The number of households that qualify for lunch reductions has increased for the upcoming school year.
The Kansas State Department of Education announced this year's eligibility for free and reduced lunch, which has increased by 2.7% to 3.5%, depending on the household size.
In April, 186,183 Kansas students and 93,15 Kansas households participated in the National School Lunch Program that provides free and reduced lunches. Over the past 10 years, Kansas has had more than 5.6 million free and reduced lunches served.
Kelly Chanay, KSDE child nutrition and wellness director, said funding to provide free and reduced lunch mostly comes from the federal government through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The state also pays about 4 cents per lunch meal. The payment is provided through reimbursement.
Who in Kansas will qualify for free and reduced lunches?
Below is a chart showing who will qualify for free and reduced lunches based on household size and income.
Household size | Poverty rate for annual income | Annual household income required for free lunch | Annual household income required for reduced lunch |
2 | $21,150 | $27,495 | $39,128 |
3 | $26,650 | $34,645 | $49,303 |
4 | $32,150 | $41,795 | $59,478 |
5 | $37,650 | $48,945 | $69,653 |
6 | $43,150 | $56,095 | $79,828 |
7 | $48,650 | $63,245 | $90,003 |
8 | $54,150 | $70,395 | $100,178 |
How to sign up for free and reduced school lunches in Kansas?
Parents and guardians looking to sign their child up for free and reduced lunches can get application forms through their individual school districts or their school's principal’s business office, according to a written statement sent out by the KSDE.
Those applications can be submitted at any point in the year, but they must include the eligibility information in the application.
Students younger than 18 and in foster care automatically qualify for free lunches. For households with a foster child, the district will inform you of the qualifications.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: New qualifications for free and reduced school lunch in Kansas?
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