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Families Encouraged to Provide Income Information to Support Student Access to School Meals and Other Educational Funding

Photo taken in the Boistfort School District. Photo by OSPI.

OLYMPIA—September 19, 2024—Each year, families of students in public schools across the nation are encouraged to provide their income information to their child’s school.

This information helps determine students’ eligibility for school meals, and it is also used to identify other student benefits such as reduced fees and additional educational funding for schools.

The information provided may also be used to qualify eligible children for the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) program, also known as SUN Bucks, which supports students’ continued access to food during the summer months.

To reduce the burden on families of filling out multiple forms, starting in the current 2024–25 school year, families will be asked to fill out just one form: the Child Nutrition Eligibility and Education Benefit (CNEEB) Application. The CNEEB Application merges the free and reduced-price meal application and family income survey.

Through the submission of the CNEEB Application, students may qualify for:

• Free and reduced-price meal benefits,
• Summer EBT benefits (if enrolled in a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program), and/or
• Reduced fees for other programs and activities.

This information is also used by the state and federal governments to send increased funding and provide other educational programs in schools with higher populations of students experiencing poverty.

The form is simple to fill out and confidential. There are no citizenship requirements for participation in the federal child nutrition programs that Washington’s schools operate, and immigration status is not requested or disclosed.

All households with students in grades K–12 receive application packets from their child’s school at the beginning of the school year. These packets provide instructions and directions on where to send the materials. In addition, many schools make CNEEB Applications available electronically.

After families submit their CNEEB Applications, determinations are made within 10 operating days of receipt. Households denied eligibility can appeal the decision by contacting their school.

Some students attend schools that provide no-cost meals to all students. Families of those students are still encouraged to submit a CNEEB Application, as the applications provide crucial eligibility information for other student benefits.

CNEEB Applications can be submitted at any time during the school year. Families that experience a change in income due to job loss or other circumstances are encouraged to apply.

Family income information supports the continued operation of meal programs in Washington state. In Washington, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) administers federal U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child Nutrition Programs, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Special Milk Program.

USDA Child Nutrition Program Income Guidelines

Income guidelines are used to determine students’ eligibility to receive free or reduced-price meals or free milk.

The following income guidelines for eligibility for free meals and reduced-price meals apply from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.

Free Meals

Reduced-Price Meals

NOTE: The state of Washington pays the copay for public school students who are eligible for reduced-price meals in grades pre-K–12.

Additional Eligibility

There are several additional programs and circumstances that provide automatic eligibility for free and reduced-price meals.

To facilitate automatic eligibility and make the process more efficient for families, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) provides a list of children who receive the following services to OSPI, who then provides the information to schools. Families are notified of the eligibility and must contact the school if they choose to decline the benefits.

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/Basic Food (SNAP)
• Specific Medicaid programs
• Children placed in foster care

In foster households, all other students in the household may be eligible based on household size and income. In these situations, households may submit a CNEEB Application.

Students in the following programs or circumstances are also eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Families should contact their school for more information.

• Students experiencing homelessness
• Students enrolled in Migrant Education Programs
• Households taking part in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
• Students in the Head Start and Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)

Eligibility lasts from the date of approval through the first 30 operating days of the next school year or until the family contacts the school or district.

Households needing assistance with application materials in languages other than English should contact their school for assistance. 

If families have questions about eligibility, they should contact their child’s school.

For More Information

• Child Nutrition Programs in Washington state, including CNEEB applications for free and reduced-price meals and other educational funding.
• Washington School Meals Application Finder
• National School Lunch Program
• School Breakfast Program
• Special Milk Program

Photo taken in the Wenatchee School District. Photo by OSPI.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form(link is external), from any USDA office, by calling 866-632-9992 or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights  1400 Independence Avenue, SW  Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. Fax:833-256-1665 or 202-690-7442; or
3. Email: USDA Program Intake(link is external)

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.