Eligibility and Verification for School Nutrition Programs
Food Assistance Programs Available for School-Age Children
Nutrition Program Overview for School StaffNutrition Program Overview for School Staff - Educate school staff about nutrition programs and how eligibility is determined. (Available in English & Spanish.)
Nutrition Program Overview for Households Nutrition Program Outreach for Households - This postcard to hand out or print on card stock and mail details how a household can determine eligibility and has a fillable section for CND contact information. (Available in English & Spanish.)

Qualified school-age students from low-income households may receive nutritious meals through programs managed by the Food and Nutrition Division at the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Two programs provide no cost and reduced-price meals at schools:


Summer Meal Programs (SFSP, SSO) offer no cost breakfast and/or lunch during summer.


Not all schools participate in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Programs. Some schools operate their own programs separate from TDA and USDA. Be sure to check with your school to determine what programs they operate.

Eligibility Manual for School Meals: Determining and Verifying Eligibility  Maximize 

Eligibility may be determined in several ways  Maximize 

Helping families understand how a household is determined  Maximize 

Questions you should prepare to answer from parents  Maximize 

Assistance available in English and Spanish. Please call 877-TEX-MEAL (877-839-6325) for help. Additional translations services available as well.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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