financial stress for families, boost student attendance, and improve participation in school meals, ultimately supporting our students' well-being and academic success.
Helpful Questions and Answers Regarding CEP
Question: How will CEP affect Title 1 funding?Answer: CEP will not impact the total amount of Title 1 funding received at the district level. However, it may impact the distribution percentages for funding received at the campus level.
Question: Are funds outside of federal funds required to operate NSLP and SBP while on CEP?
Answer: SFAs will be reimbursed at the free reimbursement rate for the number of identified students * 1.6. The remaining percentage of students will be reimbursed at the paid rate. Federal reimbursement received may be used to cover all allowable costs associated with the Child Nutrition Program at the SFA. If the federal funds received are not sufficient to cover the costs at the SFA, the district must use non-federal funds to cover any remaining costs incurred.
Question: Are campuses that offer a half day kindergarten or half-day program that has different students attending the morning and afternoon tracks eligible to participate in CEP?
Answer: Yes, campuses that offer both School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program are eligible to participate in CEP, even if that campus includes students who are in attendance for and have access to only one meal service during their regular attendance day, i.e., breakfast for the morning track or lunch for the afternoon track as long as students are not in attendance when the other meal is served.
Question: Are pre-kindergarten or half-day program students included in the number of identified students for CEP?
Answer: Students who are certified as eligible for free meals without a household application and who are enrolled in and attending a school operating CEP with access to at least one meal service daily may be included in the number of identified students. This includes programs for very young children such as Head Start or programs for older students such as off-campus work experience or attendance for off-campus college courses.
§ Community Eligibility One-Pager
§ https://squaremeals.org/Programs/National-School-Lunch-Program/Eligibility-and-Verification/Special-Provisions
