Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)NYS Child Nutrition Program Administration Update

WHAT IS CEP? • USDA Special Provision under Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of

2010• NYS chosen in year two of early implementation in 2012-13• Nationwide roll-out in 2014-15

• High-Poverty schools provide all meals to all students at no charge• Eliminates collection of economic data from families for school

meals purposes• NOTE: Schools continue to collect income data from families for

other federal, State and local funding

HOW DOES CEP WORK?• Any School District can use CEP if:• At least 40 percent of the enrollment of a single school, group of

schools or entire LEA has 40% or more of students certified for free meals through certified sources• Schools/Groups/LEAs with 40% or more students directly certified

free often have 75% or more of their students qualified for free or reduced-price meals

• Schools/Groups/LEAs MUST participate in BOTH School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs

• Schools/Groups/LEAs use April 1 enrollment data in year prior to implementation for application to State Agency

• Schools/Groups/LEAs provide application to State Agency by August 31 for participation in following school year

HOW DOES CEP WORK?• Schools/Groups/LEAs conduct direct certification and establish

an Identified Student Percentage (ISP)• ISP is comprised of:

• SNAP Direct Certifications and Extensions• Medicaid Direct Certifications and Extensions• SNAP Letter and Extensions• Foster through State and local agencies• Migrant• Homeless• Runaway• Headstart/Evenstart (NOTE: UPK Programs are not categorically

eligible and therefore are not included in the ISP)

HOW DOES CEP WORK?• Reimbursement is calculated based on ISP times the federal

multiplier (written in Law as 1.3-1.6), currently 1.6• Multiplier will remain 1.6 for 2015-16 school year

• Reimbursements made in free and paid categories only• Initiation ISP remains in effect for four years with additional

grace year, if applicable• Schools/Groups/LEAs must report April 1 ISP in each year of

four year CEP cycle• ISP can increase based on subsequent April 1 ISP• ISP will NEVER be decreased in four year cycle

• Increased ISP will increase reimbursements in current cycle, or School/Group/LEA may begin new four year cycle

CEP REIMBURSEMENTS• Participants are guaranteed to receive the same percentage of

free reimbursement for four years• The higher the ISP, the higher the free reimbursement

percentage• ISP times 1.6 = free reimbursement rate• The remainder of reimbursements in paid category

Percentage Identified Students Percentage Free Paid

40% x 1.6 64% 36%

45% x 1.6 72% 28%

50% x 1.6 80% 20%

55% x 1.6 88% 12%

60% x 1.6 96% 4%

62.5% x 1.6 100% 0

Meal Reimbursements with Community Eligibility

The reimbursement rate for both lunch and breakfast is determined by multiplying the percent of Identified Students by a 1.6 multiplier. The resulting number is the percent of meals reimbursed at the “free” reimbursement rate, with the rest reimbursed at the “paid” rate.

NYS CEP PARTICIPATION 2014-15

• STATEWIDE• 132 Public, charter, private not-for-profit LEAs

• Includes Public City School Districts: Albany, Amsterdam, Binghamton, Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Dunkirk, Elmira, Fallsburg, Geneva, Gloversville, Hempstead, Hudson, Jamestown, Lansingburgh, Monticello, Mt. Vernon, NYCDOE, Newburgh, Niagara Falls, Northern Adirondack, Port Byron, Poughkeepsie, Rensselaer, Rochester, Salamanca, Schenectady, Syracuse, Troy, Utica

• 1246 school buildings• 504,578 students

• NYC Department Of Education• 718 school buildings

• Includes Special Education Division and Stand-Alone Middle Schools• 235,124 students

SOME BENEFITS OF CEP • !!!MAKES SCHOOL MEALS PART OF THE EDUCATION DAY!!!• Eliminates the ‘stigma’ associated with the meals program• Increases participation• Increases access – streamlines alternative service modalities • Lessens administrative burden – no application collection, no meal

counts by category, lots more…• Improves financial viability – increased participation, lessened

administrative burden• Allows schools time and revenue to focus on meal quality and

alternative service modalities, i.e., grab and go, breakfast after the bell, breakfast in the classroom, reimbursable meal vending, etc.

• Eliminates unpaid meal fees – all students eat for free!• Increases access to USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

CEP Resources• NYS Education Department Child Nutrition Program

Administration• www.nysed.gov/cn/cnms.htm

• USDA FNS• www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/community-eligibility-provision

• FRAC • http://frac.org/community-eligibility

• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities• www.cbpp.org/childnutrition

• Hunger Solutions New York• www.hungersolutionsny.org

THANK YOU!!!!Sandra SheedyNYS Education DepartmentChild Nutrition Program Administration89 Washington Avenue, 375 EBAAlbany, NY 12234Sandra.Sheedy@nysed.gov518-473-8781518-473-0018 FAX