Students attending 15 Moore County schools will be able to receive breakfast and lunch at no cost during the 2026–27 academic year.
The Moore County free school meals will be offered through the federal Community Eligibility Provision, commonly known as CEP. Every enrolled student at a participating school will qualify, regardless of individual household income.
Which Moore County Schools Qualify?
The following schools will participate in the Community Eligibility Provision during the 2026–27 school year:
- Aberdeen Elementary
- Cameron Elementary
- Carthage Elementary
- Crain’s Creek Middle
- The Community Learning Center at Pinckney
- Elise Middle
- Highfalls Elementary
- North Moore High School
- Robbins Elementary
- Southern Middle
- Southern Pines Elementary
- West End Elementary
- West Pine Elementary
- West Pine Middle
- Westmoore Elementary
Students at those schools will not need to submit a free-and-reduced-price meal application to receive the Moore County free school meals.
How the Community Eligibility Provision Works
The Community Eligibility Provision allows qualifying schools in lower-income communities to provide breakfast and lunch to all students without collecting individual household applications.
Schools qualify based on the percentage of students who are directly certified for assistance through programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
Moore County Schools says the program reduces paperwork and administrative requirements while helping more children receive nutritious meals during the school day.
Prices at Schools Not Participating in CEP
Students attending schools that are not participating in CEP must either pay for their meals or submit an application for free or reduced-price meals.
Regular meal prices for the 2026–27 school year are:
- Breakfast for all grades: $1.75
- Lunch for kindergarten through eighth grade: $3
- Lunch for grades nine through 12: $3.25
Applications for meal assistance will be available during back-to-school nights. Families may also ask their school to mail an application.
Parents with children attending different schools should check the status of each campus. One child may qualify automatically for Moore County free school meals while another child attending a non-CEP school may still require an application or payment.
Where Families Can Get Help
Families with questions may contact their child’s school. They may also contact Moore County Schools Child Nutrition Director Bliss Taylor at 910-947-2342.
The district says the goal of the Moore County free school meals program is to improve access to breakfast and lunch while removing paperwork for families attending qualifying schools.
Source: Information for this report was provided by Moore County Schools.
