Meal Application and Verification Information
Contact Information
National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/School Breakfast Program (SBP)
Schools send school meal applications home at the beginning of each school year. However, families may apply for school meals any time during the school year by submitting an application directly to their school or district. Free and Reduced-Price Meal eligibility is based on financial circumstances for each family unless a district offers free meals school-wide.
Eligibility Manual
These materials are templates for school district use. PARENTS- please visit your school district's website for your application materials.
SY 2022-23 Materials
English materials for SY2022-23 have been updated with the current USDA Nondiscrimination statement and are posted below. We are waiting to receive translated materials from USDA.
- 2022-23 Income Guidelines - Effective July 1, 2022
- Application for Free and Reduced-Price Meals Template
- Letter to Households Template
- Public School Districts Letter to Households Template - English | Dari | Spanish | Chinese | Marshallese | Pashto | Russian | Somali | Ukrainian | Vietnamese
- Non-Pricing/Provision Letter to Households Template - For letter templates for schools implementing CEP/Provision II, please visit the CEP & Provision II webpage
- Private Schools/RCCI Letter to Households Template - English | Dari| Spanish | Chinese | Marshallese | Pashto | Russian | Somali | Ukrainian | Vietnamese
- Consent to Share Eligibility Template
- Notice of Eligibility Template (Public)
- Notice of Eligibility Template (Private)
- Notice of Eligibility - Direct Certification Template
- Notice of Eligibility - Direct Certification Medicaid Template
- Notice of Denied Eligibility Template
- Notice of Approval/Denial of Benefits Template (Public)
- Notice of Approval/Denial of Benefits Template (Private)
SY 2021-22 Materials
Contact the School Meals team for SY 2021-22 application materials.
- 2021-22 Income Guidelines - Effective July 1, 2021
- Translated School Meal Applications
- USDA Application Materials
This toolkit is designed to help districts promote the importance of families filling out the Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application each year. The information collected on these forms can help schools receive funding for important programs.
Flyers & Templates
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Email and Robocall Option - English | Arabic | Chinese (simplified) | Khmer | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Ukrainian | Vietnamese
Social Media
- Social Media Post Ideas - English | Arabic | Chinese (simplified) | Khmer | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Ukrainian | Vietnamese
- It's More Than a Meal Application Social Media Graphics
- Graphic 1: It's More Than a Meal Application - English | Arabic | Chinese (simplified) | Khmer | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Ukrainian | Vietnamese
- Graphic 2: Reduced Fees - English | Arabic | Chinese (simplified) | Khmer | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Ukrainian | Vietnamese
Are These Materials Editable?
Yes, we have created an editable version of the flyer in both color and black & white options. You may choose to add your school colors, contact information, links, district logos, or other information.
Here are the steps you must complete:
- Click the appropriate link below and go to Canva, you must create an account if you don't already have one (it's free).
- IMPORTANT: Before you start editing, you must make a copy of the items to avoid multiple edits to the same image.
select "File". - Select "Make a Copy".
- A new page will populate and you can start editing!
- Edit the More Than a Meal Flyer in Canva.
- Edit the More Than A Meal Social Media Graphics in Canva.
This toolkit is modified from the LA Unified School District's More Than a Meal Toolkit.
Verification of free and reduced-price meal applications is an annual requirement for all local education agencies (LEAs) that collect eligibility applications to determine free and reduced-price meal benefits for students. Qualifying LEAs include public school districts, private schools, and Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs). Verification is the confirmation of current eligibility for free and reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). Verification is only required when eligibility has been approved through the application process (not directly certified students).
English materials for SY2022-23 have been updated with the current USDA Nondiscrimination statement and are posted below. We are waiting to receive translated materials from USDA.
Instructions & Tools for Completing the Verification Process
- Verification Reference Sheet
- Verification for Cause Reference Sheet
- General Instructions
- Tool 1: Timeline for Completing Verification Tasks
- Tool 2: Verification Non-Response Rate 20% or Greater for SY 2021-22
- Tool 3: 3% Focused Sampling Worksheet
- Tool 4: 3% Random Sampling Worksheet
- Tool 5: 1% plus 1/2% Focused Sampling Worksheet
- Tool 6: Explanation of Method Used to Select Verification Sample
- Tool 7: Waiver of Second Party Confirmation Review
- Tool 8: Documentation of the Verification Process Form
- Letter 1: We Must Check Your Application
- Letter 2: Follow Up / Second Notice to Households
- Letter 3: We Have Checked Your Application
Verification Summary Report
Starting SY19-20, the Verification Summary Report (VSR) is completed in the Washington Integration Nutrition System (WINS). To learn more about this process, please view the School Meal Programs Training webpage and select the Program Training dropdown.
To discover more about this process, we recommend the following:
- Review the VSR Update Training
- Review the Submitting the SY 21-22 VSR in WINS Info Sheet
- If you are new to verification, review these two trainings:
To assist in collecting data, you can use the old VSR template. Here are instructions for the old VSR template, and previous training, if you would like to view them.