Berkeley County School District Releases Policy On Free & Reduced Meals

MONCKS CORNER, SC (Aug. 4, 2015) – Berkeley County School District today announced its policy for free and reduced price meals for children served in schools under the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.

Local school officials have adopted the following household size and income criteria for determining eligibility:

Household size	(1) Income Guidelines for Free Meals – 130%					(2) Income Guidelines for Reduced Price Meals – 185%
	Annual	Monthly	Twice per month	Every t wo weeks	Weekly	Annual	Monthly	Twice per month	Every two weeks	Weekly
l	15,301	1,276	638	589	295	21,775	1,815	908	838	419 ,
2	20,709	1,726	863	797	399	29,471	2,456	1,228	1 134	567
3	26,1 17	2,177	l ,089	1 ,005	503	37,167	3,098	1,549	1,430	715
4	31,525	2,628	1,314	1,2 13	607	44,863	3,739	1,870	1,726	863
5	36,933	3 078	1 539	1 ,42 l	71 1	52,559	4 ,380	2,190	2,022	I 01 1
6	42,341	3,529	1,765	1,629	815	60 255	5,022	2,511	2,318	1,159
7	47,749	3,980	1,990	1,837	919	67,951	5,663	2,832	2,614	1,307

Household Size and Income Guidelines for Free Meals or Reduced Price Meals Effective July 2015 through June 30, 2016.

Children from families whose income is at or below the levels shown may be eligible for free or reduced price meals.

For school officials to determine eligibility, the household must provide the following information on the application: (1) A SNAP or TANF case number certifying the household is currently eligible for either of these assistance programs and an adult household member signature or (2) names of all household members, the name and last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member signing the application form, current income by source for each household member and a signature of an adult household member certifying that the information provided is correct.

Foster children may also be eligible for these benefits regardless of household income. If a household has foster children living with them and the household has not previously been notified by the School District that their foster children have been directly certified for free meals, the household may either include and count the foster children (including personal income earned by the foster children) on the household application form with other non-foster children or complete a separate application form with the names of the foster children.

Under the provisions of the policy Lynn Thompson (Reviewing Official’s name) will review applications and determine eligibility. Parents or guardians dissatisfied with the ruling of the reviewing official may wish to discuss the decision with the reviewer on an informal basis. Parents wishing to make a formal appeal may make a request either orally or in writing to (Hearing Official ‘s Name) Brantley Thomas whose address is: 229 East Main Street, Moncks Corner, SC 29461 for a hearing to appeal the decision. The hearing procedures are outlined in the policy.

If a household member become s unemployed or if household size changes, the household should contact the school to file a meal application. Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for free or reduced price meals if the household income falls at or bel ow the levels shown above. A complete copy of the policy is on file in each school and in the office of the District Superintendent where any interested party may review it.