School District Five announces free and reduced-price meal policy for 2026-2027

For Immediate Release – July 1, 2026

School District Five announces free and reduced-price meal policy for 2026-2027

IRMO – Lexington-Richland School District has 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. School officials have adopted the following household size and income criteria for determining eligibility:

Household size and income guidelines for free meals or reduced-price meals effective from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.  Families can start applying for free and reduced-price meal benefits on July 1, 2026.

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 should include and count the foster children (including personal income earned by the foster children) on the household application form with other non-foster children.

Under the provisions of the policy Shana Catoe 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 Allen Knotts at: 1020 Dutch Fork Rd., Irmo, S.C. 29063 for a hearing to appeal the decision. The hearing procedures are outlined in the policy.

If a household member becomes 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 below 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.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. 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, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. 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 State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination 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: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.                

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