HOUSTON – HISD parents, heads up: nearly three dozen campuses will lose universal free lunch next school year.
HISD says those schools will no longer participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program, which lets every student eat free without an application. The district hasn’t said why the change is happening, but it comes as federal cuts to SNAP could reduce the number of students qualifying for assistance—one factor that can affect whether a campus remains eligible for CEP.
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Free lunch isn’t going away—but families who qualify may now need to apply to make sure their kids keep getting meals this fall.
The USDA bases eligibility on household income. A family of four qualifies at or below $61,050. For a family of five, it’s just under $72,000. And for a family of six, it’s just over $82,000.
Families can apply online through the SchoolCafe app. To request a printed application, contact HISD’s Student Eligibility and Accountability Department at 713-491-5944 or email eligibilityinfo@houstonisd.org.
And HISD says this change does not impact its free summer meals program. Summer meals are scheduled June 10 through July 17, offering free breakfast and lunch at select campuses for all kids and teens 18 and under—even if they’re not enrolled. Campus locations are listed at houstonisd.org/summerschool.