CEP & Non-CEP Schools

For SY 2021-2022 ALL DCS Students will receive one free lunch and one free breakfast meal each day at no cost. Free & Reduced Meal Applications are useful for school funding, applying for P-EBT benefits, and other potential benefits.

CEP SCHOOLS – See list below 

Decatur City Schools participates in a program called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). 

What does this mean for you and your children? 

ALL students at the schools listed below will receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at school AT NO COST!

  • Austinville Elementary

  • Banks-Caddell Elementary

  • Chestnut Grove Elementary

  • Eastwood Elementary

  • Frances Nungester Elementary

  • Julian Harris Elementary

  • Oak Park Elementary

  • Walter Jackson Elementary

  • West Decatur Elementary

  • Woodmeade Elementary

  • Austin Junior High

  • Austin Middle

  • Decatur Middle

If all of your children attend the above schools, what do you need to do?

  • You do not need to do anything.

  • You do not have to pay any money for meals or fill out any forms. 

If all of your children do not attend the above schools and you do not receive a letter telling you that you will receive free meals for 2021-2022 due to direct certification, what do you need to do?

  • You will need to complete and submit a 2021-2022 application. On-line applications can be found here.

  • Include all of your children on the application including children attending schools listed above. 

The following CEP schools participate in Breakfast in the Classroom program. No need to get to school early as students will find breakfast waiting for them in insulated food carriers. They eat as teachers collect lunch money, take attendance, and prepare for the day.

  • Austinville Elementary

  • Banks-Caddell Elementary

  • Frances Nungester Elementary

  • Oak Park Elementary

  • West Decatur Elementary

  • Woodmeade Elementary

All other schools will serve breakfast in the cafeteria in the traditional manner.

NON-CEP SCHOOLS

The following schools do not qualify to receive meals at no cost!

  • Austin High School

  • Ben Davis Elementary School

  • Decatur High School

  • Leon Sheffield Elementary School

If the children in your household attend a school listed above and you did not receive a letter stating your children are direct cert for the 20-21 school year and you want to see if your household qualifies for meal benefits:

YOU MUST complete and submit a 2021-2022 free/reduced application.

Meal benefits are determined by Household income and household size.  Make sure to:

  • Include name of each child in the household, include students attending CEP schools & children not attending school.

  • Include name of each person in the household, even if they have no salary!

  • Do Not Put the same income on application twice. Only put money in child’s income field if the child has income. If child doesn’t have income, leave this blank and put income with adult household member.