Free Lunch Program Expanding to 82 Schools in 2023-24

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a school meal funding option from USDA that enables a school to provide free meals to all students, without the necessity of completing applications for individual eligibility. CEP status is determined by the percentage of students from households receiving public benefits.

This year, CEP in South Carolina has expanded to include students who receive Medicaid benefits, which will enable 82 GCS schools to qualify for the 2023-24 school year. This is a significant increase from the 21 GCS locations that have been CEP schools since 2015. There is a four-year eligibility guarantee, which means the 82 schools may remain in the program at least through the 2026-27 school year.

All GCS schools currently offer free breakfast. For the 2023-24 school year, every school in the district EXCEPT the following will be CEP schools, offering free lunches to all students:

Free and Reduced Meal Applications- Free and Reduced meal applications are required to be completed to receive free or reduced school meals for the 2022-2023 school year.  Online applications are the quickest and most efficient way to qualify for free or reduced meals.  Online applications will be available for the 2022-2023 school year starting July 5, 2022.  Apply here.  If you have filled out an application prior to July 5, 2022 you will need to complete another application for the 2022-2023 school year. Paper free and reduced applications will be available upon request from your school.