Alexander County Schools to limit CEP to elementary schools to shore up child nutrition fund

At its May 2025 meeting, the Alexander County Board of Education voted unanimously to continue the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) only at the district’s elementary schools and remove middle and high schools from universal free meal participation for the coming school year.

The move, approved after a presentation from Superintendent Bill Griffin and Chief Financial Officer Sharon Mahaffey, is intended to prevent a projected deficit in the district’s child nutrition fund. Griffin said declining participation at middle and high schools and falling reimbursements have eroded the program’s fund balance.

“This program is…not allowing us, to sustain, that program moving forward,” Superintendent Bill Griffin said, describing multi‑year declines in the child nutrition bank balance. He recommended limiting CEP to elementary schools to reduce the district’s fiscal exposure while preserving free meals for younger students.

Board members heard financial figures from CFO Sharon Mahaffey showing the child nutrition bank balance fell from $855,014.11 in 2022 to $438,926.40 in 2023 and to $259,545.35 in December 2024. Mahaffey said reimbursements declined largely because middle and high school students more often bring outside food or purchase a la carte items, reducing the district’s per‑meal reimbursement base.

Under the board’s action, middle and high school students will no longer be automatically served free meals under CEP; families may apply for free or reduced-price meals under the usual process, and students who do not qualify will pay the full prices. Superintendent Griffin and staff said they will notify families over the summer and revisit the decision if projected finances improve.

Officials also said the district will continue a summer feeding program with weekly pick-up sites at Stony Point Elementary, West Alexander Middle School and Alexander Central High School; staff reported more than 13,000 breakfasts and 13,000 lunches served during last summer’s program. Griffin told the board staff will return with updated figures if conditions change and the district can sustainably restore CEP at additional school levels.

The board approved the superintendent’s recommendation by voice vote; members voiced unanimous support.

School officials said they anticipate notifying parents directly this summer about the application process for free and reduced-price meals and plan to provide step-by-step guidance so families can apply before the start of next school year. CFO Mahaffey and district staff will manage communications and outreach to maximize participation among eligible households.

For now, the decision preserves universal free meals for elementary students while asking middle and high school families to apply for benefits or pay, according to the district presentation.