Free/Reduced Program (2024)

Apply Online

The online application is the quickest and easiest way to apply for free or reduced priced meals.

• Use the “My School Apps” Quick Link to go straight to the application.
• My School Apps is family friendly and fast.
• Enter your zip code, select “Lincoln Public Schools District”, and follow the simple instructions.
• No risk of your application getting lost or delayed in the mail.
• No postage needed.
• Information is transmitted directly to Nutrition Services allowing for quick processing to qualify for free or reduced meals.
• Assistance with the online application is available by calling our office, or by visiting the Nutrition Services Department at the LPS District office, 5905 O Street.
• You may apply at any time during the school year.
• Exception—No applications are accepted between the last day of school through mid July, to allow for transition to the new school year.

Paper Applications

Completing the online application is highly recommended and is the quickest way to qualify for benefits. LPS is not responsible for lost paper applications. Families are responsible for all meal charges accrued prior to approval of the application. If you still prefer to apply using a paper application you may download the application below. Paper applications are also available at your school office, at the LPS District office, 5905 O Street, or you may also call our office (402) 436-1746 to request that a copy be sent to you.
Return the completed application one of these 4 ways:

• Drop off at your school office
• Scan and email to Nutrition Services: freeandreduced@lps.org
• Fax to Nutrition Services: 402-436-1775
• Drop off at the LPS District Office: 5905 O Street
• Download the Free and Reduced Meal Application

Other Tips and Important Reminders:

• You will be sent an email or letter of approval or denial (Notice of Approval or Notice of Denial).
• Until eligibility is determined, the student(s) will be charged the full meal price.
• Direct Certification Notice of Approval: Families who receive an email or letter stating they are eligible for free meals through Direct Certification do not need to complete an application for that school year. If the notice states eligibility is for reduced priced meals, and your household income may qualify you for free meals, you may submit an application to qualify for the greater benefit of free meals.
• Feel free to call our office any time with questions on how to apply, to check on the status of the application or to request assistance with your application.
• Incomplete applications cannot be accepted or processed.
• Eligibility is not retroactive. Applications cannot be backdated.
• Notice of eligibility is sent via email if available, or through regular mail if no email address is on file.
• Please allow up to 2-3 business days after submitting your online application or up to 10 business days after submitting a paper application to receive your eligibility letter or email.
• All applications expire June 30th of each school year. Families must submit a new application each new school year.
• A parent may apply for free or reduced meal benefits at any time during the school year.
• Once determined, free or reduced status will remain in effect for the duration of the school year.

Notice of Approval or Denial

• You will be sent an email or letter with approval or denial of your application. This is referred to as the Notice of Approval or Notice of Denial.
• Notice of Approval for free or reduced meals is sent via email if available, or through US mail if no email address is on file.
• Notice of Denial is also sent via email if available, or through regular mail if no email address is on file.
• Email notices will come from “freeandreduced@lps.org” and will contain the subject line: “School Meal Benefits for Lincoln Public Schools”.
• Save this letter or email for future reference or use. Often scholarship applications or other company discounts are available for families who receive free or reduced school meals.

Haven’t Heard From Us Yet?

• Don’t wait for meal charges to build up. Call us to check on the status of your application.
• Feel free to call our office at any time with questions on how to apply, to check on the status of the application or to request assistance with your application.
• LPS is not responsible for lost paper applications. Families are responsible for all meal charges accrued prior to approval of the application.

Incomplete Applications

• Incomplete applications cannot be accepted or processed.

Common Reasons Applications are Incomplete

• Forgetting to include the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number.
• The Student name does not match with LPS student enrollment records.
• Forgetting to list all members of the household such as infants, pre-school children, children away at school or other adults.
• Invalid case number for SNAP (food stamps).

Other Tips and Important Reminders:

• Direct Certification Notice of Approval: Families who receive an email or letter stating they are eligible for free meals through Direct Certification do not need to complete an application for that school year. If the notice states eligibility is for reduced priced meals, and your household income may qualify you for free meals, you may submit an application to qualify for the greater benefit of free meals.
• Until eligibility for free and reduced price meals is determined, the student(s) will be charged the full meal price.
• Eligibility is not retroactive. Applications cannot be backdated.
• Incomplete applications cannot be accepted or processed.
• If you disagree with the decision about your application call (402) 436-1746 and talk to the free and reduced official. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Andrew Ashelford, Director, Nutrition Services Department, PO Box 13, 5905 O Street, Lincoln NE 65810, Telephone (402) 436-1747.
• Please allow up to 2-3 business days after submitting your online application or up to 10 business days after submitting a paper application to receive your eligibility letter or email.

After July 1

• Applications for the new school year are accepted starting mid-July.
• The online application is the quickest easiest way to apply for free and reduced meals. The online system will be available to families in mid-July.

Job Loss or Decrease in Income

• You may apply at any time during the school year.
• If your household experiences a reduction in income, you may apply or reapply for free or reduced meals.

Change in Household Size

• If the number of people living in your household increases, making you eligible for free or reduced meals, you may apply or reapply for free or reduced meals.
• Examples include the birth of a baby, adoption, marriage, or additional people moving into your household.

All Applications Expire June 30th

• The new income guidelines for free and reduced meals become effective every year on July 1st. These guidelines are set by the Federal Government, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
• Households must submit a new application in the first 30 days of school to avoid a lapse in benefits.

