For the 2023-24 school year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) to serve all students all school meals at no charge, a Monday, July 24, news release from OCPS announced.
Authorized by Congress as part of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) aims to provide no-cost meals to students in eligible schools, eliminating the need to collect household applications to determine eligibility for the free and reduced school meals program.
The implementation of this initiative minimizes stigma, reducing paperwork for school nutrition staff and families, and streamlines meal service operations.
When all students have easy access to healthy school meals, meal participation tends to increase, and more children can experience nutritional benefits that fuel their learning, growth and development, according to the OCPS press release.
CEP is a reimbursement alternative for eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools participating in both the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP).
Snacks and supper are based on individual school qualifications. Families are advised to check their child’s school for participation details.
The Apopka Chief and The Planter are weekly community newspapers, independently owned and family operated, that have served the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923 and 1965 respectively.
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