Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

2017–18 Annual Income Eligibility Guidelines


Nutrition Services Division Management Bulletin

Purpose:  Policy, Action Required, Beneficial Information

To: Child Nutrition Program Operators

Attention: Child Nutrition Program Operators

Number: CNP-05-2017

Date: May 2017

Reference: Federal Register, Volume 82, Number 67 (Monday, April 10, 2017) U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service Notice, pages 17182–17184.

Supersedes: Management Bulletin CNP-02-2016 (June 2016)

Subject: 2017–18 Annual Income Eligibility Guidelines


This management bulletin provides child nutrition program (CNP) operators with School Year (SY) 2017–18 Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEG) and information regarding the requirements for calculating household income. These guidelines are used by schools, agencies, institutions, and facilities participating in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The new IEG scale is effective from July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018, and is located on the California Department of Education (CDE) Rates, Eligibility Scales, and Funding Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/rs/.

CNP operators use the IEGs to determine eligibility for free and reduced-price (F/RP) meals and free milk, in accordance with applicable CNP rules. The IEGs are based on the federal poverty guidelines and are determined by household size. Children from families with income at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with income between 131 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced‐price meals.

Calculation Methods

When a household submits an F/RP meal or free milk application that provides income sources with more than one frequency (for example, a household member receives income once a month and another household member receives income twice a month), the CNP operator must annualize all income by multiplying:

  • Weekly by 52
  • Biweekly (received every two weeks) by 26
  • Twice a month by 24
  • Monthly by 12

If there is only one source of income, or if all sources are received at the same frequency, the CNP operator must total all sources and compare the total to the applicable pay period. For example, if two household members receive income once a month, these amounts would be added together and then compared to the monthly IEG based on the total household size.

Note:  CNP operators may not round the values resulting from each conversion; instead, they must add all of the unrounded converted values and use the unrounded total to identify the appropriate IEG for annual income for the household size.

This calculation method is consistent with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Eligibility Manual for School Meals, which can be downloaded from the USDA School Meals Guidance and Resources Web page at http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/guidance-and-resources. [Note: The preceding link is no longer valid and is replaced with https://www.fns.usda.gov/resources.]

School Nutrition Programs

The SY 2017–18 IEGs are available to download as a Word document from the CDE School Nutrition Programs (SNP) Eligibility Materials Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/eligmaterials.asp. The reduced-price scale is available in English and Spanish.

Child and Adult Care Food Program

The updated CACFP eligibility materials are available on the following CDE Web pages:

Adult Component Eligibility Materials http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/cc/eligmaterials.asp [Note: the preceding link is no longer valid]

Child Care Center Eligibility Materials http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/cc/celigmaterials.asp [Note: the preceding link is no longer valid]

Day Care Home Eligibility Materials http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/cc/daycareeligmat.asp [Note: the preceding link is no longer valid]

Summer Food Service Program

The updated SFSP 2017–18 IEGs are available on the CDE CNP Income Eligibility Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/rs/scales1718.asp.   

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding this management bulletin, please contact your SNP, CACFP, or SFSP specialist.

SNP: The SNP specialist list is available in the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) Download Forms section, Form ID Caseload. You can also contact the SNP Unit by email at SNPInfo@cde.ca.gov.

CACFP: The CACFP moved to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). Please visit the CDSS CACFP web page at https://www.cdss.ca.gov/cacfp or call 1-833-559-2420 for more information.

SFSP: The Summer Meals specialist list is available in the CNIPS Download Forms section, Form ID SMU 01. If you have questions, please contact SFSP@cde.ca.gov.

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Related Content
Recently Posted in Nutrition
  • Fees for Electronic Payment Services in the School (added 31-Jan-2025)
    The memorandum clarifies policy related to fees associated with electronic (online) payments and ensures students determined eligible for free or reduced-price meal benefits receive the benefits.
  • Webinars: Scratch Cooking & Reducing Sodium (added 30-Jan-2025)
    The CICN hosts a live webinar addressing How to Transition to Scratch Cooking in Schools - First Steps. The USDA Meal Talk Webinar to share strategies to reduce sodium and engage students in menu planning.
  • SY 2025–26 USDA Foods Available List and Pricing (added 29-Jan-2025)
    This report provides an estimated price per pound, per case, and per truck for all USDA Foods items available in school year (SY) 2025-26.
  • Waiver for Non-congregate Meals During Ramadan (added 14-Jan-2025)
    The Waiver for Non-congregate Meals During Ramadan allows approved school food authorities to offer non-congregate meals to students fasting during Ramadan.
  • NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant: Allowable Costs (added 10-Jan-2025)
    The USDA issued Policy Memo SP 06-2025: National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grants (EAG): Installation Expenditures which provides guidance on costs related to installing and using new equipment purchased with EAG funds.

  • Buy American Provision (added 10-Jan-2025)
    The Buy American provision is a procurement standard that SFAs must comply with when purchasing food products served in School Nutrition Programs (SNP). SFAs are required to purchase domestic commodities or products to the maximum extent practicable.
  • Governor Newsom Proclaims State of Emergency (added 08-Jan-2025)
    Governor Newsom proclaims state of emergency to support the communities impacted by the Palisades Fire.
  • FFAVORS new requirement (added 08-Jan-2025)
    Effective January 5, 2025, (FFAVORS) user are now required to receipt within 2 business days of receipt of product or required delivery date (RDD).
  • CNIPS Update (added 06-Jan-2025)
    Transition of Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) server hosting and maintenance from California Department of Technology to California Department of Education (CDE).
  • October 22, 2024 Tuesday at 2 Town Hall Resources (added 03-Jan-2025)
    The California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division (NSD) hosted the monthly Tuesday @ 2 School Nutrition Town Hall webinar October 22, 2024.