The Pennsylvania Department of Education on June 26 announced that the United States Department of Agriculture released federal income eligibility guidelines for free and reduced-price school meals and free milk for July 2024 to June 2025, expanding access to resources and helping more kids and their families get what they need to fuel their minds and bellies.

Schools, and other institutions and facilities, use the guidelines to determine eligibility for the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Special Milk Program for Children, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program, a news release states.

“The Shapiro Administration has signaled its commitment to addressing food insecurity by providing universal free breakfast to public school students, and expanding access to nutritious meals throughout the day through the free and reduced program,” Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin said. “We know that students need to be fed to focus, learn, and achieve, and we encourage all previously eligible and newly eligible households to apply for this incredible program.”

To apply, households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families need only include the SNAP or TANF case number on their application.

Households enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children or Medicaid may qualify for free or reduced-price school meals based on income and should complete a Household Meal Benefit Application.

Other households can find more information on the commonwealth’s COMPASS website.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and 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 1-800-877-8339.

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 usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office by calling 1-866-632-9992, 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 about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation.

The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by mail to U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, fax 833-256-1665 or 202-690-7442 or email Program.Intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

For more information about Pennsylvania’s education policies and programs, visit the Department of Education’s website or follow PDE on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.