KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
July 17, 2019
By Natalie Cook Clark
To prepare for the 2019-2020 academic school year, Katy ISD requests that families review the changes to the free and reduced meal policy. All eligible Katy families must complete and submit the new application online prior to the start of the school year.
Federal Funds Available for Eligible Student Meals
Children living in households whose income is at or below the federally approved levels, based on household size, may be eligible for meal benefits. The Katy ISD Nutrition and Food Service Department is working with local agencies to identify all children who are program eligible.
Applications Must Be Submitted Before School Starts
All eligible families must complete the new application prior to the start of the school year. Families can start submitting the form the first week of August. If your student receives a notification of approval the first days of school then you do not need to complete a new application for the 2019-2020 school year.
All applications must be completed online as paper applications will not be available. If for any reason the online application becomes unavailable then paper applications will be located at any district school. A new application must be filled out and submitted each year.
Who is eligible?
Households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Food Distribution Programs on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) are eligible for the free and reduced meals program. Children with a status of homeless, runaway, migrant or displaced by a declared disaster also qualify for meals. An example of the latter was the Katy ISD students who received free lunches after Hurricane Harvey.
Transfer students approved for the program from another school district may either complete a Katy ISD application or provide documentation of their eligibility status for that same school year. Foster children may also be eligible regardless of household income.
Charge Policy
Parents are responsible for monitoring the amount of money in their child’s account and paying back any borrowed money in a timely manner. If a student owes money, he/she will not be allowed to purchase snacks and/or a la carte on this account until the account is paid in full. Katy ISD policy allows students without money for meals to receive the menu choice. Parent(s) are expected to reimburse all meals charged.
Regarding Last Year's Eligibility
If your family was eligible for the free and reduced meal program at the end of last school year, eligibility will continue for the first 30 days of the new school year.
If you feel that your family qualifies for assistance or you have questions, please contact the Nutrition and Food Service Department at 281-396-6240. Learn more here.