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|  | | | | Frequently Asked Questions About Applications for Educational Benefits/Free or Reduced Price Meals | | Click on the questions below to view the answers.
These are the questions that are most frequently asked of the Saint
Paul Public
Schools' Nutrition Services regarding Educational Benefits.
If you require additional information, please call
(651) 603-4950.
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Who can get free or reduced-price meals? How do I apply for free or reduced-priced meals?A student electronically qualifies for free meals. His sibling does not. Is the sibling automatically qualified for free meals? Will the information I give be checked or verified? Do I have to fill out an application every school year? Do I have to fill out an application for every child?What if my household size or income changes? If someone lives in the home but is not part of the family, does their income get listed on the application? What does "All Other Income" in section 4 of the application mean? If I don't qualify now, may I apply again later?What if I disagree with the decision about my application?How will my information be used? Can I use a regular application for my foster child? What does "temporary free" or "temporary reduced" eligibility mean? What do I do if my "temporary" eligibility has expired? Who can get free or reduced-price meals?
Children in households participating in Food Stamps, Minnesota Family
Investment Plan (MFIP) or Food Distribution Program on Indian
Reservations (FDPIR) and foster children can get free meals
regardless of your income. Also, if your household income is within
the limits on the Federal Income Chart, your children can get free or
reduced-price meals.
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How do I apply for free or reduced-priced meals?
To apply for free or reduced-price meals, obtain a blank Application
for
Educational Benefits/Free or Reduced Price Meals for the current school
year. Complete the application and mail to Nutrition Services. We
cannot approve an
application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required
information. Return the completed application to: Nutrition
Services, 1930 Como Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108 or send it to the
school cafeteria with your child.
The
same application can be used for Foster children, children residing in
residential institutions, homeless students or refugee students.
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A student electronically qualifies for free meals. His sibling does not. Is the sibling automatically qualified for free meals?
Sometimes one
child is approved, another is not. In this case, we must get an
Application for Educational Benefits for the sibling. If you have
already turned in an
application for one or more children and would like to add another
sibling, you may do this by calling (651) 603-4954.
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Will the information I give be checked or verified?
Yes, we may ask you to send written proof of the information you give.
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Do I have to fill out an application every school year?
Yes. It is part of the federal guidelines that a new application must be completed every school year.
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Do I have to fill out an application for every child?
No. Nutrition Services asks that only one application per household be
filled out unless you are applying for foster children, then only one
foster child per application. See Applications/Foster Child
Application.
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What if my household size or income changes?
If your children qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on your income, your must
tell us if your household size goes down or if your income goes up by
more than $50 per month ($600 per year). Call us at (651) 603-4954. You do not have to fill out another application.
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If someone lives in the home but is not part of the family, does their income get listed on the application?
Yes, if they contribute to the household expenses.
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What does "All Other Income" in section 4 of the application mean?
If you are self-employed, your monthly income would be your net income
from self-owned business or farm (gross farm or business income minus
farm or business expenses, but before taxes). Other regular income
also includes; disability benefits, cash withdrawn from savings,
interest/dividends, income from estates/trusts/investments, regular
contributions from person not living in the household, net
royalties/annuities, net rental income and any other income.
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If I don't qualify now, may I apply again later?
Yes. You may apply at any time during the school year if your
household size goes up, income goes down, or if you start getting Food
Stamps or MFIP. If you lose your job, your children may be able to get
free or reduced-price meals during the time you are unemployed.
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What if I disagree with the decision about my application?
You may ask for
a hearing by calling or writing to: Jean Ronnei, Director, Nutrition
Services, 1930 Como Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108 (651) 603-4950.
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How will my information be used?
Privacy Act Statement: The National School Lunch Act requires the
information on this application. You do not have to give the
information, but if you do not, we cannot approve your children for
free or reduced-price meals. The Social Security Number of the adult
household member who signs the application is required unless you list
Food Stamp or MFIP case numbers for all children you are applying for,
OR if you are applying for a foster child. You must write "none" on
the Social Security Number space if the adult household member signing
the application does not have a Social Security Number. A Social
Security Number is not required to be provided for other adults listed
on the application. We WILL use your information to see if your
children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, to run the
program, and to enforce the rules of the program. We MAY share your
eligibility information with education, health, and nutrition programs
to help them evaluate, fund, or determine benefits for their programs,
auditors for program reviews, and law enforcement officials to help
them look into misuse of program rules.
If your children are approved for school meal benefits, this
information may be shared with MinnesotaCare and General Assistance
Medical Care programs to identify children eligible for Minnesota
health insurance programs. You may elect not to share this information
by checking the box on the front of the Application for Educational
Benefits/Free or Reduced Price Meals.
A student's school meal
eligibility status will not be released for any other purposes unless a
parent or guardian has consented in writing.
Households selected
for verification must provide the Social Security Number of each adult
household member or an indication that he/she does not possess one.
Provision of a Social Security Number is not mandatory but if a Social
Security Number is not provided for each adult household member or an
indication is not made that he/she does not possess one, benefits will
be terminated.
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Can I use a regular application for my foster child?
Yes. Check the box in Section 1 "Households with
a Foster Child". List the foster child in Section 2 of the application
and under
the column "Student's Monthly Income" put the
amount of personal income assigned by the court for the foster
child.
If there isn't any money assigned by the court, write 0 or none. This
section must be completed
and can not be left blank. Complete Section 7, sign the application and
date it (for a foster application you do not need to include
your social security number).
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What does "temporary free" or "temporary reduced" eligibility mean?
At the beginning of the school year, each approved
free or reduced student carries over the eligibility they had the
previous year for 30 school days. When that expires, if they haven't
submitted a new application, they will pay full price for meals.
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What do I do if my "temporary" eligibility has expired?
An expired eligibility means your status will go to "Paid" and the
student will be asked to pay the full price of the meal. If your
eligibility has expired, call 651-603-4954 to update your status. You
must pay any elementary meals charged between the time the
application expired and the time you call Nutrition Services to update
your status.
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