BUSD offers free and reduced-price meals

BONSALL – Bonsall Unified School District announced its policy to serve nutritious meals every school day under the National School Lunch Program Effective July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020, children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals if the household income is less than or equal to the federal guidelines.

Households do not need to turn in an application when the household receives a notification letter saying that all children automatically qualify for free meals when any household member receives benefits from CalFresh, CalWORKs or FDPIR.

Children who meet the definition of foster, homeless, migrant or runaway and children enrolled in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals. Contact school officials if any child in the household is not on the notification letter. The household must let school officials know if they do not want to receive free or reduced-price meals.

Applications will be sent to the household with a letter about the free and reduced-price meal program. Households that want to apply for meal benefits must fill out one application for all children in the household and give it to the nutrition office at 31505 Old River Road in Bonsall. For a simple and secure method to apply, parents can use the online application at http://www.bonsallusd.com. They can also contact Debby Perrault at (760) 305-5665 for help filling out the application. The school will let them know if their application is approved or denied for free or reduced-price meals.

Households may turn in an application at any time during the school year. If parents are not eligible now, but their household income goes down, household size goes up or a household member starts receiving CalFresh, CalWORKs or FDPIR, they may turn in an application at that time. Information given on the application will be used to determine eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year by school officials. The last four digits of the Social Security number from any adult household or checking that the applicant does not have a Social Security number is required if they include income on the application.

A child’s eligibility status from last school year will continue into the new school year for up to 30 school days or until the school processes their new application, or the child is otherwise certified for free or reduced-price meals.

After the 30 school days, the child will have to pay full price for meals, unless the household receives a notification letter for free or reduced-price meals. School officials do not have to send reminders or expired eligibility notices.

If parents do not agree with the decision or results of verification, they may discuss it with school officials. They also have the right to a fair hearing, which may be requested by calling or writing the hearing official, David Jones, 31505 Old River Road, Bonsall CA, 92003, (760) 305-5701

Submitted by Bonsall Unified School District.