Free meals for all kids at some AISD schools this year

The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers a meal program to allow schools in low-income areas to provide free breakfast and lunch to all their students. This school year, 43 schools in the Austin Independent School District will adopt the Community Eligibility Provision. They are:

• Pre-K and Early Childhood Centers: Dobie Pre-K and Uphaus ECC

• Elementary Schools: Allison, Andrews, Barrington, Brooke, Brown, Campbell, Cook, Galindo, Govalle, Guerrero Thompson, Harris, Hart, Houston, Jordan, Langford, Linder, McBee, Metz, Norman & Sims, Oak Springs, Ortega, Overton, Padron, Pecan Springs, Perez, Pickle, Pleasant Hill, Rodriguez, Sanchez, Walnut Creek, Webb Primary, Widén, Winn, Wooldridge, Wooten and Zavala

• Middle Schools: Martin, Mendez, Means Young Women’s Leadership Academy, Webb

The district has expanded the CEP program to all schools where 62.25 percent of students are directly certified for free meals. “By providing complimentary breakfast and lunch to all students at eligible schools, we are ensuring that every child (gets) the opportunity to come to class well-nourished and ready to learn,” said AISD’s nutrition and food services director Anneliese Tanner in a district press release. “CEP also reduces burdens for both families and school administrators by streamlining paperwork and administrative requirements.”