Earlier this month, Lubbock Independent School District announced that the entire district qualifies for CEP, or the Community Eligibility Provision.
This means individual families will not be required to complete an application to determine free or reduced eligibility. Rather, school staff will use data showing which students are eligible for federal benefits such as SNAP or TANF to determine if schools can enact CEP. As long as 25% of students are eligible, the entire school – or district – will receive free lunch and breakfast.
According to the new academic accountability ratings from the Texas Education Agency, 72% of Lubbock ISD students are economically disadvantaged.
The TEA defines the economically disadvantaged status as “students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch or eligible for other public assistance.”
Lubbock’s other two biggest districts, Frenship ISD and Lubbock-Cooper ISD, do not have universal CEP eligibility, but several of its schools do.
In Frenship ISD, all students at Legacy Elementary, Westwind Elementary, and Willow Bend Elementary qualify for free lunches through CEP with no action required.
CEP schools at Lubbock-Cooper ISD include New Hope Academy, East Elementary, North Elementary, and South Elementary.
Outside of CEP, students and families have other meal resources such as the NSLP and the School Breakfast Program.
The National School Lunch Program allows for students who are eligible for federal benefits to qualify for free or reduced lunch. Additionally, students can qualify based on their status as a homeless, migrant, runaway or foster child. Guardians can find additional resources on eligibility and next steps here.
The School Breakfast Program provides nutritious breakfast to students. Any student can participate in the SBP, but low-income and SNAP-eligible students can get free or reduced breakfast.
Breakfast at Frenship ISD is $1.35 at full price, free for reduced-cost students, and free at all CEP campuses.
Student breakfast at Lubbock-Cooper ISD is $2 at most campuses and free for all students at its four CEP campuses.
For school districts that are not CEP eligible, families are still able to complete an income report to qualify for free or reduced lunches. The application can be completed any time of year but needs to be completed each year.
To apply for free or reduced lunches in Frenship ISD, you can find more information and the application here.
For families in the Lubbock-Cooper school district, you can apply for free or reduced lunches here.