The Cheatham County School District announced its revised free and reduced price policy for school children unable to pay the full price of meals served in schools under the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.
Local education officials have adopted the following family-size income criteria for determining eligibility:
Children from families whose current income is at or below those shown are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Applications are available at the office in each school.
To apply, households must fill out a Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for the current school year and return it to the school (unless notified at the start of the school year that the children are eligible through direct certification). The information provided on the application is confidential and will be used only for the purpose of determining eligibility. School officials may verify current income at any time during the school year. Applications may be submitted any time during the school year.
A complete application is required as a condition of eligibility. A complete application includes: (1) household income from all sources or SNAP/TANF case number, (2) names of all household members, and (3) the signature and last four digits of social security number or indication of no social security number of adult household member signing the application.
If a family member becomes unemployed or if family size changes, the family should contact the school to file a new application. Such changes may make the children of the family eligible for these benefits. Foster children may be eligible regardless of the income of the household with whom they reside.
Households will be notified of their children’s eligibility status for free or reduced price meals. If any children were not listed on the eligibility notice for families receiving SNAP, TANF or FDPIR, the household should contact the school to have free meal benefits extended to those children.
If any child(ren) was not listed on the eligibility notice, the household should contact the LEA or school to have free meal benefits extended to that child(ren).
Under the provisions of the policy, the School Nutrition Director will review the applications and determine eligibility. If a parent is dissatisfied with the ruling of the determining official, they may wish to discuss the decision with the hearing official on an informal basis or he/she may make a request either orally or in writing to the Director of Human Resources. Hearing procedures are outlined in the policy.
A complete copy of the policy is on file in each school and in the central office where any interested party may review it.
