The Idaho Department of Education has released the following news release.
BOISE Idaho families can now apply for free and reduced-price meals for the next school year and check the income limits for 2025–2026.
The income requirements for free and reduced-price meals for students in schools that run the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs, as well as for free milk in schools that run the special Milk Program, are announced annually by the Idaho Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs department. No child will be subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in order for these programs to operate.
Eligible students can receive free or reduced-price meals, and schools that meet the requirements may be allowed to provide the Special Milk Program. Children who fall into certain categories are eligible for free or reduced-price meal assistance; eligibility is based on home size and income. Depending on whether a household qualifies for the program, students may receive milk and meals for free or at a discounted rate of no more than 40 cents for lunch and 30 cents for breakfast.
If meals are not provided and the school is a part of the Special Milk Program, children from families with incomes at or below the following thresholds are eligible for free or reduced-price meals:
Children who live in households that receive benefits from the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Temporary Assistance to Families in Idaho (TAFI), or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. These children may apply for these meals with simplified information or may be directly certified. Families that receive Medicaid, SNAP, or TAFI benefits will be directly certified to receive free or reduced-price meal or milk benefits in August. The schools will notify these households of their eligibility through a letter. Students who are directly certified do not need to submit any additional applications or have their eligibility verified.
When a kid is identified, the family will be informed if the child is in court-ordered foster care, getting educational support through migrant, Head Start, homeless, or runaway education, or is eligible for free meals.
If a household decides to reject the free meal benefits after learning of their child’s eligibility, they must get in touch with the school. If the school is using a Special Provision Option, such Provision 2 or the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which offers free breakfasts and/or lunches to all students, the household will be informed by their district or charter.
A confidential application can be submitted through the district by households that are not notified of their eligibility for free or reduced-price meals or free milk.
Regardless of immigration status, children in qualifying households are eligible for meal assistance, and applications can be made at any time during the academic year as conditions change.
If the loss of income results in the household income during the unemployment period falling within the eligibility standards, parents or guardians who lose their jobs may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals or free milk at that time. Any time during the academic year, information submitted on an application may be checked. If an application does not include the following details, it will not be accepted:
- A Food Stamp, SNAP or TAFI number for each child or an indication that the household is receiving FDPIR and the signature of an adult household member.
OR
- The names of all household members, the amount and source of income received by each household member in the prior month, the signature of an adult household member, the actual number of household members and the last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member who signs the application (or an indication that the signer has no social security number).
At any point during the academic year, the data on the application can be checked. If parents or guardians are unhappy with the decision made by the school official who decides eligibility, they can speak with the official about it. Parents who would like to formally appeal the decision can request a hearing from the school’s food service hearing officer either orally or in writing.
