Blanco ISD

Media Release for Free and Reduced-Price Meals

Blanco ISD announced its policy today for providing free and reduced-price meals for children served under the attached current income eligibility guidelines. Each school/site or the central office has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by anyone on request.

Starting on August 15,2022 Blanco ISD will begin distributing letters to the households of the children in the district about eligibility benefits and any actions households need to take to apply for these benefits. Applications also are available at the school campus office.

Criteria for Free and Reduced-Price Meal Benefits

The following criteria will be used to determine a child’s eligibility for free or reduced-price meal benefits:

Income

Household income that is at or below the income eligibility levels

Categorical or Automatic Eligibility

Household receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

Program Participant

Child’s status as a foster child, homeless, runaway, migrant, or displaced by a declared disaster
Child’s enrollment in Head Start or Even Start

Income Eligibility

For those households that qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on income, an adult in the household must fill out free and reduced-price meal application and return it to {insert name, title, and contact information}. Those individuals filling out the application will need to provide the following information:

Names of all household members
Amount, frequency, and source of current income for each household member
Last 4 digits of the Social Security number of the adult household member who signs the application or, if the adult does not have a social security number, check the box for

“No Social Security number”

Signature of an adult household member attesting that the information provided is correct

Categorical or Program Eligibility

Blanco ISD is working with local agencies to identify all children who are categorically and program eligible. Blanco ISD will notify the households of these children that they do not need to complete an application. Any household that does not receive a letter and feels it should have should contact Lisa Horton – Child Nutrition Director, lisa.horton@blancoisd.org.

Any household that wishes to decline benefits should contact Lisa Horton, Child Nutrition Director, lisa.horton@blancoisd.org

Applications may be submitted anytime during the school year. The information households provide on the application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility. Applications may also be verified by the school officials at any time during the school year.

Determining Eligibility

Under the provisions of the free and reduced-price meal policy, Lisa Horton – Child Nutrition Director will review applications and determine eligibility. Households or guardians dissatisfied with the Reviewing Official’s eligibility determination may wish to discuss the decision with the Reviewing Official on an informal basis. Households wishing to make a formal appeal for a hearing on the decision may make a request either orally or in writing to Tracie Moos – CFO, tracie.mooos@blancoisd.org

Unexpected Circumstances

If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size increases, the household should contact the school. Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for benefits if the household’s income falls at or below the attached current income eligibility guidelines.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by: : (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Directions: Media Release for Free and Reduced-Price Meals Sample Form

Purpose

This sample form provides a model for the media release the Contracting Entity (CE) must issue prior to or during the first week of school.

Directions for Using Sample Form

Use This Form
Frequency	Yearly, prior to or during the first week of school
Required Form Format	Use this sample or a similar document. Attach the current income eligibility guidelines, application form, or sample letters as appropriate.
Record Retention	Releases kept onsite and made available on request. Public and charter schools are required to keep documentation related to school nutrition programs for 5 years. Private schools, other nonprofit organizations, and residential child care institutions (RCCIs) are required to keep documentation for 3 years.