---
title: Heartland School Solutions | Connections | Mike Lepiane
---

[![Heartland-AGPC-logo-main](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Heartland_May2018/images/Heartland-AGPC-logo-main.png?width=168&height=31&name=Heartland-AGPC-logo-main.png)](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en) ![Heartland](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/hubfs/Heartland_May2018/images/aglobalpaymentscompany_identifier_grey.png)

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- [Back to Main Site](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/)
- Products 
    - [Nutrition Technology](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/nutrition-technology)
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- Support 
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- Events 
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    - [Connect 2026](https://info.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/connect)
- About 
    - [Our Story](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/about/our-story)
    - [Partnerships](https://info.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/integrations)
    - [Careers](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/about/careers)
- Resources 
    - [Webinars](https://info.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/webinars-nutrition)
    - [Guides & Templates](https://info.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/resources/guides-templates)
    - [Blog](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com)

![Connections Blog](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/hubfs/LP_Templates/Connections-Blog/Connections-Blog-Logo-2024.svg)

Fresh insights for school leaders

## Mike Lepiane

### Recent Posts

## [A Beginner’s Guide to the Community Eligibility Provision](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/a-beginners-guide-to-the-community-eligibility-provision)

 By [Mike Lepiane](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/author/mike-lepiane)

- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)

[![](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/hubfs/Blog/August_2015/Blog_cover_image_template-1.jpg)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/a-beginners-guide-to-the-community-eligibility-provision)

**To CEP, or not to CEP?**  
 That is the question. Whether ‘tis easier to suffer the pains of paper application processing, or to take Community Eligibility against a sea of applications.

CEP is more than just another USDA delivered acronym. The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) allows school districts with high poverty rates to easily serve free meals to eligible students. Both breakfast and lunch can be served to all students by removing the need for schools to distribute, collect, and process paper applications.

[**Read More ⟶**](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/a-beginners-guide-to-the-community-eligibility-provision)

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### Recent Posts

### Posts by Topic

- [School Lunch (42)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-lunch)
- [School Payments (34)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-payments)
- [MySchoolBucks (32)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/myschoolbucks)
- [Point of Sale software (21)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/point-of-sale-software)
- [Conferences (19)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/conferences)
- [School Nutrition Regulation (16)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-nutrition-regulation)
- [School Breakfast (14)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-breakfast)
- [Training (13)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/training)
- [Menu Planning (11)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/menu-planning)
- [Connect (10)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/connect)
- [Social Media (10)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/social-media)
- [Contests & Grants (9)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/contests-grants)
- [How to (9)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/how-to)
- [Parent Newsletters (9)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/parent-newsletters)
- [Recipes (8)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/recipes)
- [Hardware (7)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/hardware)
- [School Fundraising (7)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-fundraising)
- [Afterschool Programs (6)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/afterschool-programs)
- [MCS software (6)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/mcs-software)
- [Mosaic Cloud (6)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/mosaic-cloud)
- [nutrition program (6)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/nutrition-program)
- [Cloud-Based Solutions (5)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/cloud-based-solutions)
- [School Store (5)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-store)
- [invoicing (5)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/invoicing)
- [Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) (4)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/community-eligibility-provision-cep)
- [Farm to School (4)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/farm-to-school)
- [Free & Reduced (4)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/free-reduced)
- [MealViewer (4)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/mealviewer)
- [free downloads (4)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/free-downloads)
- [school commerce platform (4)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-commerce-platform)
- [Data Security (3)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/data-security)
- [Digital Signage (3)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/digital-signage)
- [Donations (3)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/donations)
- [Lunch Debt (3)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/lunch-debt)
- [School Accounting (3)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-accounting)
- [back to school (3)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/back-to-school)
- [Cashless Campus (2)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/cashless-campus)
- [Customer Testimonial (2)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/customer-testimonial)
- [Direct Certification (2)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/direct-certification)
- [Happy holidays (2)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/happy-holidays)
- [MSB Activities (2)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/msb-activities)
- [MSB Tickets (2)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/msb-tickets)
- [Meal Ordering (2)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/meal-ordering)
- [National School Lunch Week (2)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/national-school-lunch-week)
- [Nutrikids (2)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/nutrikids)
- [Webinars (2)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/webinars)
- [school commerce (2)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-commerce)
- [ANC (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/anc)
- [Activities (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/activities)
- [Black History Month (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/black-history-month)
- [Communications (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/communications)
- [Contactless Payments (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/contactless-payments)
- [Meal Debt (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/meal-debt)
- [Partnerships (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/partnerships)
- [Pickle Juice (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/pickle-juice)
- [Procurement (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/procurement)
- [School events (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-events)
- [Serving in the Classroom (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/serving-in-the-classroom)
- [Women's History Month (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/womens-history-month)
- [school fees (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-fees)
- [school nutrition (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-nutrition)
- [school system platform (1)](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/topic/school-system-platform)

See All »

[![Heartland](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/hubfs/Heartland_May2018/images/logo.png)](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com)

### Nutrition Technology

- [Point of Sale](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/nutrition-technology/point-of-sale)
- [Free and Reduced](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/nutrition-technology/free-and-reduced)
- [Online Applications](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/nutrition-technology/online-applications)
- [Menu Planning](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/nutrition-technology/menu-planning)
- [Meal Orders](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/nutrition-technology/meal-orders)
- [Ordering Inventory](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/nutrition-technology/ordering-inventory)
- [Digital Menus](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/nutrition-technology/mealviewer)

### Payment Solutions

- [School Store](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/payment-solutions/school-store)
- [Student Invoicing](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/payment-solutions/student-invoicing)
- [School Program Management](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/payment-solutions/msb-activities)
- [Tickets & Event Management](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/payment-solutions/ticketing)
- [School Funds Accounting](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/payment-solutions/school-funds-accounting)
- [In-Person Payments](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/payment-solutions/msb-anywhere)
- [Meal Payments](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/payment-solutions/meals)

### Events

- [Training Events](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/training-events)
- [Shows and Conferences](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/shows-and-conferences)
- [Connect 2026](https://info.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/connect)

### Support

- [Support Central](https://info.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/support-central)
- [Technical Consulting](https://info.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/consulting)

### About

- [Our Story](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/about/our-story)
- [Partnerships](https://info.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/integrations)
- [Careers](https://www.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/en/about/careers)

### Resources

- [Webinars](https://info.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/webinars-nutrition)
- [Guides & Templates](https://info.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/resources/guides-templates)
- [Blog](https://blog.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/)

### Contact Sales

800.423.2113

### Contact

- [Contact Sales](https://info.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/contact-us)
- [Contact Support](https://info.heartlandschoolsolutions.com/support-central#help)

### [Social](https://www.heartlandpaymentsystems.com/school-solutions)

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### Location

765 Jefferson Road, #400  
Rochester, NY 14623

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