Other Tips and Important Reminders

• Direct Certification Notice of Approval: Families who receive an email or letter stating they are eligible for free meals through Direct Certification do not need to complete an application for that school year. If the notice states eligibility is for reduced priced meals, and your household income may qualify you for free meals, you may submit an application to qualify for the greater benefit of free meals.
• Feel free to call our office at any time with questions on how to apply, to check on the status of the application or to request assistance with your application.
• The effective date of an application is the date that the complete application is processed.
• Incomplete applications cannot be accepted or processed.
• If your application is incomplete, this will delay the effective date.
• Until eligibility is determined, student(s) will be charged the full meal price.
• LPS is not responsible for lost paper applications. Families are responsible for all meal charges accrued prior to approval of the application.

Haven’t Heard From Us Yet?

• Don’t wait for meal charges to build up. Call to check on the status of your application.
• LPS is not responsible for lost paper applications.
• Families are responsible for all meal charges accrued prior to approval of the application.

More Q&A’s Related to the Application

• Use the Quick Link to view additional information, topics, scenarios and questions about the application — including foster children, homeless and migrant children.
• Or feel free to call our office with your questions.

Notice of Approval

• The “Notice of Approval” is also often referred to as the “Free and Reduced Benefit Letter”.

Need Another Copy?

If you need another copy of your Notice of Approval, you may request a copy in one of the following ways:

• EMAIL— freeandreduced@lps.org
  Include the student name, date of birth, school student attends and their 6 digit student ID number. This ensures we retrieve the correct
  student and household information.
• PHONE
• IN PERSON — LPS District Office 5905 O Street.
  Check in with the Receptionist at the front desk. Ask for a copy of your Free and Reduced Benefit letter or Notice of Approval.

Scholarships and Discounts

• Scholarships and company discounts may be available for families who receive free or reduced school meals.
• In some instances the LPS Notice of Approval will be used as proof of a family’s income level.
• The Notice of Approval for free or reduced meals is sent via email (if available) or through US mail if no email address is on file.
• Email notices will come from “freeandreduced@lps.org” and will contain the subject line “School Meal Benefits for Lincoln Public Schools”.
• Save this letter or email for future reference or use.

How it Works

• The State of Nebraska provides electronic lists of students who qualify for free or reduced meals to all Nebraska schools.
• This information is shared by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to make access to free and reduced meals easier for families who have already met the income guidelines of other programs such as SNAP (Food Stamps).
• Automated data is matched nightly with the current LPS enrollment
• Free or reduced meal status by Direct Certification is good for one school year.

Qualifying Programs

• SNAP—Supplemental Nutrition Program, free meals
• TANF — Temporary Assistance For Needy Families, free meals
• FDPIR — Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, free meals
• Some Medicaid Participants — But only those with income levels at or below the school meals income guidelines for free or reduced meals

Other Tips and Important Reminders

• Free or reduced meal status by Direct Certification only applies to the current school year and does not apply to future school years.
• If your child was free or reduced by Direct Certification last year, and you are unsure whether the same is true for the current year, call our office to find out the status of your child for the new school year.
• Direct Certification Notice of Approval: Families who receive an email or letter stating they are eligible for free meals through Direct Certification do not need to complete an application for that school year. If the notice states eligibility is for reduced priced meals, and your household income may qualify you for free meals, you may submit an application to qualify for the greater benefit of free meals.
• Email notices will come from “freeandreduced@lps.org” and will contain the subject line: “School Meal Benefits for Lincoln Public Schools”.
• Save this letter or email for future reference or use.
• A child or other household member’s receipt of benefits from the above listed programs, automatically extends the same free or reduced priced meal benefits to all children who members of the same household. Exception: The free meal status of a foster child or state ward does NOT extend to any other students in the household.
• Notify our office immediately if you have questions about multiple students in your household, or if there are differences in meal rate charges.

What is Considered Income?

• Earnings from Work—salary, wages, cash bonuses
• Alimony
• Public Assistance
• Social Security Payments
• Child Support
• Unemployment Benefits
• Workers Compensation
• Pensions
• Retirement
• Military basic pay and cash bonuses

Report Gross Income

• List gross income on your application and how often it is received.
• Gross income is the amount earned BEFORE taxes and other deductions. It is not your take home pay.

Computing Income if Self-Employed

• Individuals who are self-employed may experience variations in cash flow and cannot easily report monthly income.
• These individuals may use information from the most recent Federal Income Tax Form 1040 to report self-employment income on their application.
• Computing Income for Self-Employed Individuals- Refer to this attachment for details on which lines should be addedtogether to determine self-employed income.
• NOTE—Individuals who are not self-employed should use current pay stub information, NOT the previous years taxes when reporting their
  income.

Definition

• Every year in October, Federal rules require that schools review a small sample of household applications, to verify eligibility for free or reduced meals.
• Households are notified via letter or email, to provide proof of the household income at the time the application was completed.

Procedure

• A 3% sample is selected from the pool of all LPS free and reduced applications.
• The selected households will receive a letter or email from Nutrition Services asking for documentation of income, such as copies of pay stubs.
• The notice will include instructions and a due date.
• Selected households must respond within the allotted time.
• Households that do not respond, will receive a letter or email stating that the student(s) meal status will change to full paid price on the date specified.

Other Tips and Important Reminders

• If your household is selected for verification and you need help or have questions, please call our office right away.
• We are here to help you identify the documentation needed.
• LPS also has Bilingual Liaisons available to assist as needed, bridge language barriers and ensure that families continue to receive the benefits they are eligible to receive.