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Free and Reduced Meal Eligibility

Overview

teacher with students

Within the School Meals Programs, free and reduced priced meals must be offered to qualifying students. School Food Authorities (SFAs) receive reimbursement for each reimbursable meal served to students. The reimbursement rate for each meal differs depending on a student's meal eligibility (free, reduced, or paid).

Overview of Free, Reduced and Verification In a Nutshell (Spanish)
Overview of Free & Reduced and Verification Webcast
 
book
The Eligibility Manual for School Meals provides comprehensive information on the Federal requirements, policies, and procedures for establishing eligibility in USDA School Meals Programs.

 

 

Methods to qualify students for meal benefits:

 

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Direct Certification (DC)

DC electronically matches your student enrollment file to a state database (Division of Children and Families – DCF) of children in families enrolled in the following: FoodShare (SNAP), W-2 (TANF) cash benefits, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or the foster care system. Some Medicaid programs may apply.

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Free and Reduced Meal Applications

SFAs must send applications to households prior to the beginning of the school year, after July 1.

Applications may be completed on paper or electronically. SFAs will then determine a student's meal eligibility.

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Categorically Eligible

Categorically eligible students include those who are automatically eligible for meal benefits, either through Direct Certification or an application.
 
A child is Other Source Categorically Eligible if determined to be: Homeless, Runaway, Migrant, Foster, or enrolled in a Head Start or Even Start Pre-K program.

Notification

Public Release (Required)
All School Food Authorities (SFAs) are required to distribute a Public Release before the start of the school year. The purpose is to inform the community of SFAs offering free and reduced priced meals to eligible student. SFAs should attempt to send the public release to the following:
  • local media
  • grassroots organizations
  • major employers contemplating or experiencing large layoffs
  • local unemployment office
SFAs are not required to pay to have the public release published. SFAs need to maintain documentation that shows who received the current public release as well as a copy of the distributed public release. Please note, the Public Release cannot be posted to the SFA's website, nor to the district handbook.​​​​​​
 

Public Release (Spanish) (Hmong)

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) webpage contains the public release template for SFAs operating CEP district-wide. Mixed Districts operating SSO may use the Public Release for SFAs participating in the SSO, as linked above. 

Notification Letters (Required)
Optional Notification Letters
Sharing Information and Disclosure Agreements

Sharing Information

 
If a SFA offers the opportunity to waive or subsidize district fees (e.g. registration, athletic fees, technology fees, etc.) based on a student’s free or reduced price meal status, the SFA must provide the Sharing Information with Other Programs form to all students with a free or reduced price status. These waivers or subsidies cannot be provided until a signed Sharing Information form is returned to the SFA.
 
The Sharing Information form is not required if:
  • Parents/guardians self-disclose eligibility information by providing a copy of their application approval letter
  • The fee waivers and subsidies are handled outside of the food service department by an alternate data collection method

 

Disclosure Agreements

 
If a SFA distributes the Sharing Information with Other Programs form, it must also distribute a Disclosure Agreement form. This disclosure must be signed by any individual, or organization, that is receiving individual student free and reduced price information for purposes other than school meal benefits.
 
  • Any individual that is provided with individual student eligibility information for state reporting purposes or local program fee waivers should complete the Disclosure Agreement for School Staff (Spanish) and retain a copy on file at the district.
  • Any agency that is receiving free and reduced price meal benefit information for individual students should complete this Disclosure Agreement (Spanish) form and retain a copy on file.

Resources

State Agency Contacts (Other Source Categorical)

  • Migrant Program Coordinators-A migratory student is someone who moves because they or their family are involved in seasonal agricultural work. Migratory students often move multiple times per year.
  • Homeless Liaison Directory-The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act defines homeless children and youths as those who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.
  • Out-of-Home Care (Foster)-A student living in out-of-home care means a student who has been placed in a residential setting outside of the student’s home by a county, state, or tribal child welfare agency.

SNT Contacts

 

Tanya Kirtz
Nutrition Program Consultant
(608) 266-2410
Jane Maier
Nutrition Program Consultant
(608) 267-9217

 

Ann Wiebelhaus
Nutrition Program Consultant
(608) 267-9233