SNA: Community Eligibility Provision might keep schools in the black

Participation in the Community Eligibility Provision might be linked to higher breakfast and lunch participation and more adequate reimbursement rates, according to a School Nutrition Association report surveying 960 operators about the state of the segement in 2016.

Nearly a quarter of the respondents to SNA’s survey participate in CEP, which allows operators to offer universal free or reduced-price meals if at least 40% of students qualify for other federal nutrition assistance programs. Those schools reported higher than average breakfast and lunch participation. Lunch meal participation rates overall continue to wane at 61%, declining 7% since 2011. However, breakfast participation continues to grow; nearly half of respondents said they utilize alternative breakfast avenues, and of those programs, more than 56% offer grab-and-go breakfasts and 43% deliver breakfast to the classroom.

Districts that employ CEP were also more likely to respond that their federal reimbursements covered the cost of production, whereas nearly half of schools overall felt reimbursement rates for breakfast, in particular, were too low.

Beyond CEP, the study also found that school programs are not afraid to level up their technology. Nearly 82% of districts offer online payment options, and despite a call for more high-tech payment processes from moms on the FSD staff, 62% of the programs notify families of low account balances through automated phone calls, texts or emails.

Schools are also getting savvier with menus. Local sourcing continues to build momentum, with 57% of schools prioritizing local produce and nearly half of respondents taking on farm-to-school initiatives. Moreover, schools are emphasizing menu quality in general—around 6% more respondents since 2014 are putting more resources into menu development and tapping the expertise of chefs.