MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Students in Berkeley County Schools will no longer have to pay for breakfast or lunch, beginning Wednesday, November 6th, that after a vote by the Berkeley County Board of Education to expand the district’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program.
BCS will now implement CEP as a pilot program for the remainder 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.
“This initiative eliminates the need for students to complete meal benefits applications or pay for school meals,” according to the announcement from the school system. “The program will serve as a pilot for the remainder of the 2024-25 school year and the full 2025-26 school year, with plans for re-evaluation afterward.”
The school system estimates the cost of extending CEP coverage across all Berkeley County Schools to be approximately $700,000 annually.
BCS says the cost offsets the approximately $600,000 of unpaid meal charges and administrative costs racked up previously.
The implementation of the program will save a family with two children an estimated $132 a month by not having to pay for school meals, according to the announcement.
More information will be forthcoming regarding refunds on prepayments, November breakfast and lunch bills, and any past-due account balances.
BCS Superintendent Dr. Ryan Saxe says, “I am especially proud of our Board of Education and district administration for coming together to make free breakfast and lunch available to every student, lifting a significant financial burden for thousands of our families.”
“This decision is like a safety net woven across our entire community, providing essential support to families no matter their financial situation or socioeconomic background,” he added. “By expanding the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program, we’re ensuring that every child can focus on learning without worrying about meal costs, while also bringing peace of mind to families.”
The press release from BCS says the CEP is a meal service option under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, created through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. It allows schools to offer free meals to all enrolled students without requiring household income applications.
“In 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture broadened CEP access by lowering the threshold for student eligibility based on participation in programs like SNAP, Medicaid, Head Start, or for students identified as homeless, foster, or migrant youth. This change made it possible for more high-need schools to provide free meals to every student, fostering greater food security and convenience for families.”
Read the full announcement here.
