The Iowa Department of Education has set income eligibility guidelines for free and reduced lunch programs.
For free meals, for household sizes of one person, income eligibility is $17,667 (or $1,473 per month), two people is $23,803 (or $1,984 per month), three people $29,939 (or $2,495 per month), four people is $36,075 (or $3,0007 per month). For each additional family member, individuals should add $61,36 per year or $512 per month to determine eligibility.
For reduced pprice meals, income guidelines are for one person homes are $25,142 per year (or $2,096 per month), two people homes are $33,874 per year (or $2,823 per month), three people homes are $42,606 per year (or $3,551 per month), four people homes are $51,338 per year (or $4,279 per month). For each additional family member, add $8,732 per year or $728 per month to determine eligibility guidelines.
Households may be eligible for free or reduced-price meal benefits one of four ways
1. Households whose income is at or below the levels shown are eligible for reduced price meals or free meals, if they complete an application for free and reduced price school meals/milk. Households may complete one application listing all children and return it to your child’s school. When completing an application, only the last four digits of the social security number of the household’s primary wage earner or another adult household member is needed.
2. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households, children receiving benefits under the Family Investment Program (FIP) and children in a few specific Medicaid programs are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Most children from SNAP and FIP households will be qualified for free meals automatically.
These households will receive a letter from their children’s schools notifying them of their benefits.
Households that receive a letter from the school need to do nothing more for their children to receive free or reduced price meals. No further application is necessary. If any children were not listed on the notice of eligibility, the household should contact the school to have free or reduced price meal benefits extended to them. If you feel you would qualify for free meal benefits and received notification qualifying for reduced price benefits, complete an application for free and reduced price meals. Households must contact the school if they choose to decline meal benefits.
3. Some SNAP and FIP households will receive a letter from the Department of Human Services (DHS) which will qualify the children listed on the letter for free meals. Parents must take this letter to the child’s school to receive free meals.
4. SNAP or FIP households receiving benefits that do not receive a letter from DHS must complete an application with the abbreviated information as indicated on the application and instructions, for their children to receive free meals. When the application lists an assistance program’s case number for any household member, eligibility for free benefits is extended to all children in a household.
Eligibility from the previous year will continue within the same school for up to 30 operating days into the new school year. When the carryover period ends, unless the household is notified that their children are directly certified or the household submits an application that is approved, the children must pay full price for school meals and the school will not send a reminder or a notice of expired eligibility. An application cannot be approved unless complete eligibility information is submitted. Applications may be submitted at any time during the year. If a family member becomes unemployed the family should contact the school to complete an application. Households notified of their children’s eligibility must contact the school if the household chooses to decline the free meal benefits.