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Seven Hamilton County schools will soon stop offering free breakfast and lunch

By Kendi A. Rainwater June 10, 2016 4 min read

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Legislation could mean fewer meals for Hamilton County’s students

Milk and orange halves are part of the nutrition at Battle Academy on Wednesday.

Battle Academy food include oranges and milk.

Battle Academy second grade students eat lunch in the downtown school cafeteria. Students from left are Joshua Bullis, Jeremy Daniels, Brandon Bryant, Trinity Williams, Aaliyah Smith, Rohan Woodruff and Kinsley Armstrong.

Battle Academy second grade students line up for lunch and receive help from nutrition workers Pearlie Mae Conner, left, and Josephine Marshall.

Schools likely to be affected this upcoming year:

District 1:Allen ElementaryNorth Hamilton County Elementary SchoolSequoyah High SchoolSoddy Daisy Middle SchoolDistrict 3:Hixson High SchoolDistrict 6:Lookout Valley Middle/HighDistrict 9:Snow Hill ElementarySource: The Hamilton County Department of Education

Seven schools in Hamilton County may no longer be able to offer students free breakfast and lunch because of the school system’s requirement to recalculate its Community Eligibility Provision.

The Hamilton County Board of Education discussed the proposed changes Thursday night, and it will officially vote to accept them next week.

The Community Eligibility Provision is a federal program that’s allowed the school system to provide free meals for three years to all students at more than half of the district’s schools.

“There is no telling how many more kids we have fed with CEP, kids that probably wouldn’t have eaten otherwise,” said Lee McDade, assistant superintendent of administrative services for Hamilton County schools.