The WUSD will notify the household of their children’s eligibility for free meals if any household member receives CalFresh, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), or Food Distribution Program Indian Reservations (FDPIR) benefits. Households will also be notified of any child’s eligibility for free meals if the individual child is categorized as foster, homeless, migrant, runaway, enrolled in an eligible Head Start, or enrolled in an eligible pre-kindergarten class. An Application is not required if a household receives the eligibility notice from school officials. Households should contact the school immediately regarding any child in the household not included on the eligibility notice. The household must notify school officials if they choose to decline meal benefits.
Households that did not receive the eligibility notice from school officials and would like to apply for meal benefits must submit a complete free and reduced-price application for the WUSD to determine a child’s eligibility.
Households receiving CalFresh, CalWORKs, or FDPIR benefits must include the following on their meal application:
- Names of all enrolled children
- One case number from any household member
- Signature of an adult household member
Households with foster, homeless, migrant, or runaway children must include:
- Names of all enrolled children
- Indication of individual child’s categorical eligibility status
- Signature of an adult household member
Households who may qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on income must include:
- Names of all household members (children and adults)
- Amount, frequency, and source of current income for each household member
- The last 4 digits of the Social Security number (SSN) of the adult household member who signs the application or check the box if the adult does not have a SSN
- Signature of an adult household member
Foster children are eligible for free meals and may be included as a household member of a foster family if the foster family chooses to also apply for the non-foster children. Including foster children as a household member may help the non-foster children in the household qualify for free or reduced-price meal benefits. If the foster family is not eligible for meal benefits, this does not prevent foster children from receiving free meal benefits.
Children in households participating in Women, Infants and Children (WIC) may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Contact school officials for further information or complete an application for processing.
Under the provisions of Washington Unified School District and Reduced-Price Meal Policy Statement, the designated determining official(s) will review meal Applications and determine eligibility. Parents or guardians dissatisfied with the eligibility determination may discuss the decision with the determining official on an informal basis. Parents or guardians may also make a formal request for an appeal hearing of the decision and may do so orally or in writing with Jerry Smith, Director of Student and Family Support Services, (916) 375-7604 Ext.1370.
If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size changes, the family should contact the school. Such changes may make the household eligible for free or reduced-price meals if the household income falls at or below the levels shown above.
For up to 30 operating days into the new school year, eligibility from the previous school year will continue within the same school/agency. When the carry-over period ends, unless the household is notified that their children are directly certified or the household submits an application that is approved, the children must pay full price for school meals and the school will not send a reminder or a notice of expired eligibility.
