School Meal Eligibility

School Meal Eligibility is determined at the district level by households completing a free or reduced-price application; households can also be automatically eligible for free school meals through direct certification. Qualifying students as eligible for free or low-cost school meals helps to increase access to healthy meals, which supports their health and academic performance. Find more specific information regarding school meal eligibility below.

October 1 Count Eligibility Data

Direct Certification

Free and Reduced-Price Applications

Verification

Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT)

The P-EBT program was created as part of the U.S. government response to the COVID-19 epidemic. P-EBT benefits are intended for school-age children who would have received a free or reduced-price school meal during the time that schools were closed during the 2019-20 school year as well as the current 2020-21 school year.

For more detailed information visit: Colorado Department of Human Services P-EBT Frequently Asked Questions website

Resources for families

CDHS, the Colorado Department of Education, schools and community organizations are working together to ensure that all youth (18 and under) have nutritious meals during the pandemic. Families are encouraged to consider the following resources during this time.

Locate your local community meal sites: Find no-cost meal sites (for youth 18 and under) near you by contacting your school or visiting KidsFoodFinder.org.
Fill out a school meal application: Your household’s free and reduced-price lunch program (school meals) application can help your family access discounted internet and phone costs and secure additional funds for your school. Get an application at your school or district office or visit your school website for more information. If your household qualifies for school meals, you might also qualify for P-EBT.
Additional pandemic resources: Food pantries and other programs (like WIC) offer free food, meals, nutrition support, and more. Visit COFoodFinder.org to learn more!

Resources for sponsors

Hunger Free Colorado Outreach Toolkit
- Phase 1 communication plans for families. Phase 1 focuses on:
  - Ensuring students are enrolled in school;
  - Promoting the importance of completing free and reduced-price school meal applications;
  - Accessing free school meals and other child nutrition programs.
- Phase 2 and Phase 3 are forthcoming.
USDA P-EBT Q&A (PDF)
P-EBT Benefits for Students During SY2020-21 (PDF)

Free and Reduced-Price Outreach Toolkit

Free and Reduced-Price School Meals Outreach Toolkit

Use the free and reduced-price school meals outreach toolkit to market the importance of applying and promoting the availability of free school meals. Sponsors can access print-ready and web materials, customizable flyers, social media templates and talking points.

Direct Certification (DC)

Direct Certification uses approved assistance program data to automatically approve eligible students for free school meals. Colorado uses an automated online system to directly certify households that participate in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the Migrant Education Program.

Resources

Training

Direct Certification Online Training

Templates

District Liaisons For:

Foster Care Education - Child Welfare Liaison (CWEL)
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education - Homeless Liaison
Migrant Education Program (MEP) - Regional Migrant Liaison

Legislation requires each district to have a child welfare liaison (CWEL), a McKinney Vento/Homeless liaison and a regional Migrant liaison. Liaisons are responsible for identifying and documenting children who qualify for the listed assistance programs. Children identified in these programs are automatically eligible for free school meals.

Free and Reduced-Price (F&R) Application Guidance

The free and reduced-price application determines school meal eligibility based on reported information including household size and income or participation in approved assistance programs.

2020 Free and Reduced-Price Public Release

The free and reduced-price school meals public release was published on behalf of all sponsors operating NSLP on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. The public release provides families with the newest qualifying income guidelines, information on eligible school sites, and guidance on how to complete a free and reduced-price meal application. Sponsors interested in providing their families with specific district information can find editable public release templates in both English and Spanish.

Free and Reduced-Price Public Release (PDF)

Free and Reduced-Price Public Release - Spanish (PDF)

Resources

Release of student information resources for families

Templates

Applications:

Letters:

Other:

Training

Free and Reduced-Price Meals 101 Virtual Training
- Participants will learn how to process applications, discover the importance of school meal eligibility, and think through Back to School scenarios.
  - Recorded on August 5, 2020; 2 hours 35 min long
Free and Reduced-Price Meals 201 Virtual Training
- Participants will learn to critically think through the intricate areas of the free and reduced-price school meal program. As a disclaimer, there are times in the recording where the audio may be hard to hear; the recording includes downloadable PowerPoint slides with speaker notes.
  - Recorded on August 12, 2020; 2 hours 30 min long
October 1 Count/Free Lunch Webinar Recording

Income Verification Guidance

Verification is the process of confirming free or reduced-price meal eligibility based on income and/or assistance program information provided on applications.

Resources

Templates

Training

Verification Online Training
Income Verification Webinar Recording
- Income Verification- PowerPoint and Presenter Notes (PPT)
- Participants learn about the verification process including annual requirements.
  - Recorded on Nov. 18, 2020
Verification Collection Report (VCR) Webinar Recording
- VCR- PowerPoint and Presenter Notes (PPT)
- Participants learn how to accurately report data fields within the verification collection report for school year 2020-21 due to COVID-19 specific changes.
  - Recorded on Feb. 9, 2021

For more information or if an alternative version of a document is needed, please contact free&reducedpriceschoolmeals@cde.state.co.us or call 303-503-2353.