Why are prices for student meals increasing?
Houston County School Nutrition is a part of the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. Federal regulations require meal prices meet specific price targets. When these targets are not met, guidelines require programs to increase meal prices. Fortunately for the families in Houston County, the last adjustment to student meal prices was in 2017. The goal of these increases is to eliminate the need for increasing meal prices again for several years and to comply with federal guidelines.

Why are prices for adult meals increasing?
Houston County School Nutrition loves our administrators, teachers, support staff, and parents. We realize that going from $2.00 to $2.25 for breakfast and from $3.75 to $5.25 is a significant increase. However, the goal of the increase is to eliminate the need for increasing meal prices again for several years and to comply with federal guidelines. Fortunately, the breakfast and lunch meal prices have not increased since 2017. According to USDA guidelines, the adult meal price must be set based on the cost to produce the meal. Because the National School Breakfast and Lunch program is a federally funded program that supports child nutrition, the adult meal price must cover the full direct costs of the meal to ensure that federal reimbursements and students’ payments do not subsidize meals served to adults. 

Who qualifies for free or reduced priced meals?
USDA sets guidelines specifying who qualifies for free or reduced price meal benefits. Children receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) are eligible for free meals. In addition, children who meet the definition of foster, homeless, runaway, or migrant or are enrolled in their school’s Head Start are eligible for free meals. Children may receive free or reduced price meals if the household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines released July 1 each year. 

Does my family qualify for free or reduced priced meals?
To see if your family qualifies for a free or reduced price meal benefit, please complete a meal application using this link http://www.schoollunchapp.com/. Applications will be available after July 1. Submitting an application online is the fastest way to gain information concerning your family’s meal benefit. 

Why do all students at some schools receive meals no cost?
With the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the National School Lunch Program now includes an additional meal program, the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). CEP permits approved schools to provide meals to all enrolled students at no charge, regardless of economic status. To qualify, a school must have 40 percent or more students eligible for free meals based on direct certification. Children are considered directly certified if they live in households that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). In addition, foster, homeless, runaway, or migrant children are included in the directly certified category.

The following sites currently participate in this program: CB Watson Primary, Centerville Elementary, WIN Academy, Huntington Middle, Lindsey Student Support Center, Miller Elementary, Morningside Elementary, Northside Elementary, Northside High, Northside Middle, Parkwood Elementary, Pearl Stephens Elementary, Russell Elementary, Shirley Hills Elementary, Thomson Middle, Tucker Elementary, Warner Robins Middle, Warner Robins High, and Westside Elementary.