How do children qualify for free and reduced-price meals?
Each school system participating in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program is required to provide an application to each student in the school district. Eligibility is determined based on family income. Families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals; families with income between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced price meals; and families with income over 185 percent of the poverty level pay full student price for meals.
At the beginning of each school year, letters and meal applications are distributed to households of children attending school. This letter informs households that school nutrition programs are available and that free and reduced-price meals are available based on income criteria. Students are required to have a meal application on file. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals, for which students can be charged no more than 40 cents for lunch and 30 cents for breakfast.
Any child at a participating school may purchase a meal through the National School Lunch Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals, for which students can be charged no more than 40 cents. (For the period July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2002, 130 percent of the poverty level is $22,945 for a family of four; 185 percent is $32,653.) Children from families with incomes over 185 percent of poverty pay a full price, though their meals are still subsidized to some extent. Local school food authorities set their own prices for full-price (paid) meals, but must operate their meal services as non-profit programs. Afterschool snacks are provided to children on the same income eligibility basis as school meals. However, programs that operate in areas where at least 50 percent of students are eligible for free
