SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM - PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT - School Year 2026-27 National School Lunch, School Breakfast, and Special Milk Programs

Oct 10, 2026

School Nutrition Program public announcement outlines eligibility for free and reduced-price lunch, breakfast, milk, and after-school snacks under the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and the Special Milk Program for the 2026-27 school year. It provides income eligibility guidelines effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, including household size thresholds for free meals at 130% and reduced-price meals at 185% of the Federal Poverty Guideline. It explains application requirements, direct certification for SNAP/TANF households, documentation needed for other households, substitution options for disability, and civil rights complaint and accommodation information.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatDOCX

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Eligibility Overview

Household Size and Income Criteria (2026-27)

Free Meals (130% Federal Poverty Guideline)

Reduced-Price Meals (185% Federal Poverty Guideline)

Application Requirements

Direct Certification (SNAP/TANF)

Other Household Applications

Submission Timing and Recertification

Disability Substitutions and Access

Meal Substitutions for Disabilities

Alternative Communication Requests

Civil Rights and Complaint Information

Prohibited Discrimination and Remedies

SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMPUBLIC 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 HouseholdSize Annual Monthly Twice PerMonth Every TwoWeeks Weekly 1 20,748 1,729 865 798 399 2 28,132 2,345 1,173 1,082 541 3 35,516 2,960 1,480 1,366 683 4 42,900 3,575 1,788 1,650 825 5 50,284 4,191 2,096 1,934 967 6 57,668 4,806 2,403 2,218 1,109 7 65,052 5,421 2,711 2,502 1,251 8 72,436 6,037 3,019 2,786 1,393 For each additional household member, add: 7,384 616 308 284 142 Reduced Price Meals 185% Federal Poverty Guideline HouseholdSize Annual Monthly Twice PerMonth Every TwoWeeks Weekly 1 29,526 2,461 1,231 1,136 568 2 40,034 3,337 1,669 1,540 770 3 50,542 4,212 2,106 1,944 972 4 61,050 5,088 2,544 2,349 1,175 5 71,558 5,964 2,982 2,753 1,377 6 82,066 6,839 3,420 3,157 1,579 7 92,574 7,715 3,858 3,561 1,781 8 103,082 8,591 4,296 3,965 1,983 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 reduced-price 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 four digits of the social security number of the adult

FAQs

What programs are covered in the School Nutrition Program public announcement for 2026-27?

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

What income guideline percentages determine free versus reduced-price meals?

Free meals are based on 130% of the Federal Poverty Guideline, and reduced-price meals are based on 185% of the Federal Poverty Guideline, using the provided household size income tables for 2026-27.

Do SNAP/TANF households need to complete a full application?

If the school provides a letter stating eligibility through direct certification, the household does not need to complete the application. Otherwise, SNAP/TANF households only have to list children’s names and at least one SNAP or TANF case number and sign the application.

Oct 10, 2026

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