For Release:
July 27, 2023
Media Release: Free and Reduced-Price School Meals
Kennedale, Texas— Kennedale ISD announced its policy today for providing free and reduced-price meals for children served under the attached current income eligibility guidelines. New to the policy for 2023-2024, students who are eligible for reduced lunch will receive free breakfast. Reduced lunch will cost 40 cents per meal. Each school/site or the central office has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by anyone on request.
Starting on Aug 1, 2023, will begin distributing letters to the households of the children in the district about eligibility benefits and any actions households need to take to apply for these benefits. Applications will also be available at http://schoollunchapp.com/ on August 1, 2023.
Criteria for Free and Reduced-Price Meal Benefits
The following criteria will be used to determine a child’s eligibility for free or reduced-price meal benefits:
Income
1. Household income that is at or below the income eligibility levels
Categorical (Automatic) Eligibility
2. Household receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
Program Participant
3. Child’s status as a foster child, homeless, runaway, migrant, or displaced by a declared disaster
4. Child’s enrollment in Head Start or Even Start
Income Eligibility
For those households that qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on income, an adult in the household must complete an application for free and reduced-price meals. Those individuals filling out the application will need to provide the following information:
1. Names of all household members
2. Amount, frequency, and source of current income for each household member
3. Last 4 digits of the Social Security number of the adult household member who signs the application or, if the adult does not have a social security number, check the box for “No Social Security number”
4. Signature of an adult household member attesting that the information provided is correct
Categorical or Program Eligibility
Kennedale ISD, is working with local agencies to identify all children who are categorically and program eligible Kennedale ISD, will notify the households of these children that they do not need to complete an application. Any household that does not receive a letter and feels it should have should contact Laurie Humiston, Child Nutrition Director, [email protected].
Any household that wishes to decline benefits should contact Laurie Humiston, Child Nutrition Director, [email protected].
Applications may be submitted anytime during the school year. The information provided by households on the application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility. Applications may also be verified by the school officials at any time during the school year.
