LEAD Charter Schools, Leading Edge Academy Maricopa and Leading Edge Academy Queen Creek will be participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or the School Breakfast Program. As part of this program, Leading Edge Academy GEC, Leading Edge Academy Gilbert Elementary, Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa, Leading Edge Academy Mountain View and Leading Edge Academy Maricopa will offer healthy meals every school day. Breakfast (served at the Maricopa campus only) will cost $1.65; lunch (served at all campuses) will cost $3.50. Your children may qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Reduced-price meals cost $0.25 for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch.

Qualifications for children to receive free or reduced price meals include: belonging to a household whose income is at or below the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines, belonging to a household that receives public assistance, or if the child is homeless, migrant, runaway, foster, or participates in a Head Start or Even Start pre-Kindergarten program.

Household size and income criteria are used to determine eligibility for free and reduced-price benefits if the household does not receive assistance or the children are not in the other categories mentioned above. Children can get free or reduced-price meals if the household’s gross income falls at or below the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guideline chart.

Federal Eligibility Income Chart for School Year 2020-2021

 

FREE

REDUCED-PRICE

Household Size

Yearly Income

Monthly Income

Weekly Income

Yearly Income

Monthly Income

Weekly Income

1

$16,588

$1,383

$319

$23,606

$1,968

$454

2

$22,412

$1,868

$431

$31,894

$2,658

$614

3

$28,236

$2,353

$543

$40,182

$3,349

$773

4

$34,060

$2,839

$655

$48,470

$4,040

$933

5

$39,884

$3,324

$767

$56,758

$4,730

$1,092

6

$45,708

$3,809

$879

$65,046

$5,421

$1,251

7

$51,532

$4,295

$991

$73,334

$6,112

$1,411

8

$57,356

$4,780

$1,103

$81,622

$6,802

$1,570

Each additional person:

+$5,824

+$486

+$112

+$8,288

+$691

+$160

 

To apply for free or reduced-price meals, house­holds can fill out the application and return it to the school unless the household has already received notification that their children are approved for free meals this year. Application forms are being distributed to all households with a letter informing households of the availability of free and reduced-price meals for their children and what is required to complete on the application. Applications also are avail­able in each school office and are posted on the school website.

Only one application is required for all children in the household and the information provided on the appli­ca­tion will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and verification of data.  Applications may be verified at any time during the school year by the school or other program officials. An application for free or reduced-price benefits cannot be approved unless it contains complete eligibility information as indicated on the application and instructions. In the operation of child feeding programs, no child will be discriminated against because of race, sex, color, national origin, age, or disability.

Families can apply for benefits at any time. If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size increases, the household should contact the school. Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for benefits if the household’s income falls at or below the Federal Guidelines. Contact Meal Services at any time to request an application. 

Kim Dowers
Author: Kim Dowers