HSSD to provide free meals in ’17-’18

A federal provision will allow the Hot Springs School District to offer free breakfasts and lunches to all students beginning in the 2017-18 school year.

The Hot Springs School Board recently adopted the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Provision by a unanimous vote. The key provision of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 allows districts in low-income areas to serve free meals without the burden of collecting household applications.

“We are proud to be the first school district in Garland County to sign on to CEP,” said Hot Springs Superintendent Mike Hernandez. “We know that when students eat nutritious meals regularly, they do better academically and developmentally.

“This will be a tremendous benefit for the students and families in our school district. CEP will allow us to feed all students in the Hot Springs School District breakfast and lunch at no charge to families, so this will be a win-win for student health and family budgets.”

Districts that adopt the CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students participating in other specific means-tested programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Identified students are those certified for free meals through programs, such as S.N.A.P. and TANF, without the use of household applications for school lunches.

Schools and districts must have a minimum identified student percentage of 40 percent. Hot Springs reported a rate of almost 82 percent of the district’s 2016-17 enrollment qualified for free or reduced price meals, including 2,814 who qualified for free meals and 202 for reduced out of 3,682 students.

The provision was phased in over a period of three years, starting with Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. It became available nationwide at the start of the 2014-15 school year.

“We congratulate Superintendent Hernandez and the Hot Springs School District on their decision to take advantage of CEP,” said Patty Barker, director of the Arkansas No Kid Hungry campaign. “We look forward to working with the Arkansas Department of Education and the school district to make their transition smooth and efficient.

“The district currently offers Breakfast After the Bell, an alternative breakfast delivery strategy that makes breakfast part of the school day, and with the adoption of CEP, they will be further assuring that all students start their days focused and ready to learn.”

The provision is meant to provide access to free, nutritious meals to all students with less time spent in cashier lines, which allows them more time to eat, and no stigma associated with free or reduced price status. It can save time and money for schools, districts and their families by streamlining paperwork and administrative requirements.

The streamlined meal service operation is also intended to provide food service professionals with more time to prepare meals. The CEP helps boost participation in school meals to ensure more students are well-nourished and ready to learn.