Area Eligibility for Child Nutrition Programs

Overview

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Area Eligible and Site Eligible School Listings


Area Eligible Schools

This list includes Connecticut schools with at least 50 percent of children eligible for free and reduced-price meals in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) school nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). Percentages are calculated annually by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) based on October data from the previous school year. Area eligible schools are also used in determining if other sites (located in the attendance area of an area eligible school) are eligible to participate in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO) of the NSLP, Afterschool Snack Program (ASP), and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). Area eligibility determinations made with this data will be valid for five years.

Site Eligible Schools

This list includes Connecticut schools that are area eligible (at least 50 percent of children eligible for free and reduced-price meals). These schools cannot be used in determining if other sites participate as area eligible sites under the SFSP, SSO, and ASP. As with area eligible schools, percentages are calculated annually by the CSDE based on October data from the previous school year. Area eligibility determinations made with this data will be valid for one year.

Summer 2022 Alternate Area Eligibility Options

The USDA is offering two additional data options that sites may use to qualify as area eligible for summer 2022 and SY 2022-23. Both options are available to Program operators as applicable, including school food authorities (SFAs) and non-SFAs, who wish to use school data to make area eligibility determinations.

  • 2019-20 Area Eligible Schools: Area eligibility determinations made with SY 2019-20 data will be valid for the next two program years (through summer 2024 or SY 2024-25). This option applies only to area eligibility determinations made in summer 2022 and SY 2022-23.
  • 2021-22 Direct Certification Area Eligibility List: Area eligibility determinations made with CEP data for non-CEP schools will be valid for one program year (summer 2022 or SY 2022-23). This option applies only to area eligibility determinations made in summer 2022 and SY 2022-23.

Fiscal Year 2022 CACFP and SFSP Area Eligibility Data

At the start of every fiscal year, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) releases a special tabulation of data provided by the Census Bureau that establishes area eligibility in the CACFP and SFSP. These data are effective as of October 1, 2021. The FNS mapping tools have also been updated to reflect the new data.

USDA Memos