Hermiston School District elementary and middle school students will be able to eat lunch for free.
Starting this fall, all Hermiston School District (HSD) elementary and middle schools will implement a new option in National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs – the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Students in kindergarten through eighth grade will be able to eat lunch without having to pay for meals or submit an application.
CEP, a key provision of The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, allows the nation’s highest poverty districts and schools to serve all students free meals without the burden of collecting household applications. The option also streamlines paperwork and administrative requirements, saving HSD time and money. CEP gives food service professionals more time to focus on preparing nutritious meals their students will enjoy and gives students more time to eat those meals by cutting down on time spent in the lunch line.
Because all students receive meals at no charge, individual children at CEP schools no longer have to worry about the stigma associated with free or reduced price status. And, by offering all students a nutritious breakfast and lunch at no cost, CEP helps boost participation, helping schools ensure more students come to class well-nourished and ready to learn. More information is available online.
During the application process, HSD was unable to qualify Hermiston High School; however, it can reapply next year. Enrolled students at HHS are eligible for one free breakfast per day and can be eligible for the traditional free or reduced price lunch program by completing a family application or via direct certification. Students not qualifying for the traditional program will pay $3.50 for lunch.
