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Board approves plan to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students under USDA Community Eligibility Provision
Summary
The board authorized district staff to implement the USDA Community Eligibility Provision starting in 2025-26, allowing eligible schools to provide breakfast and lunch at no charge to all students for up to five years.
The Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education voted April 9 to adopt a resolution enabling the district to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which allows qualifying schools to offer breakfast and lunch at no cost to every enrolled student.
The superintendent recommended adopting CEP for the 2025-26 school year with a waiver period of up to four additional years subject to renewal. Staff told the board the program reduces stigma around free meals and covers two of the school system's core objectives: increasing student nutrition and simplifying meal administration.
Why it matters: District leaders said CEP will reduce paperwork for families, eliminate point-of-sale fees for students and could increase participation in school meals. Trustees and staff discussed operational questions including how increased participation would affect food production, supply and staffing; the nutrition team said it is adjusting preparation methods to reduce waste and is monitoring equipment and labor needs.
Board action: The board approved the superintendent's resolution to proceed and authorized the superintendent or designee to sign required documents and make notifications to state and federal agencies.
What's next: Staff will implement required notifications and prepare the district to begin CEP in the 2025-26 school year. No dollar figure was attached to the board motion; staff said the program is funded by federal reimbursement formulas administered through the Georgia Department of Education.
