Lawton Public Schools clarifies free meals under CEP after confusing letter, plans to expand supper sites

Superintendent Heim said some families received a federal or state letter about meal certification and that the correspondence caused confusion. "Because the state or the the federal government, because of the direct cert versus this kind of certification, they want you to send out a letter to make sure parents know if they're full or or or reduced or or but everybody at Lawton's free," Heim said.

Heim described the letter as a legacy requirement tied to how schools document eligibility even where the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) covers all students. "So there's really no reason for that letter to go out except for its CEP is relatively new," he said.

Heim and host Lynn Cordish also discussed a district supper program. Heim said some sites are piloting or rolling out a third free meal in the evening through child nutrition, but that the rollout is happening "different levels through child nutrition" and the district will coordinate messaging so families know where supper is available. "So we're gonna work to get everybody on the same page of that, and we'll get out something soon," Heim said.

The pair noted the district provides free breakfast and lunch; Heim said information will be published to ensure families understand meal availability and eligibility. Heim mentioned Sodexo as the district's food-service manager and said the vendor and the district aim to improve meal quality.

The podcast did not include exact lists of supper sites, specific start dates, or a full funding breakdown for the supper program; Heim said the district would supply more information once child nutrition finalizes the rollout.