Magnolia ISD announced a new district-wide plan to provide free and reduced-price meals for children in households who meet new income eligibility guidelines, according to a July 20 news release.
The gist
Any student whose household meets the criteria for the school meal benefits will receive reduced-price breakfast and lunch at no cost.
On Aug. 1, households with children registered to the MISD district will receive letters about eligibility benefits and steps to apply. The qualifications for the new reduced-price school meals are based on three main categories: income, categorical (automatic) alignment, and program participants.
To qualify under the income category, the household income must be at or below the income eligibility levels set by MISD, according to the news release.
For categorical (automatic) alignment, the household must be receiving support from a government nutritional program such as Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).
Lastly, the program participants category includes children who are considered homeless, migrant, displaced by disaster or under foster care. This also qualifies any children enrolled in a Head Start or Even Start program, according to the news release.
What to expect
Applications for the program may be submitted at any time during the school year. MISD will be partnering will local agencies to determine all households who qualify for the program. The applications themselves will be formally reviewed by Chief Nutrition Director Kimberly Ohlendorf.
