Starting in the upcoming school year, which begins on Wednesday, August 10, all students, from Pre-K through 12th grade, will be eligible for free breakfast and lunch in all public schools in the county.
“It’s not a brand new [program],” said Jan McHargue, Coordinator of Food Services for the District School Board of Madison County. “But it is new to our high school students.”
Previously, only grades Pre-K through 8th could receive the free meal benefits, as the funding is dependant on the percentage of in-need students. Madison County High School was recently approved after an evaluation of the students within the system.
McHargue announced the arrival of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program to MCHS at the Tuesday, June 21 school board meeting.
It is hoped that, through the program, there will be increased participation in school breakfast and lunch programs, where a nutritionally balanced meal is provided twice a day to students.
MCHS now joins Madison County Central School, Lee Elementary School, Pinetta Elementary School, Greenville Elementary School and Madison County Excel Alternative School in providing free breakfast and lunch without requiring an application.