Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

Provision 2 or 3: Eligibility for Title I


Nutrition Services Division Management Bulletin

To: Sponsors of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, County Superintendents of Schools, Diocesan Superintendents of Schools

Number: 98-118

Attention: Food Service Directors

Date: December 1998

From: School Nutrition Programs

Subject: Numbers of Free/Reduced Price Eligible Children for Title I in Provision 2 and Provision 3 Schools


This management bulletin transmits All Points Bulletin (APB) SP-99-06 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). The APB addresses the issue of a school’s eligibility for Title I funding when it participates in the National School Lunch Program’s Provision 2 or Provision 3 reimbursement claiming alternatives.

Title I is an enrichment program that allocates funds to local education agencies based on the level of poverty in a school’s attendance area. One of the criteria for measuring poverty is the percentage of students approved for free or reduced price meals. Schools using Provision 2 or Provision 3 do not collect free and reduced price meal eligibility information on an annual basis. In consultation with the U.S. Department of Education, FNS has determined that schools using Provision 2 or Provision 3 may use their base year percentages of free, reduced price, and paid students for purposes of applying for Title I funding throughout subsequent years of the Provision 2 or Provision 3 cycle.

Attachment available in hard copy only.

Questions:   School Nutrition Programs Unit | SNPInfo@cde.ca.gov
Last Reviewed: Friday, April 18, 2025
Related Content
  • Community Eligibility Provision
    The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) provides School Nutrition Program (SNP) sponsors an alternative method for claiming student meals in high poverty schools.
  • Final Rule on Provision 1, 2, and 3 Guidance
    Management Bulletin 02-131: Final rule on alternatives to standard application and meal counting procedures (provisions 1, 2, and 3) and provision 2 guidance.
  • Provision 2
    Provision 2 (P2) provides School Nutrition Program (SNP) sponsors alternative ways to claim student meals.
  • School Nutrition Programs Management Bulletins
    School Nutrition Programs (SNP) management bulletins for sponsors of the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program, and State Meal Program.
Recently Posted in Nutrition

  • Summer Food Service Program Annual Updates (added 12-Mar-2026)
    The California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division (NSD) is pleased to announce that the SFSP 2026 Program Year is now open.
  • Reimbursement for Off-Site Meal Consumption (added 02-Mar-2026)
    SNP-06-2026 provides guidance on serving NSLP and SBP meals for off-site consumption.
  • Honoring Cultural Preferences in School Nutrition (added 02-Mar-2026)
    This webinar highlights best practices for incorporating student cultural food preferences honoring Black voice and other cultures, in menu offerings, strengthen student trust and engagement, and support equity in school meal participation.
  • State Meal Mandate (added 02-Mar-2026)
    SNP-05-2026 addresses the requirements for LEAs to serve and claim NSLP and SBP meals for both state and federal reimbursement.
  • Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 (added 27-Feb-2026)
    Announcing an update to the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 - Eat Real Food