By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – The Shelby County School District has announced its policy for free and reduced-price meals for children served in schools under the National School Lunch Program for the 2019-2020 school year.

The Shelby County Board of Education offers healthy meals every school day with breakfast costing $1.50 for elementary, middle and high schools and lunch costing $2.25 for elementary schools and $2.50 for middle and high schools. Certain children may qualify for free meals or reduced-price meals at a cost of 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch.

Local school officials have adopted household size and income eligibility guidelines to determine eligibility for the program.

One of the following criteria must be met in order to apply for the free and reduced-price meal program:

–All children in households receiving benefits from SNAP, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families are eligible.

–Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible.

–Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible.

–Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible.

–Children who are directly certified are eligible.

Those wishing to apply for the program must provide the names and incomes of every member of the household, the school, grade, birthdate every student in the household and a social security number and electronic signature in order to apply.

For more information or to begin the application process, visit Myschoolapps.com/Application.