Free and Reduced Meal Information

  • There are many families in the community that qualify for free or reduced price school meals, but may not be receiving these financial benefits.

    Children in households that receive SNAP (formerly known as food stamps), TANF or FDPIR, and most foster children, can receive free meals by completing a program application. We treat your student's participation in the free or reduced price meals program as highly confidential. Any family who qualifies (by income) can receive free or reduced priced meals. For example, a household of four with an annual income of $45,510 or less will qualify for reduced price meals at a cost of 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch.

    Even if you do not wish to have your child participate in the free or reduced-price meals program, we encourage you to complete and submit an application as this can benefit the district through at-risk funding. If your income changes, at any time, you are welcome to re-apply for free or reduced-priced meals. If your student is approved for free or reduced-priced meals, we encourage you and your family to take advantage of this valuable benefit, which helps stretch your family budget.

    The free and reduced price meal applications are mailed to every student household in the MCPS district in August of each year, but you may apply at anytime during the school year. We encourage families to complete the online application as the process reduces the potential for errors on the application and therefore reduces processing time: Free and Reduced Price Meal Application.

    For more information please visit the United States Department of Agriculture website.

    IMPORTANT NOTE: Applications for this program must be completed every school year. If your student was approved for free and reduced meals in our school district last year, we automatically extend the free and reduced status for the first thirty operating days of the next school year. You must re-apply within those thirty days to continue receiving benefits.

    Student information related to this program is highly confidential. All students eating school meals receive the same lunch cards, meals, etc. Students on the program will not be identified as they gather their meals and go through the lunch line.  If you have questions or need help completing the application, please contact your school directly or call Stacey Rossmiller at 728-2400, ext. 3023.  

     
    School Meal Fees
    2022-2023 school year
    • Elementary (Grades K-5)
           Breakfast   Free
           Lunch        $3.00
    • Middle School (Grades 6-8)
           Breakfast   Free
           Lunch        $3.25
    • High School (Grades 9-12)
           Breakfast   $2.25
           Lunch        $3.25       

    Does your child eat school meals? If so, please check their meal account balance...

    If your child is eating breakfast and/or lunch prepared at school, there's a good chance they are putting those meals on a meal account. Please take a moment to ensure your child's account balance is in good standing. You can check your child's meal account balance through our Infinite Campus Student Information System).