New Application Each Year:  Applications are available at all schools (Click here for application instructions.). A new application must be filled out each school year to qualify for free or reduced meals.  If your child was free for previous school year, you have until the first of October to turn in a new application.  The sooner you turn in your application, the better.  Please be sure your application is complete. Once your new application is processed, your new meal status if effective the day after it is processed.

Income Eligibility Guideline:  Click here for a chart that shows the income cut-off to qualify for reduced meals effective July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008.

Verification:  Your eligibility may be checked at any time during the school year.  The Nutrition Service office may ask you to send documentation showing that your children should receive free or reduced price meals.

Notification:  Nutrition Services will contact you in writing when your application has been approved or denied.  Please allow a waiting period of up to 10 working days for the Nutrition Services to process the application.

Apply Anytime:  You may apply for meal benefits at any time during the school year.

Foster Child:  A foster child living in your home qualifies for free meals regardless of your income.  The application must have the child's legal name, child's personal use income and an adult signature.  Complete a SEPARATE application for each foster child.

Free & Reduced Form: Please contact your local school or Nutrition Services at 354-7270 to request an application.  Please only complete one application per family even if you have students attending more than one school within the Spokane Public Schools district.  An income application must have a signature and a social security number.  Without these, we can not process your application.

Family Application:  Only one application per family.

New Students:  New students to Spokane Public Schools district will need to bring money for meals or bring a sack lunch until their family application is processed and approved.  Although we have ten working days to process a meal application, our goal is to process your application as soon as possible.

Kindergarten Students:  New students to the district must have an application on file to eat free or reduced meals, even if their brother or sister has been free.

When completing an Application for meal benefits please be sure to:

• List all children attending Spokane Public School in part one if they are receiving Food Stamps or TANIF benefits. Also list the case number in the space provided after each student's name.
  
• List all children attending Spokane Public Schools in part two if they are not receiving TANF or food stamp benefits.
  
• List all adult household members including all children and their incomes in section three (benefits are based on family size and combined income so it is important to list everyone.)
  
• An application is not considered complete without a signature and (if based on family income) a social security number. Without these, we can not process your application.