Federal waivers granting access to free school lunch for students enrolled at schools participating in the National School Lunch Program since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 will end at the end of this school year.
Families will be able apply for free or reduced-price school lunch with their local participating school as soon as of July 1. Families may be eligible if they meet the federal income eligibility guidelines or participate in one of the following programs:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Additionally, students who are considered homeless, migrant, runaway, a foster child, or who are enrolled in Head Start or other eligible pre-kindergarten programs, may also be eligible for free and reduced-price lunch and should check on eligibility with their local participating school.
Students who do not meet these guidelines will once again be required to pay for school lunch once the waivers end. Lunch prices will be set by the individual school districts and charter schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program. Families should check with their participating school for 2022-23 prices.
