How do kids qualify for free or reduced lunch?

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine who is a teacher, said that all it takes to qualify for reduced lunch is to claim that you need it on a form that is sent home from the schools and that there is not necessary to “prove” that your household income is as low as you claim. Is this true? I find it rather hard to believe that there would be absolutely no verification at all as to whether a family really does qualify for free lunch or not, especially since the percentage of FARMS families is used as the gauge for determining whether a school is low income and should receive title 1 funding.

[Anonymous]

Many people who get meal support are automatically eligible because they are already enrolled in other programs for low income families. The government has already verified their income-so they don’t need to do it again.

[Anonymous]

Correct. Income on the form is self reported and is not verified.

[Anonymous]

Fwiw, the vast majority of people are honest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fwiw, the vast majority of people are honest.

OP here. I believe that as well and obviously the schools that have the largest number of farm families are located in low income areas, so presumably many of them are being truthful, but I guess I find it rather hard to believe that this all operates on the honor system, and there is no attempt to determine whether the family’s income is as low as what they self report.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many people who get meal support are automatically eligible because they are already enrolled in other programs for low income families. The government has already verified their income-so they don’t need to do it again.

Ok so how about the families that aren’t already enrolled in programs for low income families? Their incomes aren’t verified?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fwiw, the vast majority of people are honest.

OP here. I believe that as well and obviously the schools that have the largest number of farm families are located in low income areas, so presumably many of them are being truthful, but I guess I find it rather hard to believe that this all operates on the honor system, and there is no attempt to determine whether the family’s income is as low as what they self report.

The danger of kids going hungry because of difficulties with verification paperwork is much greater than a few kids getting a free lunch unnecessarily.

That's also why some schools have community eligibility.

[Anonymous]

There are some income checks on applications that stand out. My friend worked in this area many years ago. She told me about a physician who applied for his kids and he was audited. He wouldn’t produce proof of income and their application was denied. She said that they only audited a small number of applications.

[Anonymous]

And in some schools, with the majority of students on FARMS, they just give free breakfast and lunch to all. Just easier and more cost effective. And, there are many families who are too ashamed/embarrassed to even apply, so this way their kids get the food they need anyway. Much easier to learn when your stomach is full, rather than being hungry.

[Anonymous]

There are random audits that require verification.

[Anonymous]

In the recent past, families at my school self reported. Believe me, no one wants school lunch. It's gross. Also, no one wants teachers and office staff to know they are poor. In the last year though, my district did away with any income verification. Any kid who wants breakfast or lunch can have it, free of charge. This change happened because older kids were beginning to put together "they are poor" with the kids who don't pay each day. Our state didn't want kids avoiding ordering lunch because they didn't want to be seen as poor. No kid wants to be the poor kid. Some will go hungry to avoid that stigma. Especially, if they are in a district like mine with a wide income spread. We have families of 6 living on less than 20K a year and then we have families of 3 living on 100K. That's a big difference.

[Anonymous]

Sadly yess and people do abuse it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fwiw, the vast majority of people are honest.

OP here. I believe that as well and obviously the schools that have the largest number of farm families are located in low income areas, so presumably many of them are being truthful, but I guess I find it rather hard to believe that this all operates on the honor system, and there is no attempt to determine whether the family’s income is as low as what they self report.

Why in the world do you care?

The kids are getting fed. Have you ever gone hungry for more than a day? Of course there is some fraud, but it's not the kids fault and it's rare.

Adults do stupid things sometimes the children should not suffer.

In Broward County Florida all children are allowed to have breakfast at school no questions asked.

You sound like a peach.

[Anonymous]

Baltimore City offers free meals for all students too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the recent past, families at my school self reported. Believe me, no one wants school lunch. It's gross. Also, no one wants teachers and office staff to know they are poor. In the last year though, my district did away with any income verification. Any kid who wants breakfast or lunch can have it, free of charge. This change happened because older kids were beginning to put together "they are poor" with the kids who don't pay each day. Our state didn't want kids avoiding ordering lunch because they didn't want to be seen as poor. No kid wants to be the poor kid. Some will go hungry to avoid that stigma. Especially, if they are in a district like mine with a wide income spread. We have families of 6 living on less than 20K a year and then we have families of 3 living on 100K. That's a big difference.

In my district, the only person at a school who knows which kids are on reduced lunch is the principal, and she is not allowed to share that information. The form the families receive actually states this, so it's highly unlikely people are to embarrassed to do it.