WARREN TOWNSHIP — All students in Warren Township schools will be able to eat breakfast and lunch for free for the 2019-2020 school year.
According to school officials with the Metropolitan School District of Warren Township, the district applied, and was approved for Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) through the Indiana Department of Education — Nutrition Division. Once approved, CEP is available to the school district for four consecutive years.
The CEP will allow Warren Township schools to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students every day this school year. Students aren't required to eat school lunch, but if they do they won't have to pay for it. The program pays for regular school lunches. A la carte items and second meals are still full price to any student who wishes to purchase them.
Eligible school districts in Indiana who have one or more school with at least 40 percent of their students who meet the criteria can apply for CEP through the Indiana Department of Education.
School officials say they are already seeing a positive response to the CEP program this year.
"We are seeing an increase of daily participation during the first two weeks of school, Warren families no longer need to apply for meal assistance, and charging meals to student accounts (who do not have lunch money) will no longer be an issue," the schools said in a statement.
For more information about CEP visit the Indiana Department of Education website.
