M I A M I - D A D E  C O U N T Y   P U B L I C  S C H O O L S

Information Services   •   School Board Administration Building   •   1450 N.E. 2 Avenue, Miami, Florida  33132


FREE, REDUCED-PRICE MEALS POLICY ANNOUNCED
BY MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CONTACT: Alberto M. Carvalho
305-995-1126

August 25, 2000


The Miami-Dade County School Board announced its 2000-2001 policy for free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch for children unable to pay the full price of meals served under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. Each school and the district's Department of Food and Nutrition has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by any interested party.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools will continue the federal government's policy of allowing students to be approved by direct certification. According to the policy provision, students from households who receive food stamps and/or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and who have a Social Security number on file at the school may be eligible for approval by direct certification and are not required to have an application on file.

The following household size and income criteria will be used for determining eligibility:

Household
FREE MEAL SCALE
REDUCED-PRICE MEAL SCALE
Size
ANNUALLY
MONTHLY
WEEKLY
ANNUALLY
MONTHLY
WEEKLY

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

10,855
14,625
18,395
22,165
25,935
29,705
33,475
37,245

905
1,219
1,533
1,848
2,162
2,476
2,790
3,104

209
282
354
427
499
572
644
717

15,448
20,813
26,178
31,543
36,908
42,273
47,638
53,003

1,288
1,735
2,182
2,629
3,076
3,523
3,970
4,417

298
401
504
607
710
813
917
1,020

For each additional family member, add:

+3,770

+315

+73

+5,365

+448

+104

To determine monthly income:

Remember: The total income before taxes, Social Security, health benefits, union dues, or other deductions must be reported.

Children from households with total income less than or equal to the above criteria may be eligible for either free lunch and breakfast or reduced-price lunch ($.40 per day, payable at $2 per week) and breakfast ($.30 per day, payable at $1.50 per week) as family size guidelines permit.

Application forms are being sent from the schools to all homes with a letter to parents or guardians. To apply for free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch, an adult member of the household should fill out the application and return it to the school. Additional forms are available at the principal's office in each school.
The information provided on the application will be used for the purpose of determining meal eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year by school or other program officials. Applicants will receive notification of approval or denial within 10 days of submitting an application. Until notification of approval is received, students will be required to buy lunch at the full price of $1.25 in elementary schools and $1.50 in secondary schools and breakfast at the full price of $.60 in elementary and $.70 in secondary schools.

If a household receives food stamps or TANF, only the child's name, food stamp or TANF case number and signature of adult household member are required on the application.

For the school officials to determine eligibility, all other applications must include the following information:

(1) total household income listed by the monthly amount received by each household member and the source of income (wages,
       child support, etc.);
(2) names of all household members;
(3) the signature of an adult household member certifying the information provided is correct; and
(4) Social Security number of the adult signing the application or the word "None" for this household member if he or she does not have a
       Social Security number.

Household applicants who list income information and receive meal benefits must report to the school any decreases in household size and/or any increases in income of over $50 per month or $600 per year. If a food stamp or TANF case number has been listed for a household and food stamps or TANF is no longer received, it must be reported to the school.

Applications may be submitted at any time during the year. Under the provisions of the free and reduced-price meal policy, school officials will review all applications. Eligibility determination will be made by computer. If parents or guardians are dissatisfied with the ruling of the official, they may wish to discuss the decision with the school official on an informal basis. If parents or guardians wish to make a formal appeal, they may make a request either orally or in writing to the Region Superintendent for a hearing to appeal the decision. The policy contains an outline of the hearing procedure.

If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size changes, the school should be contacted. Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for free or reduced-price meals if the household income falls at or below the levels shown above.

In certain cases foster children are also eligible for these benefits. If a household includes foster children and wishes to apply for meal benefits for them, the household should contact the school for more information.

Unless indicated otherwise, the information on the free and reduced-price meal application may be used by the school system in determining whether the child is eligible for other educational programs.

In the operation of child feeding programs administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, no child will be discriminated against because of race, color, gender, national origin, age or disability. If any member of the household believes he or she has been discriminated against, he or she should write immediately to the USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202)-720-5964.

For more information, call Assistant Superintendent for Management and Accountability Onetha Gilliard, (305)-603-0681.

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00-J0015/BD

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