District Five has announced its policy for free and and reduced price meals for children served in schools under the National School Lunch program and the School Breakfast program. Contact school officials for household size and income criteria for determining eligibility.
Children from families whose income is at or below the necessary levels may be eligible for free or reduced price meals.
For school officials to determine eligibility, the household must provide the following information on the application: (1) A SNAP or TANF case number certifying the household is currently eligible for either of these assistance programs and an adult household member signature or (2) names of all household members, the name and last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member signing the application form, current income by source for each household member and a signature of an adult household member certifying that the information provided is correct.
Foster children may also be eligible for these benefits regardless of household income. If a household has foster children living with them and the household has not previously been notified by the School District that their foster children have been directly certified for free meals, the household should include and count the foster children (including personal income earned by the foster children) on the household application form with other non-foster children.
Under the provisions of the policy Laurie Dodson will review applications and determine eligibility. Parents or guardians dissatisfied with the ruling of the reviewing official may wish to discuss the decision with the reviewer on an informal basis. Parents wishing to make a formal appeal may make a request either orally or in writing to Todd Bedenbaugh at: 1020 Dutch Fork Rd., Irmo, S.C. 29063 (803-476-8153) for a hearing to appeal the decision. The hearing procedures are outlined in the policy.
If a household member becomes unemployed or if household size changes, the household should contact the school to file a meal application. 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. A complete copy of the policy is on file in each school and in the office of the district superintendent where any interested party may review it.
