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Office of the State Superintendent of Education Announces Criteria and Participants for 2021-22 School Year Free and Reduced-Priced Meals

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Media Contact: Fred Lewis, [email protected]; (202) 412-2167

The District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) announces the criteria for determining the eligibility of children to receive free and reduced-price meals for schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the Special Milk Program (SMP) for free milk in schools.

For schools participating in the NSLP and SMP, a letter or notice and family application forms are distributed to parents of all children in attendance at school at the beginning of each school year. The letter or notice shall contain the following information:

  • In schools participating in a meal service program, the eligibility criteria for reduced price benefits with an explanation that households with incomes less than or equal to the reduced-price criteria would be eligible for either free or reduced price meals, or in schools participating in the free milk option, the eligibility criteria for free milk benefits;
  • How a household may make an application for free or reduced-price meals or for free milk for its children;
  • An explanation that an application for free or reduced-price benefits cannot be approved unless it contains complete information as described in paragraph (1)(i) of the definition of Documentation in §245.21;
  • An explanation that households with children who are members of currently certified SNAP, FDPIR or TANF households may submit applications for these children with the abbreviated information described in paragraph (2)(ii) of the definition of Documentation in §245.2;
  • An explanation that the information on the application may be verified at any time during the school year;
  • How a household may apply for benefits at any time during the school year as circumstances change;
  • A statement to the effect that children having parents or guardians who become unemployed are eligible for free or reduced price meals or for free milk during the period of unemployment, provided, that the loss of income causes the household income during the period of unemployment to be within the eligibility criteria;
  • The statement: “In the operation of child feeding programs, no child will be discriminated against because of race, sex, color, national origin, age or disability;”
  • An explanation that Head Start enrollees and foster, homeless, migrant, and runaway children, as defined in §245.2, are categorically eligible for free meals and free milk and their families should contact the school for more information;
  • How a household may appeal the decision of the local educational agency with respect to the application under the hearing procedure set forth in §245.7. The letter or notice shall be accompanied by a copy of the application form required under §245.6.
  • A statement to the effect that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) participants may be eligible for free or reduced price meals.

The schools will receive free or reduced-price meal reimbursement based on the following income scales2 from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022, calculated on annual income.

Family Size

Eligibility Scale for Free Meals

Family Size

Eligibility Scale for Reduced Price Meals

One

$16,744

One

$23,828

Two

$22,646

Two

$32,227

Three

$28,548

Three

$40,626

Four

$34,450

Four

$49,025

Five

$40,352

Five

$57,424

Six

$46,254

Six

$65,823

Seven

$52,156

Seven

$74,222

Eight

$58,058

Eight

$82,621

Each additional family member

+$5,902

Each additional family member

+$8,399

If you have questions about applying for meals, please contact your Local Education Agency (LEA). A complete listing of LEAs participating in the 2021-22 NSLP and SMP with contact information is below:

