Groveport Madison schools to provide free meals for all students

GROVEPORT, Ohio (WCMH) – A new program will provide free breakfast and lunch to all Groveport Madison students, regardless of income. 

The school district announced last week that it will be participating in the Community Eligibility Provision of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program for the 2024-2025 school year. All students will automatically be enrolled. 

"We are excited to implement the Community Eligibility Provision for the upcoming school year," Superintendent Jamie Grube said. "This program aligns with our commitment to supporting the well-being and academic success of all our students." 

CEP is free for eligible public school districts to participate in. Districts must apply through the state, which involves calculating and submitting a percentage of students who are identified as eligible for school meals for any reason other than a free and reduced student meal application. If the percentage is 25% or higher, the district is eligible. 

“The CEP also eliminates any stigma associated with free or reduced-price meals, promoting equality and fostering a supportive atmosphere for all students,” a news release said.

Dan Magee, Groveport Madison schools’ director of dining services, said last year the district served more than 1 million meals to students. He said the district will closely monitor any increases in meal participation this year and adjust staffing as needed. 

According to the Ohio Department of Education, schools participating in the program will be partially reimbursed for each lunch served. Magee said the district will cover all remaining costs. 

Groveport Madison Schools’ Director of Business Services Dave Hausman said the district will have an audit of the program early this school year. He said the program will continue over the next few years as long as it is approved by the Department of Education. 

Public response to the announcement, which was posted to the Groveport Madison Schools’ Facebook page Thursday, was overwhelmingly positive. In the comments, Groveport Madison’s Facebook page clarified the free meal will be the set meal for each day, although additional items will still be available for purchase. 

Last year, 1,082 individual Ohio school sites offered meal programs through the Community Eligibility Program, according to data from the Ohio Department of Education. 

Other school districts near Columbus that offer free meal programs include Columbus and Whitehall City Schools, which participate in the same program Groveport Madison will embark on this year. Bexley City Schools served free breakfast last year, and a representative said the district intends to continue that program this year. Most other districts around Columbus have free and reduced meal programs for eligible students who fill out an application.