ROCK ISLAND, Illinois -- Kids and parents in the Rock Island - Milan school district will continue to enjoy free school meals for the upcoming school year.
In a release sent out by the district, school officials confirmed that all schools from elementary through senior high will be able to continue in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program and serve students free meals at no extra cost to them.
The district first entered this program in 2015 when the amount of students eligible for reduced-cost lunches, about 70% of the student body, allowed it to receive the CEP grant for the first time. The grant would last for four years, after which the school had to re-apply.
With the 2019-2020 school year approaching, the district was able to successfully renew the grant, with reduced-cost meal eligibility still above the program's required 40%, and will keep all of its students fed without breaking their families' banks.