Guidelines for 2018-19 free or reduced school meal programs

PIERRE — With school back in session in many South Dakota communities, the Department of Education wants families to know about the National School Lunch, School Breakfast and Special Milk Programs.
These federally funded programs help to ensure that students from families whose income meets certain guidelines (see chart above) are eligible for free or reduced price meals, which are served at participating schools. Students also may be eligible for free milk if the school participates in a Special Milk Program. A list of participating agencies can be found at http://doe.sd.gov/cans/.
Families may apply for free or reduced price meals or free milk for their children for school year 2018-19 according to guidelines effective July 1.

Depending upon a family’s circumstances, there are varying ways to gain access to the programs.
To learn more about the programs, families should contact the administrative office of their local school district.
The income scales above are used to determine an applicant’s eligibility for free or reduced price meals if the household is at or below the guidelines.