Free School Meals for All Students Ending Soon
When the 2021-2022 school year ends, so do free meals for every student across our country during the regular school year. While the federal government funded a program that allowed all students access to free meals during the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress recently declined to continue funding this program. This means all families will need to carry a positive balance in their student’s school meal accounts when school begins in the fall.
We understand this change may cause you to worry. However, there are important steps you can take now to be sure your student receives the meals they need next year.
If your student qualifies for free or reduced meals, they can still receive them next year, but you must take action to make it happen. Please follow the steps below.
Complete the 2021-2022 application before the end of this school year if you have not already filled out an application for the 2021-2022 school year. This will give you a 30-day grace period at the start of the 2022-2023 school year to complete another application for next year. Instructions for filling out the application are accessible in our school offices and attached to this email as links and on our district website.
Next, complete the 2022-2023 online application, which will be available on the district’s website after July 1, 2022. Even if you complete the 2021-2022 application, you still need to complete the 2022-2023 application as well.
If you do not qualify for free or reduced meals, you may begin depositing money into student accounts at any time to prepare for the cost of school lunches next year. Information on meal prices for the 2022-2023 school year will be available soon. Account balances will carry over to the next school year.
If your student has a negative lunch account balance, we encourage you to pay it off as soon as possible and then begin depositing money into the account to prepare for the 2022-2023 school year.
Completing an application is the only way to be considered for free or reduced meals. Please take action now.
For assistance, please contact the Bowling Green R-1 School District at 573-324-5441.
*If your student is attending our summer school in June, the meals will continue to be FREE.