Meal Applications

It is extremely important to both students and their schools that ALL parents submit applications for free and reduced price meals. Available benefits include:

Nutritious school breakfasts and lunches received at reduced price or no cost.
Supplemental “Thornton Commission” dollars from the state.
Title I funding critical to school budgets.
State Compensatory Education funds essential to school budgets.
Large allocations of other federal funds based on the numbers of free and reduced students.
Grants, fee waivers, and favored status for some summer employment opportunities.

Meal applications are available in the main office of all schools. Applications must be completed yearly. It is critical that applications are completed for all students so that valuable benefits and funding are not lost.

REVISED FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH GUIDELINES

For use by School Food Authorities participating in the National School Lunch and/or School Breakfast or the Special Milk Programs.

Baltimore, Maryland, August 28, 2006 - BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS has announced revised Income Eligibility Guidelines for free and reduced-price school meals. The guidelines are set by the federal government and adopted for school students across the State. They are effective from July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007.

Household size and income determine eligibility. Your children may qualify for free or reduced price meals if your household income falls within the limits on this chart. The cost of a reduced price lunch is 40 cents.

Income Eligibility Guidelines July 1, 2006-June 30, 2007

Income Eligibility Guidelines July 1, 2006-June 30, 2007
Household Size	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	For each additional family member, add…
Yearly	$18,130	24,420	30,710	37,000	43,290	49,580	55,870	62,160	$ 6,290
Monthly	$1,511	2,035	2,560	3,084	3,608	4,132	4,656	5,180	$ 525
Weekly	$349	470	591	712	833	954	1,075	1,196	$ 121

Households receiving food stamps or Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) will receive a letter at the start of the school year stating that their children have been approved for FREE school meals. The letter will also state that these households SHOULD NOT complete a Meal Benefit Form (MBF) for free meals this year. Households not receiving food stamps or TCA will receive a letter and a MBF to apply for free and reduced-price meals on or before the first day of school. Copies are also available in the principal's office.

To apply for free or reduced-price meals, parents/guardians should fill out the MBF and return it to the school. Information provided on the MBF will be used to determine eligibility.

Households not receiving food stamps or TCA must list the names of all household members; the household's monthly income; the signature of an adult household member; and the Social Security Number of an adult household member.

Households receiving food stamps or TCA must notify the school when they no longer receive these benefits. Other households are required to notify the school if their income increases by $50 or more per month or $600 a year if their family size decreases. If household income decreases during the school year or if family size increases, households may reapply. Foster children may be eligible for free or reduced price school meals. The Parents/Guardians should fill out a MBF to determine eligibility.

School or other program officials may verify information provided on the form at any time during the school year. The names and eligibility status of children may be given to local Title 1 officials for allocation and evaluation purposes, used for the National Assessment of Educational Progress analyses, or given to other federal and State education or State health programs. No other use of this information is permitted.

In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, State law, and the Maryland State Department of Education policy, discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to the USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD).

Information about this program is available in alternate formats by calling 410-396-8763 or Maryland Relay at 1-800-735-2258.

Under the provisions of the policy statement, Lydia McCargo-Redd will review MBFs and determine eligibility. If a parent or guardian is dissatisfied with the ruling of the official, he/she may wish to discuss the ruling with the official on an informal basis. If the parent or guardian wishes to make a formal appeal, he/she may call 410-396-8755 or write to Kathleen Wilson, 200 E. North Ave., Baltimore, MD 21202 to request a hearing to appeal the decision.

A complete copy of the policy for this program, including an outline of the hearing appeals procedure, is available to the public in the central Food and Nutrition Services office.