Free Breakfast and Lunch for Kids at City Schools

The New Britain school district has announced that school breakfast and lunches are to be provided to students in the city’s schools at no charge.

“All students will be served breakfast and lunch at no charge all of the schools,” says the Consolidated School District of New Britain.

“The Consolidated School District of New Britain,” the school district says, “is participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as part of the National School Lunch Program for the 2019 – 2020 school year.”

The Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture says that its Community Eligibility Provision, “allows the nation’s highest poverty schools and districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications.”

“Instead,” adds the Department of Agriculture, “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).”

According to the State Department of Education, the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provide breakfasts and lunches that are, “nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free.”

Of the school breakfast program, the State Department of Education says that it is, “to ensure that all children have access to a healthy breakfast at school to promote learning readiness and healthy eating behavior. Research studies show that increased SBP participation is associated with better academic test scores, daily attendance, and class participation.”

Under this program, the New Britain school district says that, “All students enrolled in the New Britain Public School District may participate in the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program at no charge.”

“Household income applications are no longer required to determine eligibility for free or reduced-price meals at schools participating in the CEP,” the school district adds.