School Nutrition Program - Public Announcement: School Year 2026-27 Free and Reduced-Price Lunch, Breakfast, and Special Milk Programs

Oct 10, 2026

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Public announcement outlines eligibility policy for free and reduced-price lunch, school breakfast, special milk, and after-school snacks under the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Special Milk Program for school year 2026-27. It specifies household size and income criteria effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, application requirements, acceptable medical substitutions, and processing rules. It also describes direct certification for SNAP/TANF households, categorical eligibility for WIC participants and certain child situations, and civil rights protections with contact information for fair hearings.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Eligibility and Programs Covered

Household Size and Income Criteria (2026-27)

Application Requirements

SNAP/TANF Direct Certification and Required Details

All Other Households: Information Needed

Meals, Substitutions, and Categorical Eligibility

Disability-Related Substitutions

Homeless and Foster Care Eligibility

Dispute Process and Civil Rights

Fair Hearing and Non-Discrimination Notice

SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: School Year 2026-27 National School Lunch, School Breakfast, and Special Milk Programs today announced its policy for free and reduced-price lunch, breakfast, milk, and after-school snacks for those students unable to pay the full price for meals and snacks under the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and the Special Milk Program. The following household size and income criteria will be used for determining eligibility. | Income Eligibility Guidelines
Effective July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027 | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Free Meals
130% Federal Poverty Guideline | | | | | | Reduced Price Meals
185% Federal Poverty Guideline | | | | | | | Household Size | Annual | Monthly | Twice Per Month | | Weekly | Household Size | Annual | Monthly | Twice Per Month | | Weekly | | 1 | 20,748 | 1,729 | 865 | 798 | 399 | 1 | 29,526 | 2,461 | 1,231 | 1,136 | 568 | | 2 | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | 3 | 35,516 | 2,960 | 1,480 | 1,366 | 683 | 3 | 50,542 | 4,212 | 2,106 | 1,944 | 972 | | 4 | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | 5 | 50,284 | 4,191 | 2,096 | 1,934 | 967 | 5 | 71,558 | 5,964 | 2,982 | 2,753 | 1,377 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | 65,052 | 5,421 | 2,711 | 2,502 | 1,251 | 7 | 92,574 | 7,715 | 3,858 | 3,561 | 1,781 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | For each additional
household member, add: | 7,384 | 616 | 308 | 284 | 142 | For each additional
household member, add: | 10,508 | 876 | 438 | 405 | 203 | Children from households that meet Federal guidelines are eligible for free or reduced-price meal services. Complete one application per household for all children that attend the same school district. All meals served must meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture meal requirements. However, if a child has been determined by a doctor to have a disability and the disability would prevent the child from eating the regular school meal, this school will make substitutions prescribed by the doctor. If a substitution is needed, there will be no extra charge for the meal. If you believe your child needs substitutions because of a disability, please contact the school for further information. Application forms are being sent to all homes with a letter to parents or guardians. To apply for free or reducedprice meal services, households must complete the application as soon as possible, sign it, and return it to the school. Additional copies of the application form are available in the principal’s office in each school. Households should answer all applicable questions on the form. An application that does not contain all the required information cannot be processed and approved by the school. Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participants may be eligible for free/reduced-price meals and are encouraged to complete an application for benefits. The required information is as follows: • SNAP/TANF HOUSEHOLDS: If the school provided you a letter that stated your child(ren) is eligible for free meals via the direct certification process, you do not have to complete this application to receive free meal benefits. Households that currently receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for their child(ren) only have to list the child(ren)’s name and at least one SNAP or TANF case number and sign the application. If at least one SNAP/TANF case number is provided for any household member, then all children listed on the application are categorically eligible for free meals. Applications listing LINK card numbers cannot be used for free or reduced-price meals. • ALL OTHER HOUSEHOLDS: If a household’s income is at or below the level shown on the income scale, children are eligible for either free or reduced-price meal services. Households must provide the following information: (1) the names of all household members; (2) the last

FAQs

Which meal programs are covered in this announcement for school year 2026-27?

The announcement covers free and reduced-price lunch, breakfast, special milk programs, and after-school snacks under the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and the Special Milk Program.

How are SNAP or TANF households handled for free meal benefits?

If the school provides direct certification for eligible children, the household does not need to complete the application for free meals. For SNAP/TANF only, households list children’s names, at least one SNAP or TANF case number, and sign the application.

What information is required for households whose income is at or below the income scale?

Households must provide names of all household members, the last four digits of the adult signer’s Social Security number (or note if none), each member’s income amount, frequency, and source, and the signature of an adult household member.

Oct 10, 2026

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