LIVERMORE FALLS – SAD 36 plans to help parents fill out applications for free and reduced-cost meals for students.
Getting an accurate count of eligible students will mean more federal funding for the district, Superintendent Terry Despres said.
The district has $8,000 outstanding in student-charged lunches, and it was discovered that many of the students would have been eligible for free or reduced lunches, which are subsidized by the federal government.
“It is important that parents understand that our free and reduced lunch counts assist the district in receiving funds, not only for nutrition but all of our federal programs,” Despres said.
The entitlements that give schools money to help with reading and math and technology and other instruction areas, are based on percentages of students who are eligible for free and reduced lunches, he said.
“Parents should not be embarrassed or concerned since these files are confidential and they actually help the district do a better job,” the superintendent said.
Parents who don’t return free and reduced lunch eligibility forms will be contacted about a meeting, he said, to see if there’s a way to make it work for everybody.
A child can get free school meals if a parent or guardian gets food stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or benefits from the Food Distribution Program Indian Reservations.
If a family’s total household income is at or below the amount on the following income chart, a child can get meals either free or at a reduced price.
Only one application is needed to be filed per family, and an application can be filed later in the year if a family’s circumstances change.
The 2004-05 income guidelines are:
Family size meals (include adults)
Household size Monthly income
1 $1,436
2 $1,926
3 $2,416
4 $2,907
5 $3,397
6 $3,887
For each additional family member add $491 to the monthly income.
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