Schools in Pelion have joined several others in Lexington County in offering universal free meals this year.

Lexington County School District 1 announced that all its schools serving the Pelion area — Forts Pond Elementary, Pelion Elementary, Pelion Middle and Pelion High — will participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as part of the National School Lunch Program. The provision provides funds for schools in low-income areas to offer students no-cost meals.

“With assistance from the South Carolina Department of Education, Lexington District One evaluated all schools throughout the district to determine CEP eligibility,” states a news release from the district. “We received notification from SCDE on August 17 that the four Pelion area schools were approved to participate in this program.

“Any payments made since July 1, 2022 at these four qualifying schools will be refunded to families. Money may also be left on student accounts for purchase of special sale or a la carte items.”

These schools will no longer require household income applications to determine if students are eligible for free meals. Any parents or guardians wishing to not have their student participate in the CEP may contact the district’s chief financial officer, Jennifer Miller.

Schools in Lexington County and throughout the nation have had to adjust this year following the end of two years of universal free meals at public schools, provided through a system of waivers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and additional federal funding spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other county schools that have announced free meals through the CEP are Cayce Elementary, Congaree Elementary, Wood Elementary, Pine Ridge Middle School and New Bridge Academy in Lexington County School District 2 and all of Lexington County School District 3, which oversees schools in Batesburg-Leesville.