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Natchitoches Parish Food Service qualifies district-wide for CEP next year, director says
Summary
Child Nutrition reported a healthy fund balance, feeding about 81% of students daily, and announced the entire parish will qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) next school year allowing free breakfast and lunch for all students who choose it.
NATCHITOCHES, La. — The district’s Child Nutrition director reported on May 6 that March was a strong month financially and that for the first time the entire parish will qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) in the upcoming school year.
The director said Child Nutrition is feeding roughly 81% of students who are present daily and that a recent equipment-replacement cycle temporarily reduced some purchasing. She told the board: “For the first time next year, our our whole entire parish will qualify to participate in CEP, which means all of our students will be receiving breakfast and lunch at no cost if that is their wish.” Lab schools and eLab will be enrolled in the program, the director said, and staff have already begun operational planning for implementation in 2025–26.
Finance staff noted Child Nutrition currently shows a positive balance (about $233,000 reported for the current period) and that equipment investments reduced some prior-year expense volatility. The director thanked staff across the district for managing operations through staffing shortages and noted that April paperwork was due the following day, so the March snapshot was the most recent month’s data presented.
Ending: Child Nutrition staff will continue implementation planning for CEP and report operational impacts and timelines to the board ahead of the 2025–26 school year.
