JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
The Fort Sam Houston Independent School District has announced its policy for providing free and reduced-price meals for students served under the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.
The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential childcare institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced reduced or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.
The household size and income criteria will be used to determine eligibility for free and reduced-price benefits. Students from households whose income is at or below the levels shown are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Foster children who are the legal responsibility of the state agency or court are eligible for free meal benefits regardless of the income of the household with whom they reside.
Applications are available at the food service or administration office of each school or can be downloaded and printed at http://www.fshisd.net.
To apply for free and reduced-price meals, households must fill out the application and return it to the school or campus cafeteria. Applications may be submitted anytime during the school year.
The information households provide on the application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and verification of data. Applications may be verified by the school’s officials at any time during the school year. A new application must be submitted each school year.
For school officials to determine eligibility for free and reduced-priced benefits, households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits (formerly the Food Stamp Program) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, known as TANF, only have to list their child’s name and SNAP or TANF case number. An adult household member must sign the application.
Households that do not list a SNAP or TANF case number must list the names of all household members, the amount and source of the income received by each household member, and the last four digits of the Social Security number of the adult household member who signs the application.
If the adult who signs the application does not have a Social Security number, the household member must indicate that a Social Security number in not available by writing the word “NONE”, “No Number” or some indication that the person does not have a Social Security number.
The housing allowance for military personnel living in privatized housing will be permanently excluded from income when determining household eligibility for free and reduce-price meals.
Under the provisions of the free and reduced-price meal policy, the Child Nutrition Director will review applications and determine eligibility. Parents or guardians dissatisfied with the ruling may wish to discuss the decision with the reviewing official on an informal basis.
Parents wishing to make a formal appeal for a hearing on the decision may make a request either orally or in writing to the superintendent at 210-368-8700, 4005 Winans Rd. San Antonio, TX 78234.
If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size increases, the household should contact the Child Nutrition Department. Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for benefits if the household’s income falls at or below the levels shown below.
For additional information, district residents can write the Child Nutrition Department at 4005 Winans Road San Antonio, TX 78234 or call 210-368-8745.
Meals are served every school day. Students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade can prepay or purchase their meal at the cost of $2.20 per lunch and $0.90 per breakfast. Students in grades six through 12 can prepay or purchase their meal at the cost of $2.45 per lunch and $1.00 for breakfast.
An online payment system is now available for both schools at http://www.myschoolbucks.com. Reduced-price school meals are .30 cents for breakfast and .40 cents for lunch.
The following is the chart of federal annual income qualifying guidelines for the free and reduced-price meal program:
Family Eligibility Income Chart
Household Size Annual Free Annual Reduced
1 $15,782 $22,459
2 $21,398 $30,451
3 $27,014 $38,443
4 $32,630 $46,435
5 $38,246 $54,427
6 $43,862 $62,419
7 $49,478 $70,411
8 $55,094 $78,403
For each additional family member add:
+$5,616 +$7,992