This database currently holds data for 50 states and the District of Columbia for the 2021–2022 school year.

Search FRAC’s CEP database to determine which schools in your community or state are eligible or near-eligible for the CEP. Download an Excel version of the data.

Questions & Answers about FRAC’s CEP Database

Q. What type of information can I pull from the database?
A. Each entry in the database contains the following information (when available) for a given school: state, school district, school name, identified student percentage (ISP), student enrollment, and current participation status.

Q. How do I search for my school or district?
A. Use the filters to find CEP-eligible and near-eligible schools by state, school district, ISP category, or CEP participation status.

Q. How do I choose more than one state or school district?
A. Hold down Ctrl+Shift simultaneously while making your selection.

Q. How was the information in the database gathered?
A. FRAC obtained information on schools that have adopted community eligibility from state education agencies or entities at the state level that administer the federal school nutrition programs. Between November 2021 and March 2022, FRAC collected these data:

  • school name;
  • school district name;
  • identified student percentage (ISP); and
  • enrollment.
  • FRAC followed up with state education agencies for data clarifications and, when necessary, to obtain missing data.

Under federal law, states are required to publish, by May 1 of each year*, a list of schools and districts with ISPs of at least 40 percent and those with ISPs between 30 and just under 40 percent (near-eligible schools and districts). For most states, FRAC compared these published lists to the lists of adopting schools, and compiled a universe of eligible and participating schools and districts in the 2020–2021 school year. Sixteen states—Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming—provided the list of eligible and participating schools that was used for the database.

Q. How is the database different from previous years?
A. The pandemic has had a significant impact on school nutrition operations during the 2021–2022 school year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued nationwide child nutrition waivers for this school year that allow schools to provide meals at no charge to all students through the summer nutrition programs. The schools and school districts listed in the database as participating in community eligibility were approved by their state agency to operate under community eligibility in the 2021-2022 school year, regardless of whether or not they chose to provide meals this school year through one of the summer nutrition programs.

Q: Are there additional uses for this data?
A. The Affordable Connectivity Program (previously known as the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, or EBB Program) is a $14.2 billion federal initiative that provides monthly discounts to low-income consumers for broadband service and a one-time discount for a connected device (tablet, laptop, or desktop computer). The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law on November 15, 2021, provided funding to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish the Affordable Connectivity Program, which is being administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) at the FCC’s direction and oversight. The Affordable Connectivity Program makes available to eligible households a monthly discount off an Internet service offering and associated equipment of up to $30 per month and up to $75 per month for eligible households on Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from a participating provider if they contribute more than $10 or less than $50 toward the purchase price. The Affordable Connectivity Program will conclude when the funding is expended.The Affordable Connectivity Program is available to eligible low-income households that include at least one member who: (1) meets the qualifications of the FCC’s Lifeline program (i.e., based on income or participation in certain government assistance programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, Federal Housing Assistance, or Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit); (2) participates in the Free or Reduced-Price School Lunch or School Breakfast Program, including at USDA Community Eligibility Provision schools; (3) received a Federal Pell Grant in the current award year; (4) meets the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income  program; (5) receives Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits; (6) has an income below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines; or (7) participates in certain Tribal specific programs (such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, and Tribal Head Start (income-based)) and lives on qualifying Tribal lands.When a consumer applies for the Affordable Connectivity Program based on a household member’s enrollment at a Community Eligibility Provision school, the consumer will be required to provide the name of the student and the school name, and must also provide official school documentation (with the school address and school contact information) demonstrating the student’s enrollment in the Community Eligibility Provision school.  The student must be enrolled in the Community Eligibility Provision school at the time of the ACP application. The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) database will be used to verify whether the school listed on the consumer’s ACP application participates in the Community Eligibility Provision.

*In response to the unique circumstances created by the pandemic, USDA extended the deadline last spring from May 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021.

Last Update 11/28/2022: Please be aware that state agencies may periodically republish their lists with updated data. FRAC will do its best to monitor newly published lists and update the database accordingly.