Leavenworth USD 453 to offer FREE breakfast and lunch meals to students for the 23-24 school year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service has been working to expand access to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which allows school districts the option to offer all students healthy school meals at no cost. Specifically, one free breakfast and one free lunch will be available to all Pre-K to 12th grade students enrolled with USD 453. Additional meals and extra milk will be available for traditional purchases. Leavenworth USD 453 applied to participate in the CEP program district-wide in advance of the 23-24 school year.
This program will save Leavenworth USD 453 families approximately $850 per student throughout the course of the school year, for those that eat both breakfast and lunch on school days. The MyPaymentsPlus system will remain active for families to make deposits for students to make purchases such as second entrees or servings of additional fruit, vegetables or milk; upper grade levels will have access to additional ala carte purchases.
A district can participate in the program for four consecutive years, and can stop participating/opt-out at any time. Families will be requested to complete a Household Economic Survey during the enrollment process to assist with documentation of district eligibility reporting.
Continuation of this program will be dependent on a high percentage of student participation. Families will remain responsible for outstanding balances from previous years, or from purchases beyond the free breakfast/lunch service.