The Portland Public Schools is participating in Special Provision II and Community Eligible Provision for the 2023-2024 school year. This alternative is referred to as Provision II and CEP.  All students enrolled in all of Portland’s public schools except the Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) may participate in the School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program at no charge. Household applications are not required to receive free meals this school year but forms similar to applications may be distributed by the school and the district to collect household income data for other programs that require this information, such as Federal Title programs.

It is very important that all parents and guardians fill out their family’s Household Income Data Form. The information from the form helps the Portland Public Schools maximize the state revenue the school district receives.

The information that families provide enables the district to have a correct count of the number of PPS families that qualify as economically disadvantaged. That data helps the district receive accurate state education aid for the PPS community.

Families may complete the Household Income Data Form by turning in the hard copy form in first-day packets from their child’s school. Alternatively, the district is sending families a personalized link so that they can complete the form electronically. The information families provide is protected and won’t be shared.

The school meals that we serve follow U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines for healthy school meals. The School Breakfast and Lunch Programs cannot succeed without your support; please encourage your children to participate in the school meals programs.

For additional information please contact: Portland Schools Food Service Department, Attention: Dawn Hilton, Director of Food Services, 92 Waldron Way, Portland, ME 04103, 207-874-8231,  hiltod@portlandschools.org.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English.  Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

(1)       mail:

            U.S. Department of Agriculture

     Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

            1400 Independence Avenue, SW

            Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

or

(2)       fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442;

or

(3)       email:  program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider

The Maine Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion, ancestry or national origin.

Complaints of discrimination must be filed at the office of the Maine Human Rights Commission, 51 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0051. If you wish to file a discrimination complaint electronically, visit the Human Rights Commission website at https://www.maine.gov/mhrc/file/instructions and complete an intake questionnaire. Maine is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

(Federal Statement Revised 5/2022)