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School Nutrition Programs Eligibility

Each school year, local educational agencies must determine and certify a student’s eligibility to qualify for free and reduced-price meals or free milk benefits.

This web page contains School Nutrition Programs (SNP) eligibility information and policies for local educational agencies (LEA) that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Afterschool Meal Supplements under the NSLP, Special Milk Program (SMP), and State Meal Program.

LEAs must provide households with an application that allows them to apply for free and reduced-price (F/RP) meals or free milk for all children in the household and cannot require the household to submit an application for each student within the same LEA. Also, LEAs cannot require a household to submit an application for F/RP meals or free milk if the household chooses to decline to participate in the program. LEAs are required to include the application and instructions with the letter to household and must distribute these materials near the beginning of each school year.

The SNP prototype eligibility materials comply with federal and state requirements that are monitored by the California Department of Education (CDE) during an SNP Administrative Review. There is no requirement to use the SNP eligibility materials, but LEAs should validate that their eligibility materials are in compliance with federal requirements from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Eligibility Manual for School Meals; Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 245; and state requirements from California Education Code Section 49557.

Eligibility Materials

The CDE offers the following prototype SNP eligibility materials:

  • Application for F/RP Meals
  • Application for F/RP with CalFresh Option
  • Application for F/RP Meals: State Meal Program
  • Application for the Free Milk
  • Letter to Households and Instructions for F/RP Meals
  • Letter to Households and Instructions for F/RP Meals with CalFresh Option
  • Letter to Households and Instructions for Free Milk
  • Media Release for F/RP Meals or Free Milk
  • Direct Certification Notification Letters for F/RP Meals or Free Milk
  • Notification Letter for F/RP Meals or Free Milk
  • Verification Materials*

*Review the SNP Verification Materials web page for worksheets, forms, and other materials to assist with the annual, mandatory verification process that confirms the eligibility of a sample of approved household applications in the NSLP and SBP.

Income Eligibility Guidelines

Schools, agencies, institutions, and facilities participating in the NSLP, SBP, and SMP must use the Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEG) to qualify households for F/RP meals or free milk. The IEGs are based on the current federal poverty guidelines by total household size. For additional information, review Management Bulletin Child Nutrition Program (CNP)-05-2017: 2017–18 Annual Income Eligibility Guidelines (May-2017).

Note: The IEGs from prior years are available on the CDE Rates, Eligibility Scales, and Funding web page.

National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program

CalFresh

Special Milk Program

USDA Prototype Materials

The USDA provides prototypes of F/RP eligibility materials for LEAs to use; however, the documents must be revised to comply with the California requirements. The USDA materials are available on the USDA School Meals web page External link opens in new window or tab..

For additional information on the California requirements, review the Resources tab or MB SNP-18-2016: Eligibility Requirements for SNP (Nov-2016).

Questions:   School Nutrition Programs | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Friday, December 20, 2024
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