Apply for Free or Reduced Lunch

Dear Parent/Guardian:

Byron Public Schools offers healthy meals each day.  Starting the school year 2023-24, the Primary, Intermediate, and Middle Schools will be joining Minnesota's Free School Meal Program. All students in grades K-8 can get one breakfast and one lunch free of charge each day at school.  Although no application is required to receive this free meal benefit for students grades K-8, filling out the Application for Educational Benefits is still important!  Your child(ren) may qualify for other benefits like reduced fees at school.  Our district receives additional funding from the state based on the number of families who qualify.

Byron High School does not participate in the National School Lunch Program. Therefore, all meals for grades 9-12 will be full pay unless your family has qualified for free/reduced meals.

Breakfast at High School is Ala Carte items.  9-12 Lunch options; Basket Meal-$4.00; Premium Meal-$4.75; Chef Meal-$5.75.

Parents and Guardians are now able to complete the Application for Educational Benefits-Free and Reduced Meals online, through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal.  You will be notified instantly if you qualify.  If you prefer paper, you may contact Anne Ludvigsen at 507-775-2383 or print the application and submit it when completed (2023-24 Application for Benefits). A new application must be submitted each year. To apply in Infinite Campus follow these steps.

1. Log into your parent portal

2. Left-hand column -select more

3. Select Food Service

4. Select Meal Benefits Application 

If a child has been determined by a physician to have a disability and the disability prevents the child from eating the regular meal, we will make modifications or substitutions prescribed by the physician at no additional charge. Lactose-reduced milk will be provided upon written request of a parent.
 

Apply online through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal or return your completed paper Application for Educational Benefits to: Byron School District Office, Attn: Anne Ludvigsen, 801 Frontage Rd NW, Byron, MN 55920.

Who can get free school meals? Children in households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), and foster, homeless, migrant and runaway children can get free school meals without reporting household income. Also, children can get free school meals if their household income is within the maximum income shown for their household size on the instructions.

I get WIC or Medical Assistance. Can my children get free school meals? Children in households participating in WIC or Medical Assistance do not automatically qualify for free meals. Children may be eligible for free or reduced-price school meals depending on other household financial information. 

Who should I include as household members? Include yourself and all other people living in the household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives, or friends).

May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen? Yes. You or your children do not have to be U.S. citizens for your children to qualify for free or reduced-price school meals.

What if my income is not always the same? List the amount that you normally get. If you normally get overtime, include it, but not if you get overtime only sometimes. For seasonal work, write in the total annual income.

Will the information or case number I give be checked? It may be. We may also ask you to send written proof.

How will the information be kept? Information you provide on the form, and your child’s approval for meal benefits will be protected as private data. For more information see the back page of the Application for Educational Benefits.
 

If I don’t qualify now, may I apply later? Yes. Please complete an application at any time if your income goes down, your household size goes up, or you start getting SNAP, MFIP, or FDPIR benefits.

Please provide the information requested about children’s racial identity and ethnicity, which helps to make sure we are fully serving our community. This information is not required for approval of school meal benefits.

If you have other questions or need help, call Anne Ludvigsen, at 775-2383.

How to Complete the Application for Educational Benefits

After July 1, 2023, Complete the Application for Educational Benefits form for the school year 2023-24 if any of the following applies to your household:

• Any household member currently participates in the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). or
• The household includes one or more foster children (a welfare agency or court has legal responsibility for the child). or
• The total income of household members is within the guidelines shown below (gross earnings before deductions, not take-home pay). Do not include as income: foster care payments, federal education benefits, MFIP payments, or value of assistance received from SNAP, WIC, or FDPIR. Military: Do not include combat pay or assistance from the Military Privatized Housing Initiative. The income guidelines are effective from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.

Maximum Total Income

Step 1 Children
List all infants and children in the household, their school and grade if applicable, and birthdate. Attach an additional page if needed to list all children. Check the box if a child is in foster care (a welfare agency or court has legal responsibility for the child).

Step 2 Case Number
If any household member currently participates in the SNAP, MFIP, or FDPIR, write in the case number and then go to Step 4. If you do not participate in any of these programs, leave Step 2 blank and continue to Step 3.

Step 3 Adult and Child Incomes / Last 4 Digits of Social Security Number

• Child Income. If any children in the household have a regular income, such as SSI or part-time jobs, list the total amount of regular incomes received by all children, and check the box for the frequency: weekly, bi-weekly, twice a month, or monthly. Do not include occasional earnings like babysitting or lawn mowing.
• Adult Income. Report the names of adult household members and income earned in this section. 
• List all adults living in the household not listed in Step 1, whether related or not, such as grandparents, relatives, or friends. 
• Gross Earnings from Work. For each income, check the box to show how often the income is received: weekly, bi-week, twice per month, or monthly.
• List gross incomes before deductions, not take-home pay. Do not list an hourly wage rate. For adults with no income to report, enter a '0' or leave the section blank. For season work, write in the total annual income.
• Self-employment or Farm Income. List the net income per month or year after business expenses. A loss from farm or self-employment must be listed as 0 income and does not reduce other income.
• All Other Gross Income. List gross incomes before deductions from any other sources, such as SSI, unemployment, child support, public assistance, social security, rental income, or annuities.
• Social Security Number/Total Household Members.  An adult household member must provide the last four digits of their Social Security number or check the box if they do not have a Social Security number. The total number of household members is reported.