Free and Reduced Meal Applications
Free and Reduced Frequent Asked Questions
No. You can use one Free and Reduced Meal Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Complete the online application from www.SchoolCafe.com
It may take up to ten business days to approve your application. Students are expected to pay for full price meals and parents are responsible for all charges until the application has been approved. Completing an application online with SchoolCafe.com, and entering all required information can expedite the approval process.
Direct Certified students automatically receive free meals for the entire year. This means you have a SNAP or TANF number. You may call us to remove your child from the free and reduced program if you do not want this benefit.
Your child may have purchased an A La Carte items that are not part of the Free/Reduced meal. Also when an application approval date expires, a Free or Reduced student without payment for meals will accrue charges and the parents are liable for these charges.
Please carefully read the letter you received. Call your child’s school if you have questions or contact the Free & Reduced Supervisor at 678-676-2333
A student who changes from Free to Reduced or to Paid will be given 10 calendar days and written notice of the date of this change. A student who changes from Paid or Reduced to Free will be changed immediately to the increased benefit.
All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) or, in some STATES Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), can get free meals regardless of your income. Also, your children can get free meals if your household’s gross income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.
Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please complete an application online with SchoolCafe.com
Yes, foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court, are eligible for free meals. Any foster child in the household is eligible for free meals regardless of income. USDA requires the foster parent to submit an application to be processed.
Yes, children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant qualify for free meals. If you have not been told your children will receive free meals, please call our Free & Reduced Supervisor at 678-676-1777 to see if they qualify.
Yes. Your child(ren)’s application is valid for one School Year and for the first 30 days into a new School Year. You must complete a new application each School Year, unless you have received a notice that your chid(ren) have already been approved.
Yes the information may be verified and we may ask for proof of income.
Please contact our Free & Reduced Supervisor at 678-676-1777.
You must include the last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member who signs the application. If you do not have a social security number, you must mark the box on the application informing us that you do not have one.
Your child may be Direct Certified through the State Department of Family and Children Services or a Counselor or Principals may have applied for students known to be eligible.
The Community Eligibility Program (C.E.P) is a new alternative to the traditional meal application process as outlined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). All students enrolled in a CEP school are eligible to receive a healthy school breakfast and school lunch at No Cost each day. (USDA CEP Guidelines)
The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools for SY 19-20 are as follows:
What does it mean for you and any siblings attending another DeKalb County School? What does it mean for you and your children attending the CEP school?
Your Child(ren) will be able to participate in these meal programs without paying for meals or submitting a Free & Reduced Lunch Application. No further action is required of you. If your child (ren) leaves the CEP school and enroll in another DeKalb County School he or she will need to submit a new application to the School Nutrition Manager as soon as your child is enrolled at the new school. You have 10 days to submit a new application.
If you have child (ren) attending another DeKalb County School(s) and one school is a CEP and the other school is not; you will need to submit a Free and Reduced Application to the School Nutrition Manager for the child attending the school that is not participating in the CEP Program.