Simplified: Changes at the federal level now require families who previously automatically qualified for free school lunches to now apply for that same benefit. That means more than 2,700 students could stop receiving free lunches if the proper paperwork isn't filled out by early October.
Why it matters
- The changes relate directly to the "One Big Beautiful Bill" that passed Congress last summer, which cut funding to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, while also adding stricter requirements to the program
- Those changes also mean that families who used to automatically qualify for free lunches through the Sioux Falls School District via SNAP now have to fill out the application and, in some cases, verify their income.
- There's a 30-day grace period for families to get their paperwork in, but Child Nutrition Coordinator Gay Anderson told school board members Monday that there are more than 2,700 students who previously received free lunches whose families have not yet applied this year.
"It's a huge drop for us," Anderson said, who said so far the district has received about 6,800 free lunch applications, but at the end of last year there were nearly 12,000 students who received free or reduced lunches. "We know we've got a long way to go."
Tell me more
The district is working with building-level administrators, counselors and social workers to help identify kids whose families need to know to apply for free lunches.
In addition, Anderson said her team is working to reach families any way they can.
- She even went out and got a cell phone for the Child Nutrition department so they can text families and encourage them to call back and fill out the forms.
"There's some really good people helping us out with trying to get applications," Anderson said.
Another hurdle the district is facing is applicants who list $0 on the income line. In previous years, Anderson said, the district was allowed to let that slide, but starting last year the state is requiring the district to press families on things like how they pay their phone bill to get a sense of their income.
- Right now, 230 applications cannot be processed because income is listed at $0, Anderson told board members Monday afternoon.
What happens next?
Families who had previously qualified automatically for free lunches have until Oct. 9 to get their applications in before their students are dropped from the free lunch list.
However, families can apply year-round for the free lunch program, and families can also re-apply throughout the year if their income changes or if they add another member to the family.
How can I help?
If you suspect you're eligible for free lunches, you can find the application on the district website.
If you want to donate to the district's angel fund, which helps erase student lunch debt and ensure all kids have access to meals, you can do so on the district website.
