The Lake Hamilton School District is excited to announce that all enrolled students will receive breakfast and lunch at no charge beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.
The district will participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a federal program made possible through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that allows qualifying school districts to provide meals to every student regardless of household income.
For Lake Hamilton families, this means every student can enjoy a healthy breakfast and lunch each school day at no cost. District officials estimate the program will save families more than $500 per student each year.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for our students and families," said Dr. Tony Thurman, Superintendent of the Lake Hamilton School District. "At Lake Hamilton, we believe that when we support families, we support student success. We have proudly provided school supplies for every student in our district for years, and now we are excited to expand that support by providing meals for every student as well."
Research consistently shows that students learn better when they have access to nutritious meals. By participating in CEP, Lake Hamilton hopes to ensure students begin each day ready to learn while reducing financial burdens on families.
The program is also expected to simplify the meal process for parents by eliminating the need for traditional free and reduced-price meal applications for school meals.
"We are thrilled to offer this benefit to our students and families," said Laura Jennings, Child Nutrition Director for Lake Hamilton School District. "Our goal is to ensure every student has access to nutritious meals that support learning, health, and academic success."
Under the Community Eligibility Provision, each student may receive one breakfast and one lunch daily at no charge. Additional meals and à la carte items will still require payment.
Lake Hamilton joins a growing number of school districts across the nation participating in CEP as part of a continued commitment to student achievement, family support, and removing barriers to success.
At Lake Hamilton, we remain committed to students, committed to families, and committed to community.