Contrary to false reports in other local media outlets, not all Texas students will be receiving free lunch starting Sept. 1. According to Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, students eligible for reduced-price meals can now receive school meals at no cost to their families starting Sept. 1.
Over the last two years, funding has been given to support providing free breakfast to all students qualifying for free and reduced-price breakfast in Texas. Now, the 89th Texas Legislature has extended funding to support covering lunches for students qualifying for reduced-priced meals, to allow it to be free.
Districts like Beaumont and Port Arthur are already serving meals free of charge to all students under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and are not required to submit applications and will not be affected by this. Other local campuses will be impacted, though.
According to Michelle Johnson, Region 5 Educations Service Center Child Nutrition Program Coordinator, of the 33 districts serviced in Region 5, several districts do not currently serve free meals to all, as they do not participate in the CEP program, given that their overall identified student population rate (those belonging to lower income families) is not high enough to qualify or justify participation, including Lumberton, Hamshire-Fannett ISD, Hardin-Jefferson ISD, Nederland ISD, Port Neches-Groves ISD, and Orangefield ISD.
The named six districts will, however, offer free meals to students qualifying for reduced meals for the 2025-26 school year. At press time, each campus had the following amount of qualified and enrolled students in the reduced lunch program: 263 students at Lumberton ISD, 50 at Hamshire-Fannett ISD, 142 at Hardin-Jefferson ISD, 315 at Nederland ISD, 276 at Port Neches-Groves ISD, and 64 at Orangefield ISD. According to Melissa Nunnelly, Child Nutrition Director at PN-G ISD, the numbers also include last year’s qualified students and, after 30 school days, students that have not renewed their applications and re-qualified will be dropped from the program.
“Free and reduced-price school meals will open the door for more children to receive nutritious foods that support academic success,” Miller said. “Schools are now accepting household applications for these meals, and I encourage families to submit their applications and ensure their students can enjoy nutritious meals at school.”
Schools such as Bridge City ISD and Evadale ISD participate in a hybrid CEP/application program due to lower Overall ISP numbers, resulting in an insignificant reimbursement. Students qualifying for reduced lunches in these two districts will now receive free meals starting Sept. 1.
Applications for free and reduced meals can be found online at each school website or by obtaining a paper form from the school, as well as the Texas Department of Agriculture's SquareMeals.org or by calling (877) TEX-MEAL. Children receiving SNAP benefits or TANF automatically qualify and are directly certified through the state database. Outside of those recipients, families must apply for this meal assistance every year.