Free & Reduced Meals

California offers universal free school meals to all public school students. Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) provides two free meals (breakfast and lunch) per day to all students, regardless of their eligibility.

Although all students are eligible for free meals, we encourage parents to apply. Completing an application can bring significant additional funds to our schools and qualify students for individual benefits, such as discounts or waivers for college application fees, AP testing fees, internet services, summer programs, access to higher education scholarships, after-school club scholarships, holiday gifts, and many other learning and enrichment opportunities. You or your children do not have to be United States citizens to qualify.

Below are some common questions and answers to help you with the application process.

Who can get free or reduced price meals?

• All children in households receiving benefits from CA SNAP, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) or CA TANF, are eligible for free meals.
• Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.
• Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals.
• Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.
• Children may receive free or reduced price meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Your children may qualify for free or reduced price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.

Federal Eligibility Income Chart – 2024-25 School Year

Household size	Yearly	Monthly	Weekly
1	$27,861	$2.322	$536
2	$37,841	$3,152	$728
3	$47,767	$3,981	$919
4	$57,720	$4,810	$1,110
5	$67,673	$5,640	$1,302
6	$77,626	$6,469	$1,493
7	$87,579	$7,299	$1,685
8	$97,532	$8,128	$1,876
Each additional person:	$9,953	$830	$192

How do i know if my children qualify as homeless, migrant, or runaway?

Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis? Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household? If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and haven’t been told your children will get free meals, please call or e-mail Amanda Boyce at (650) 833-4233, aboyce@pausd.org.

Do I need to fill out an application for each child?

No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: Alva Spence at 25 Churchill Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306, (650) 329-3720, email: aspence@pausd.org.

Should I fill out an application if i received a letter this school year saying my children are already approved for free meals?

No, but please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Alva Spence at 25 Churchill Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306, (650) 329-3720, email: aspence@pausd.org.

Can I apply online?

Yes! You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application if you are able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. Visit https://paloalto.familyportal.cloud to begin or to learn more about the online application process. Contact Alva Spence at 25 Churchill Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306, (650) 329-3720, email: aspence@pausd.org if you have any questions about the online application. .

My child's application was approved last year. Do I need to fill out a new one?

Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this school year, through 9/20/2024. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that your child is eligible for the new school year. If you do not send in a new application that is approved by the school or you have not been notified that your child is eligible for free meals, your child will lose his/her free meals status after 9/20/2024.

I get WIC. Can my children get free meals?

Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please send in an application.

Will the information I give be checked?

Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.

If I don't qualify now, may I apply later?

Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.

What if I disagree with the school's decision about my application?

You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Charen Yu, 25 Churchill Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306, (650) 329-3980.

May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen?

Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced price meals.

What if my income is not always the same?

List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you made $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.

What if some household members have no income to report?

Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application, or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, please write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.

We are in the military. Do we report our income differently?

Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, it must also be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.

What if there isn't enough space on the application for my family?

List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper, and attach it to your application. Contact Alva Spence at 25 Churchill Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306, (650) 329-3720, email: aspence@pausd.org to receive a second application.

My family needs more help. Are there other programs we might apply for?

To find out how to apply for CA SNAP or other assistance benefits, contact Amanda Boyce, (650) 833-4233, email: aboyce@pausd.org.

If you have other questions or need help, call (650) 329-3720.

Don’t Miss Out!

CalFresh Food helps people from low-income families buy the nutritious food they need for good health. Recipients can buy food at any grocery store or farmers market that accepts Electronic Benefit Transfer. Learn more - CalFresh flyer.

Based on your annual earnings, you may be eligible to receive the Earned Income Tax Credit from the Federal Government (Federal EITC).

The Federal EITC is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families. The Federal EITC has no effect on certain welfare benefits.

In most cases, Federal EITC payments will not be used to determine eligibility for Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, food stamps, low-income housing, or most Temporary Assistance for Needy Families payments. Even if you do not owe federal taxes, you must file a federal tax return to receive the Federal EITC.

Be sure to fill out the Federal EITC form in the Federal Income Tax Return Booklet.

For information regarding your eligibility to receive the Federal EITC, including information on how to obtain the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Notice 797 or any other necessary forms and instructions, contact the IRS by calling 1-800-829-3676 or through its website at www.irs.gov.

You may also be eligible to receive the California Earned Income Tax Credit (California EITC) starting with the calendar year 2015 tax year. The California EITC is a refundable state income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families.

The California EITC is treated in the same manner as the Federal EITC and generally will not be used to determine eligibility for welfare benefits under California law.

To claim the California EITC, even if you do not owe California taxes, you must file a California income tax return and complete and attach the California EITC Form (FTB 3514).

For information on the availability of the credit eligibility requirements and how to obtain the necessary California forms and get help filing, contact the Franchise Tax Board at 1-800-852-5711 or through its website at www.ftb.ca.gov.