Free or Reduced Meal Prices

Virginia Beach City Public Schools today announced its policy for providing free or reduced-price meals for children served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Each school and/or central school nutrition office has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by any interested party.

Certain schools in the division will be participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as implemented through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Schools participating in CEP this year are: Alanton Elem, Arrowhead Elem, Bayside Elem, Bayside High, Bayside Middle, Birdneck Elem, Brandon Middle, Brookwood Elem, College Park Elem, Corporate Landing Elem, Diamond Springs Elem, Green Run Collegiate, Green Run Elem, Green Run High, Holland Elem, King’s Grant Elem, Larkspur Middle, Linkhorn Park Elem, Luxford Elem, Lynnhaven Elem, Lynnhaven Middle, Malibu Elem, Newtown Elem, Parkway Elem, Pembroke Elem, Pembroke Meadows Elem, Point O’ View Elem, Rosemont Elem, Seatack Elem, Thalia Elem, Renaissance Academy, Virginia Beach Middle, W.T. Cooke Elem, Williams Elem, Windsor Oaks Elem, Windsor Woods, and Woodstock Elem. All students attending a CEP school will be provided a nutritious breakfast and lunch meal each day at no cost. Households with students attending these schools will not be required to submit a meal application or to pay a fee for these students to receive meals. Each household with students attending these schools will receive communication about CEP, including contact information for questions.

In all other schools, household size and income will be used to determine eligibility for free or reduced-price meal benefits. Children who are members of households with income at or below the federal income eligibility guidelines, shown in the chart below, may be eligible for either free or reduced-price meals. Children who are members of households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (formerly the Food Stamp Program) or who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) may be automatically eligible for free meals. Children who are homeless, migrant, or runaway are automatically eligible for free meals using documentation provided by the school liaison. Foster children, who are the legal responsibility of a welfare agency or court, are eligible for free meals regardless of the income of the household with whom they reside. Children who are members of households participating in WIC may also be eligible for free or reduced-price meal based on the household’s income.

Applications are available online at www.schoolcafe.com, In all other schools, household size and income will be used to determine eligibility for free or reduced-price meal benefits. Children who are members of households with income at or below the federal income eligibility guidelines, shown in the chart below, may be eligible for either free or reduced-price meals. Children who are members of households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (formerly the Food Stamp Program) or who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) may be automatically eligible for free meals. Children who are homeless, migrant, or runaway are automatically eligible for free meals using documentation provided by the school liaison. Foster children, who are the legal responsibility of a welfare agency or court, are eligible for free meals regardless of the income of the household with whom they reside. Children who are members of households participating in WIC may also be eligible for free or reduced-price meal based on the household’s income.

Under the provisions of the free and reduced price meal policy, Angelina Culotta, Food Service Coordinator in the Office of Food Services will review applications and determine eligibility. An application for free or reduced-price meals cannot be approved unless it is complete. Households dissatisfied with the ruling of the eligibility determining official may wish to discuss the decision with the official on an informal basis. Households wishing to make a formal appeal for a hearing on the decision may make a request either verbally or in writing to:

• Virginia Beach City Public Schools
  School Administration Annex, Building 16
  P.O. Box 6038
  Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456
  Telephone: 757-263-1101 Fax: 757-263-1527

Households may apply for free or reduced-price meals at any time during the school year. If a household is not eligible now but has a change, such as a decrease in household income, an increase in household size, becomes unemployed or qualifies for SNAP or TANF, the household should contact the school for an application. Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for benefits if the household's income falls at or below the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.

Households that receive SNAP or TANF may not have to complete an application for free or reduced-price student meals. School officials will determine eligibility for free meals based on documentation, obtained directly from the Virginia Department of Social Services, that a child is a member of a household currently receiving SNAP or TANF. School officials will notify these households in writing of their eligibility. Households who are notified of their eligibility, but who do not want their children to receive free meals, must contact the school. SNAP and TANF households must complete an application if they are not notified in writing of their automatic eligibility within the first 10 days of the new school year.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.