Georgia announces 2019-20 School Meals Policy

Application forms for the free or reduced school breakfast and lunch programs are being sent to parents and guardians of students for the 2019-2020 academic year.  This week, the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Program released its policy for free and reduced-price meals in schools. The School Nutrition Program is designed for families who are unable to pay the full price for school meals under the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program. Reduced price breakfasts cost no more than 30 cents and the reduced price lunches cost no more than 40 cents.  Local school officials in Georgia have adopted a family size and income criteria for determining eligibility, so how much a family will receive depends on the size of the family and their income level.  However, children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals if all children in a household are receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), are in foster care, or are participating in the Georgia Head Start Program.  Additionally, children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals, but their parent or guardian will need to fill out and send in an application. According to the Georgia Department of Education, applications must be filled out completely and returned to your child’s school.  If you child has already been participating in the free or reduced lunch program you must reapply for the new school year and have the application to school officials no later than 30 days after school starts in order for it to continue.