WILLIAMSBURG — Virginia is expanding eligibility for free meals during the 2022-23 school year and families are being encouraged to submit free meal applications to local schools.
Since March of 2020, students have been able to receive completely free meals without needing to submit an application. This policy took effect to help families during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, that practice has expired at the end of 2021-22 school year.
For the current school year, Virginia schools will require applications and use family income to determine eligibility for free, reduced-price, or paid meals.
“Virginia is expanding eligibility for free meals during the 2022-23 school year through funding provided by the General Assembly in the state budget,” the Virginia Department of Education said in a news release. “Students with families at or below 185% of the federal poverty level are eligibile for free meals.”
There are Virginia schools and divisions that use a program called the Community Eligibility Provision to serve free meals to all students. If the school or school division falls under this program, then free meal applications are not collected.
To find out more, visit your school divisions website for meal/nutrition information:
