Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Schools that participate in School Nutrition Programs accept applications for free and reduced-price school meal benefits at any time. Approval is based on comparison of the household’s income to current U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) household income guidelines. Schools send an Application for Educational Benefits form to the households of all enrolled students at the beginning of each school year. A letter accompanies the form and explains school meal benefits and how to apply.

Households that have already been approved for the following public assistance programs are not required to but can complete an Application for Educational Benefits using case number(s) instead of household income information:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

Children approved for these programs may be “directly certified” for free school meals, based on data supplied to MDE by the Minnesota Department of Human Services. For more information, see Direct Certification.

U.S. Department of Agriculture MemosLinks to key USDA memos on Applications-Student Meals are provided below.

• Disclosure Requirements for Child Nutrition Programs (SP 16-2016)
• Q&A Related to the Independent Review of Applications (SP 44-2014)
• Sharing Aggregate Data to Expand Program Access and Services in Child Nutrition Programs (SP 42-2014)
• Effective Date of Free or Reduced-Price Meal Eligibility Determinations (SP 11-2014)
• Head Start Participation - Questions and Answers (SP 40-2013)
• Categorical Eligibility of Children in Foster Care (SP 17-2011)
• Q&A on Extending Categorical Eligibility to Additional Children in a Household (SP 25-2010)
• E-Rate Audits (SP 04-2009) Disclosure of eligibility information.
• Disclosure of Eligibility Information to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) (SP 40-2008)
• Update on Electronic Transactions in Child Nutrition Programs (SP 10-2007)
• Updated Guidance for Homeless Children in School Nutrition Programs (4-04-2002)
   

The USDA also offers a publication that explains how to determine and verify students' eligibility for free and reduced-price meals, including the Eligibility Manual for School Meals.

• Types of Case Numbers Reported on an Application for Educational Benefits - 12/30/15
  Guidelines to identify eligible Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) case numbers used to apply for School Nutrition Programs meal benefits.
• 2015-16 Free and Reduced-Price Income Calculator Instructions - 12/14/15
  
• 2015-16 Free and Reduced-Price Income Calculator - 12/10/15
  This tool assists School Food Authorities in determining whether free and reduced-price applications based on income meet eligibility criteria for the 2015-2016 school year. It also includes worksheets for calculating the verification sample method that must be used and tracking the results of verification.
• Online Meal Application Systems - 10/21/15
  School Nutrition Programs requirements for schools that have online systems for families to complete electronic Applications for Educational Benefits.
• 2015-16 Application for Educational Benefits Packet (version without racial/ethnic section) - 10/13/15
  This application packet may be used by a public school or any school with a system in place that has already collected racial/ethnic data on all enrolled students. Otherwise use the standard Application for Educational Benefits Packet.
• 2015-16 Application for Educational Benefits - 8/14/15
  Household letter, instructions and Application for Educational Benefits.
• 2015-16 Household Income Guidelines - 7/8/15
  
• Application for Educational Benefits – Procedures for Approval/Denial  - 7/6/15
  
• 2015-16 Household Income Guidelines and Application Requirements - 6/11/15
  
• Minnesota Health Care Programs - Notification Requirement - 6/8/15
  Includes instructions on how to use the Minnesota health care programs flyer to meet the notification requirement.
• Minnesota Health Care Programs Notification (flyer - Spanish) - 5/27/15
  School districts can use this flyer to notify families about free or low-cost health insurance that is available through Minnesota Health Care Programs or MinnesotaCare.
• Minnesota Health Care Programs Notification (flyer - English) - 5/27/15
  School districts can use this flyer to notify families about free or low-cost health insurance that is available through Minnesota Health Care Programs or MinnesotaCare.
• Approval/Denial Letter for School Meal Benefits - 5/26/15
  Used to notify households of approval or denial for free or reduced-price school meals.
• Translations of Application for Educational Benefits - 6/4/14
  
• Option to Approve Applications Back to Receipt Date - 5/14/14
  
• Electronic File Storage of Scanned Meal Applications - 2/25/14
  
• Applications and Rosters - 11/28/11
  Instructions for maintaining applications and rosters. 

School Lunch Software