WEST COLUMBIA, SC – All Lexington Two students will eat breakfast and lunch meals at school at no cost during the 2023-2024 school year, with the district’s participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program.
Section 104(a) of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 amended section 11(a)(1) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1759a(a) (1) (the law) to provide an alternative to household applications for free and reduced-price meals in local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with increased levels of low-income students. This alternative is referred to as the Community Eligibility Provision. All students enrolled in the district may participate in the breakfast and lunch program at no charge to them. Families will not have to fill out meal applications.
Breakfast and lunch meals follow the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for healthy school meals. Please encourage students to participate in the school meal programs.
Contact Lexington Two’s food services office at (803) 739-8381 for additional information.
Parents/guardians who do not want their child/children to participate in CEP may discuss this matter with Pamela Bienkoski, in the Lexington Two district office, on an informal basis.
Parents/guardians wishing to make a formal appeal may make a request either orally or in writing to Sky Strickland, Chief Financial Officer, 715 9th St., West Columbia, SC 29169 for a hearing to appeal the decision.
______
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-
Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
- Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
- Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
- Email: [email protected]
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
_____
Frequently asked questions about student meals at no cost in Lexington Two for the 2023-2024 school year:
Q: Do I have to fill out an application or paperwork if I want my child to participate?
A: No applications, all students eat for free.
Q: How will this affect SNAP benefits or any other benefits I may receive?
A: This will have no impact on any other eligibility.
Q: Is 2023-2024 the only school year Lexington Two will participate in CEP?
A: The district’s eligibility is reassessed each year. If the district is eligible once again for the next school year, we will announce it in the summer, before that new school year starts.
Q: Will adults who visit or work at a Lexington Two school be able to get meals at no cost, too?
A: CEP is an extension of the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program and is available to students enrolled in the 2023-2024 school year. Adults are welcome to participate, and meal prices will be announced as soon as we receive the information from the SC Department of Education.