National School Lunch Program

SCHOOL NAME CONTACT NAME CONTACT NUMBER
Achievement Preparatory Academy PCS Coy Nesbitt (202) 562-1307
Apple Tree Early Learning PCS Sade Creighton-Wade (202) 488-3990
Basis DC PCS Autumn Stanley (202) 804-6390
Breakthrough Montessori PCS Emily Hedin (202) 246-1928
Bridges PCS Jazmin Balbuena (202) 545-0515
Briya PCS Geovanna Izurieta (202) 420-7070
Capital City PCS Ayana Johnson (202) 808-9726
Capital Village PCS Keina Hodge (202) 505-1375
Cedar Tree Academy PCS LaTonya Henderson (202) 610-4193
Center City PCS Russ Williams (202) 589-0202
Cesar Chavez PCS Cheryl Cunningham (202) 487-0298
Creative Minds International PCS Heather Hesslink (202) 588-0370
DC Bilingual PCS Lola Bloom (202) 750-6674
DC International School Luisa Juarez (202) 808-9033
DC Preparatory Academy PCS Emily Johannsen (202) 635-4590
DC Public Schools (DCPS) Robert Jaber (202) 442-6133
DC Scholars PCS Tiffany Green (202) 559-6138
Digital Pioneers Academy PCS Antonio Washington (202) 677-3522
Dept of Youth Rehabilitation (DYRS) Kimelia Austin (202) 299-3208
Digital Pioneers PCS Erin Swide (503) 936-6762
Eagle Academy PCS Vernal Crooms (202) 544-2646
Early Childhood Academy PCS Yesenia Menjivar (202) 373-0035
EL Haynes PCS  Sebastien Durand (202) 667-4446
Elsie Whitlow Stokes PCS Erika Bryant (202) 265-7237
Friendship PCS Jim Basham (202) 281-1700
Girls Global Academy PCS Jason Mellen (202) 505-2172
Harmony DC PCS Evren Culha (202) 529-7500
Hope Community PCS Trina McWilliams (202) 832-7370
Howard Univ. Middle School Leslie Boler (202) 806-7725
I Dream Academy DC PCS Mark Henderson (202) 922-7221
Idea PCS Malika Joseph (202) 399-4750
Ingenuity Prep PCS Natasha Bailey (202) 562-0391
Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS Pamela Greene (202) 248-6825
Kingsman Academy PCS Derek Deane (202) 547-1028
KIPP Academy PCS Dionna Day (202) 427-7116
Latin American Montessori Bilingual PCS Brian Nielsen (202) 726-6200
LAYC Career Academy PCS Bernadette Kreh (202) 319-2244
LEARN DC PCS Cordelia Postell (301) 996-0484
Lee Montessori PCS Erin Rowsey (202) 779-9740
Mary McLeod Bethune PCS Don Cole (202) 459-4710
Maya Angelou PCS Enje Brown (202) 792-5655
Meridian PCS Michael Russell (202) 387-9830
Monument Academy PCS Greg Gaskins (202) 545-3180
Mundo Verde Bilingual PCS Danielle Revers (202) 750-7060
Next Step PCS Monique Mitchell (240) 643-3224
Paul PCS Cheryl Cunnigham (202) 291-7499
Perry Street Prep PCS Kelly Smith (202) 529-4400
Richard Wright PCS Alisha Roberts-Funderburk (202) 388-1011
Rocketship Rise Academy PCS Kelly Giampaoli (408) 507-6052
Roots PCS Rasheki Kuykendall (202) 882-8073
Seed PCS  Marjorie Howard (202) 248-3012
SELA PCS Camerra Taliaferro (202) 670-7352
Shining Stars Montessori Academy Cherita Moore-Gause (202) 723-1467
Social Justice School Inc. PCS Reginald Galloway (240) 305-9291
Statesmen College Preparatory Academy for Boys PCS Sharonda Mann (202) 830-2810
The Children's Guild PCS Christopher Bolton (443) 366-6926
Thurgood Marshall Academy PCHS Nora Moore (202) 563-6862
Two Rivers PCS Christopher Headecker (202) 388-1360
Washington Global PCS Diana Gabriel (202) 796-2415
Washington Latin PCS Martita Fleming (202) 223-1111
Washington Leadership Academy PCS Mandy Leiter (310) 882-0141
Washington Yu Ying PCS Beth Yurasko (202) 635-1950

National School Lunch Program - Private Schools

SCHOOL NAME CONTACT NAME CONTACT NUMBER
Bishop John T Walker School for Boys Ian Keener (202) 591-3073
Dupont Park Adventist School Wayna Gray (202) 583-8500
San Miguel Alvin Zepeda (202) 232-8345
Washington School for Girls Jerilyn Dorsey (202) 678-1113

 

In accordance with federal civil rights law and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: How to File a Complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

(1) mail: US Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250-9410;

(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or

(3) email: [email protected]

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.


1To review §245.2, please visit the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations

2Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines