Editor's note: This story was updated on July 22 to omit references to Sarasota schools. Schools in that district were not eligible for the CEP program.
Free breakfast and lunch will again be provided students in schools across Lee, Glades, Hendry and DeSoto counties this coming academic year as part of the USDA's Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).
The CEP is a non-pricing meal service option for schools and school districts in low-income areas.
"It's the federal program that allows us to provide a breakfast and lunch free to all of our students," said Rob Spicker, Assistant Director, Media Relations & Public Information for Lee County Schools. "It's based on the income average across our county as opposed to student. And so the average is low enough across the county that would qualify for this community eligibility program. And we take advantage of it because it's a great benefit to all of our families to be able to know that breakfast and lunches available for their students at school every day at no cost."
Spicker stressed that the program is not related to school performance in any way.
"It's really a reflection of the average income across the county," he said. "And it falls below the threshold that the federal government set so it allows every student to qualify, rather than making students individually applied, depending on their income."
Ronald Boils, with Glades County Schools, said the district was pleased to be a participating partner in the USDA's CEP program.
"It has streamlined our processes and has made feeding our students so much easier without the hassle of all the additional paperwork," the Glades director of administrative servcies said.
Schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students categorically eligible for free meals based on their participation in other specific means-tested programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
"We get questions about it often in the summer, parents wondering if the lunches and breakfasts are going to be free the following year," Spicker said. "And so it's nice to be able to tell them that yes, once again, were a part of the program and it will continue, so we know there are parents who use it."
Spicker said that Lee schools served on average last year about 57,000 lunches a day and 26,000 breakfasts every day.
"You're looking at almost almost two thirds of our students are taking advantage of the free lunch at least and about a third of the breakfast," he said.
For Lee, Glades, Hendry and DeSoto county systems, every student will be served breakfast and lunch at no charge.
Other districts across the state that participate can be seen here. Schools that are part of the program in Lee, Glades, Hendry and DeSoto counties are listed below.
Lee County sites:
Cape Elementary School
Hancock Creek Elementary School
Orange River Elementary School
Tortuga Preserve Elementary School
Harns Marsh Elementary School
Orangewood Elementary School
Trafalgar Elementary School
Colonial Elementary School
Patriot Elementary School
Hector Cafferata Elementary School
Pelican Elementary School
Treeline Elementary School
Heights Elementary School
Pine Island Elementary School
Tropic Isles Elementary School
Diplomat Elementary School
Pinewoods Elementary School
Ray Pottorf Elementary School
J. Colin English Elementary School
Rayma C. Page Elementary School
Villas Elementary School
James A Stephens Elementary School
River Hall Elementary School
LeHigh Elementary School
Edgewood Elementary School
Challenger Middle School
Harns Marsh Middle School
Cypress Lake Middle School
Lehigh Acres Middle School
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School
Varsity Lakes Middle School
Diplomat Middle School
Trafalgar Middle School
Cypress Lake High School
Ida Baker High School
Island Coast High School
Riverdale High School
East Lee County High School
Dunbar High School
North Fort Myers Academy of The Arts
Royal Palm School
Veterans Park Academy For The Arts
Young Parents Educational Program
Glades County sites:
Trenton Elementary School
Moore Haven Elementary School
West Glades Elementary School
Moore Haven Middle/High School
Hendry County sites:
North Wauchula Elementary School
Labelle Elementary School
Westside Elementary School
Eastside Elementary School
Central Elementary School
Country Oaks Elementary School
Edward A. Upthegrove Elementary School
Labelle Middle School
Clewiston Middle School
Clewiston High School
Labelle High School
Montura Early Learning Center
DeSoto County sites:
Brucie Ball Educational Center
West Elementary School
Memorial Elementary School
Nocatee Elementary School
DeSoto Secondary School
Desoto Middle School
Desoto High School
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