Chapel Hill ISD

Chapel Hill ISD served more than 591,000 free breakfasts and lunches to students during the 2025–2026 school year through its participation in the Community Eligibility Provision.

All Chapel Hill ISD campuses participated in CEP, allowing every student to receive breakfast and lunch at no cost, regardless of household income. During the school year, the district served more than 198,000 free breakfasts and 393,000 free lunches.

CEP is a federally funded option available through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. It eliminates the need for families to submit household meal applications and removes the traditional system of free, reduced-price and paid meals. Instead, every student is eligible to receive nutritious school meals at no charge.

“Serving more than 591,000 free meals is something our district and community can be incredibly proud of,” said Jaime Swanson, Director of Child Nutrition. “Those meals represent thousands of opportunities for our students to receive the nutrition they need to focus, learn and succeed.”

Providing meals at no cost promotes equity by removing the financial barriers school meals can create for families. It also helps reduce meal debt, simplifies the meal process and ensures students have consistent access to nutritious food throughout the school day.

“When children’s nutritional needs are met, they are better able to focus on learning instead of worrying about hunger,” Swanson said. “From personal experience, I know how valuable and impactful this program can be—not only for students and schools, but for the entire community.”

The program also allows the district’s Child Nutrition Department to focus on preparing and serving quality meals without the administrative challenges associated with processing applications and verifying household income.

“Our goal is to remove barriers and support student success, and CEP allows us to do just that,” Swanson said. “Programs like this strengthen families, promote equity and help create a school environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive.”

Chapel Hill ISD remains committed to supporting the health, well-being and academic success of every Bulldog by ensuring students have access to the nutritious meals they need each school day. For additional information regarding the Community Eligibility Provision at Chapel Hill ISD, please contact:

Jaime Swanson

Child Nutrition Director

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