The Dispatch

For New Child Nutrition Directors

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Spring Report: CEP

March 2022

A Publication of ESC Region 11 Child Nutrition

What is CEP?

Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) provides free meals to schools in high-poverty areas.
Schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students categorically eligible for free meals.

Community Eligibility Report in TX-UNPS:

The report shares important data with TDA and USDA.
It is required for all schools, regardless of whether you are on CEP.
The report shows which sites are eligible to participate in CEP.
CEs may group sites together to maximize site eligibility and reimbursement.
DUE MARCH 20

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HOW DO I COMPLETE THE CEP REPORT?

ESC Region 11 HAS A TRAINING FOR YOU!

SOME OF MY SITES ARE ELIGIBLE...I'M GOING TO START CEP!

Whoa, slow down. That's great news, but there are many things to consider before deciding to implement CEP. First, you need to determine how this program will impact your district:

Financial
Public Perception
Implementation
Staffing
Equipment
School's enrollment software and current registration process

Resources:

No Kid Hungry

USDA CEP Resources

TDA Special Provisions

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RECORD RETENTION

A good rule of thumb is to keep all documents for five years; however, if you are approved for CEP, you must keep all documentation for establishing CEP and validation indefinitely. Continue to keep records organized and current each year. As your ISP increases, TDA will automatically increase your reimbursement rates annually.

ORGANIZATION...IS THIS YOU?

Woman at desk with stack of disorganized papers

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How do you turn that into this?

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shelving with decorative organization system

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TIPS FOR STAYING ORGANIZED:

Know the rules. A good rule of thumb is that all paperwork must be kept for five years.
Your organization system can be electronic or paper.
Keep paperwork together by school year. Box away the year when a new year starts.
Have a filing system, and make sure everyone follows the same system.
If you save electronic files by school year, know that you also may need subcategories by vendor, by topic, etc.
Have a labeling system in place for the boxes to quickly know what is in the box.
Carry this organization out to your school sites as well. Have a box system in place for your staff to box away a school year at a time.
Visual markers, such as colored tabs, can save you time when browsing for documents. You can use different-colored folders for various types and subtypes of documents. Some folders include label tabs in multiple colors. You can create a color-coded key to keep track of the document categories with either of these options.
Binders are great for organizing menus, CN labels, and Smart Snack calculators by school year.
Never underestimate the power of a great paper shredder.

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DEEP THOUGHTS

With Ashley and Heather

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I WONDER....

What was the best thing before sliced bread?

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The first effective bread-slicing machine was invented by Iowa-born Otto Frederick Rohwedder and put into service in 1928 by the Chillicothe (Missouri) Baking Company (the local paper ran a front-page story on it!). By the 1930s, pre-sliced bread was fully commercialized, and other inventions requiring uniform slices, such as toasters, reinforced standardization. The common phrase, "the best thing since sliced bread," used as a way of hyping a new product or invention, may have come into use based on an advertising slogan for Wonder Bread - the first commercial manufacturer of pre-wrapped, pre-sliced bread.

Resource

Is your delivery truck bringing your bread? If you have supply chain issues, you will no longer need to fill out a waiver or form if you have done so previously. Keep all documentation, and if you need a new source, fill out the emergency procurement request.

USDA Q& A Supply Chain Problems memo

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Don't forget to check the FAQ often

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