Medina will provide free breakfast and lunch to all students this school year
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – The Medina school district is pleased to announce that it will be providing free breakfast and lunch to all students in 2018-19 through implementation of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Breakfast/Lunch Program.
The CEP program provides the opportunity for schools in high poverty areas to provide two nutritious meals every school day, while eliminating the stigma for those students previously identified as “low income.”
The CEP began in 2011 with three states piloting the program and then became a nationwide program in 2014. To be eligible for CEP at least 40 percent of students must be identified as “directly certified” for free meals without a meal application through programs such as SNAP, TANF and Medicaid. Medina school district has met this eligibility guideline.
Some families will still be asked to complete an Alternate Income Form to account for those students who are not directly certified. However, completing this form will have no impact on receiving free meals. This income information will allow the district to continue to maximize its funding through state and federal programs and grant opportunities.
“We are excited to offer CEP to our families,” said Superintendent Mark Kruzynski. “Research shows that when students eat healthy meals each day, their academic performance improves and they are in a much better place emotionally and socially. When the opportunity came up for us to participate in CEP, we took it as another chance to level the playing field for all of our students to give them all the best chance to succeed.”
If you have any questions regarding this new program, please contact your child’s school or the Business Office at 798-2700.
