Community Eligibility Provision Expansion Program – Establishment

SB 769 establishes Maryland's Community Eligibility Provision Expansion Program within the State Department of Education to provide supplemental state funding to eligible public schools participating in the federal child nutrition program's community eligibility provision. The program pays the difference between federal "paid" and "free" meal reimbursement rates - based on annual U.S. Department of Agriculture rates - to schools with high poverty concentrations, ensuring they receive full funding for meals. It allocates $10 million annually starting in fiscal year 2027, distributed by the Department of Education based on poverty levels, geographic diversity, and county board participation. The funding is explicitly designed to complement, not replace, existing federal child nutrition funds.