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Applying for Free/Reduced Price School Meals
Free/Reduced Priced Meals are available for eligible families. Family circumstances can change at any time; therefore, please know that applications can be completed anytime during the school year.- Families can submit Free and Reduced-Priced Meal Applications online by logging in to www.schoolcafe.com. The application process is quick and easy. This process will require an adult to login using the 7-digit Local Student ID (can be found in Focus/Parent Portal) of any student in your household. Applying online will speed up the determination process and benefits can be utilized sooner. Please remember to include all students in your household that attend USC schools on the same application.
- OR click here to download and print the application for the 2023-24 School Year (coming soon)
- Families who qualify for free/reduced price lunch may also qualify for low-cost Internet service. Click here for info.
Children may be determined “categorically eligible” for free meals through participation in certain Federal Assistance Programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or based on their status as a homeless, migrant, runaway, or foster child.
Children can also qualify for free or reduced-price school meals based on household income and family size. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the Federal poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 and 185 percent of the Federal poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals.
Click here to review the 2023-24 Income Eligibility Guidelines
Additional assistance may be available
Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services has an online tool to help families apply for programs and manage benefits. There are new forms of assistance, and you may qualify for additional benefits due to the effects of COVID-19. Please visit the COMPASS site to learn more.
- Families can submit Free and Reduced-Priced Meal Applications online by logging in to www.schoolcafe.com. The application process is quick and easy. This process will require an adult to login using the 7-digit Local Student ID (can be found in Focus/Parent Portal) of any student in your household. Applying online will speed up the determination process and benefits can be utilized sooner. Please remember to include all students in your household that attend USC schools on the same application.
FAQs
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Who can get free or reduced-price meals or special milk?
- All children in households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly the Food Stamp Program) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits are eligible for free meals.
- Foster children who are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.
- Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals.
- Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.
- Children may receive free or reduced-priced meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Your children may qualify for free or reduced-priced meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.
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How do i know if my children qualify as homeless, migrant, or runaway?
Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis? Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household?
If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and haven’t been told your children will get free meals, call or email:
Upper St. Clair School District
Attn: Dr. Cassandra Doggrell, Director of Student Support Services
412-833-1600, Ext. 2064
cdoggrell@uscsd.k12.pa.us. -
Do I need to fill out an application for each child?
No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information.
Return completed paper applications to:
Upper St. Clair School District
Attn: Rose Ogden, Admin. Asst.
1825 McLaughlin Run Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15241
412-833-1600 ext. 2258
rogden@uscsd.k12.pa.us -
Should I fill out an application if I received a letter this school year saying my children are already approved for free meals?
No, but read the letter you received carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification letter, contact the USCSD Food Services office immediately:
Upper St. Clair School District
Attn: Rose Ogden, Admin. Asst.
1825 McLaughlin Run Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15241
412833-1600 ext. 2258
rogden@uscsd.k12.pa.us -
Can I apply online?
Yes! You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application, if you are able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. Visit: www.compass.state.pa.us.
Visit www.uscsd.k12.pa.us, go to the menu link, click on any one of the school menus, scroll down to the Free/Reduced lunch application link and complete and send it to rogden@uscsd.k12.pa.us or visit the PA Department of Human Services website at www.compass.state.pa.us. -
My child’s application was approved last year. Do I need to fill out a new one?
Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first 30 operating school days of this school year. You must send in a new application unless the school informed you that your child is eligible for the new school year.
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I get WIC. Can my children get free meals?
Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Send in an application.
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Will the information I give be checked?
Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.
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If I don’t qualify now, may I apply later?
Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and/or reduced-priced meals if the household income drops below the income limit.
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What if I disagree with the school’s decision about my application?
You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing:
Upper St. Clair School District
Attn: Mr. Scott Burchill, Director of Business & Finance
1775 McLaughlin Run Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15241
412-833-1600, ext: 2054
sburchill@uscsd.k12.pa.us -
May i apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen?
Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced-price meals.
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What if my income is not always the same?
List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1,000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you made $1,000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.
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What if some household members have no income to report?
Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.
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We are in the military. Do we report our income differently?
Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, or receive Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance payments, it must also be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.
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What if there isn’t enough space on the application for my family?
List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper and attach it to your application. To receive a second application, contact:
Upper St. Clair School District
Attn: Rose Ogden, Admin. Asst.
1825 McLaughlin Run Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15241
412-833-1600 ext. 2258
rogden@uscsd.k12.pa.us -
My family needs more help. Are there other programs we might apply for?
To find out how to apply for SNAP or other assistance benefits, visit www.compass.state.pa.us, contact your local county assistance office, or call 1-800-692-7462.
If you have other questions or need help, call 412-833-1600 Ext. 2258.
Rose Ogden, Administrative Assistant
1825 McLaughlin Run Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15241
412-833-1600 Ext. 2258
rogden@uscsd.k12.pa.us