Oak Ridge Community Eligibility Provision Continues
August 8, 2026, 9:58 p.m.

OAK RIDGE, TN - Oak Ridge Schools is pleased to share that all of its schools will participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) again in the 2026-2027 school year, allowing every enrolled student to eat breakfast and lunch at school at no cost to the student or family. No further action is required of parents or guardians, and families are no longer required to complete a Free & Reduced Lunch application for their students to receive meals at no cost.

CEP is a provision of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 that allows schools and districts in qualifying areas to eliminate meal applications and serve breakfast and lunch at no charge to all enrolled students. The provision reduces administrative work for food service staff, shortens time spent in the lunch line, and helps ensure students arrive at class well-nourished and ready to learn.

Students will still be asked to use fingerprint identification or their Student ID number/badge when receiving meals so the district can accurately track meal distribution and participation as required at the federal level.

“While there is a cost to the district to roll this out to all of our schools, it aligns with our Core Value of putting our students first and investing in their well-being whenever possible,” said School Nutrition Supervisor, Marcia Wade. “The federal landscape is changing, and the long-term cost and eligibility of continuing this program in future years is subject to change. We will continue to offer this to our schools for as long as we are able to financially support it. The best way to help ensure this program continues is to encourage students to participate by enjoying school meals."

Because the district will no longer collect Free & Reduced Lunch forms or verify family income through that process, eligibility for other benefits historically tied to that status — such as free ACT testing or college application fee waivers — will be determined through alternative methods. Families with questions or concerns about how students will be identified for those ancillary services may contact Molly Gallagher Smith at mgsmith@ortn.edu or 865-425-9014.

“Children need healthy meals to learn,” said Wade. “Oak Ridge Schools, and our outstanding partners at Southwest Food Service Excellence (SFE), offer healthy meals every school day. We appreciate our partners at SFE and are thrilled to offer this incredible benefit to our students and families this year.”

Breakfast and lunch meals will follow United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for healthy school meals, and families are encouraged to have their students participate.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

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