Stafford County Public Schools has announced which schools will provide free breakfast and lunch to all students under the Community Eligibility Provision this school year.
Participating schools include Anne E. Moncure, Kate Waller Barrett, Widewater, Falmouth, Rocky Run and Falls Run elementary schools, Edward E. Drew Middle School, and the North Star and Rising Star Head Start programs. Students at these schools get meals at no cost with no application required.
At all other Stafford schools, families must apply based on household income. Applications are available online at schoolcafe.com/SCPS-Nutrition. The announcement does not list paid meal prices.
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Full Press Release:
STAFFORD, VA – Stafford County Public Schools announced its policy for providing free or reduced-price meals for children served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Each school and/or central school nutrition office has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by any interested party.
Certain schools in the division will be participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as implemented through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Schools participating in CEP this year are:
- Anne E. Moncure Elementary School
- Kate Waller Barrett Elementary School
- Widewater Elementary School
- Falmouth Elementary School
- Rocky Run Elementary School
- Falls Run Elementary School
- Edward E. Drew Middle School
- North Star and Rising Star Head Start Programs
All students attending a CEP school will be provided a nutritious breakfast and lunch meal each day at no cost. Households with students attending these schools will not be required to submit a meal application or to pay a fee for these students to receive meals. Each household with students attending these schools will receive communication about CEP, including contact information for questions.
In all other schools, household size and income will be used to determine eligibility for free or reduced-price meal benefits. Children who are members of households with income at or below the federal income eligibility guidelines, shown in the chart below, may be eligible for either free or reduced-price meals.
Children who are members of households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (formerly the Food Stamp Program) or who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) may be automatically eligible for free meals. Children who are homeless, migrant, or runaway are automatically eligible for free meals using documentation provided by the school liaison. Foster children, who are the legal responsibility of a welfare agency or court, are eligible for free meals regardless of the income of the household with whom they reside. Children who are members of households participating in WIC may also be eligible for free or reduced-price meal based on the household’s income.
Meal applications are available at https://www.schoolcafe.com/SCPS-Nutrition to all households with a letter informing households of the availability of free or reduced-price meals for their children. Fillable applications are also available at the principal’s office in each school and on the district’s website at https://staffordschoolsnet.finalsite.com/families/nutrition-services.
To apply for free or reduced-price meals, households must only fill out one application per household and return it to the school division. Applications may be submitted at any time during the school year. The information households provide on the application will be used for determining eligibility and verification of data. Applications may be verified at any time during the school year by school or other program officials.
For school officials to determine eligibility for free or reduced-price benefits, households receiving SNAP benefits or TANF only have to list their child(ren)’s name and SNAP or TANF case number and an adult household member must sign the application. Households who do not list a SNAP or TANF case number, including WIC households, must list the names of all household members, the amount and frequency of the income received by each household member, and the last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member who signs the application. If the household member does not have a social security number, the household member must indicate that a social security number is not available. The application must be signed by an adult household member in order to be approved.
Household Size Maximum Household Income For Free Meals Household Income For Reduced-Price Meals 1 $20,748 $20,748.01 – $29,526 2 $28,132 $28,132.01 – $40,034 3 $35,516 $35,516.01 – $50,542 4 $42,900 $42,900.01 – $61,050 5 $50,284 $50,284.01 – $71,558 6 $57,668 $57,668.01 – $82,066 7 $65,052 $65,052.01 – $92,574 8 $72,436 $72,436.01 – $103,082 For Each Additional Family Member – ADD $7,384 $10,508 Under the provisions of the free and reduced price meal policy, the Nutrition Services department will review applications and determine eligibility. An application for free or reduced-price meals cannot be approved unless it is complete.
Households dissatisfied with the ruling of the eligibility determining official may wish to discuss the decision with the official on an informal basis. Households wishing to make a formal appeal for a hearing on the decision may make a request either verbally or in writing to Chris Fulmer, 31 Stafford Ave, Stafford, VA 22554, (540) 658-6600.
Households may apply for free or reduced-price meals at any time during the school year. If a household is not eligible now but has a change, such as a decrease in household income, an increase in household size, becomes unemployed or qualifies for SNAP or TANF, the household should contact the school for an application. Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for benefits if the household’s income falls at or below the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.
Households that receive SNAP or TANF may not have to complete an application for free or reduced-price student meals. School officials will determine eligibility for free meals based on documentation, obtained directly from the Virginia Department of Social Services, that a child is a member of a household currently receiving SNAP or TANF. School officials will notify these households in writing of their eligibility. Households who are notified of their eligibility, but who do not want their children to receive free meals, must contact the school. SNAP and TANF households must complete an application if they are not notified in writing of their automatic eligibility within the first 10 days of the new school year.
