EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Socorro Independent School District (SISD) has opened its 2024-2025 Online Meal Application to provide free and reduced-price meals for students.
The application helps families determine if they qualify for free or reduced cost meals, according to SISD.
To register for the Online Meal Application, visit SISD’s website here.
Applications can be submitted anytime throughout the school year. The information of the household provided will be used to determine eligibility, according to SISD.
Applications may also be verified by the school officials at any time during the school year.
The district will continue to offer free breakfast to all students, regardless of income eligibility through the School Breakfast Program, according to SISD.
According to SISD, the following Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) campuses will receive free breakfast and lunch meals and students do not need to fill out the meal application:
Elementary schools:
Benito Martinez
Bill Sybert
Campestre
Chester E. Jordan
Elfida P. Chavez
Escontrias
H.D. Hilley
Helen Ball
Horizon Heights
Hueco, Keys
Loma Verde
Mission Ridge
Myrtle Cooper
O’Shea Keleher
Paso Del Norte
Purple Heart
Robert R. Rojas
Sgt. Roberto Ituarte
Sierra Vista
Vista del Sol
K-8 schools:
Desert Wind
Ernesto Serna
Bill Sybert
Jane A. Hambric
Middle schools:
Capt. Walter E. Clarke
Hurshel Antwine
Montwood Middle
Salvador H. Sanchez
Spec. Rafael Hernando III
Socorro Middle
William D. Slider
High schools:
KEYS Academy
Options High School
Paid meal lunches for the new school year increased by 10 cents to be in compliance with the Texas Department of Agriculture requirements, according to SISD. Paid lunch meals will increase to $2.20 for grades Pre-K through fifth and increased $2.55 for grades sixth through 12th. The reduced price for lunch is 40 cents.
SISD has provided an eligibility guideline to see if the child qualifies here.
The following criteria will be used to determine a child’s eligibility for free or reduced-price meals:
Income
For those households that qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on income, an adult in the household must fill out a meal application with the following information:
Names of all household members.
Amount, frequency and source of current income for each household member.
Last four digits of the Social Security number of the adult household member who signs the application. If the adult does not have a Social Security number, they may check the box for “No Social Security number”.
Signature of an adult household member attesting that the information provided is correct.
For more information contact Wanda Carrillo, CNS Coordinator, 12100 Eastlake, or call at (915) 937-0450.
Categorical or Automatic Eligibility
SISD and SISD’s Child Nutrition Services work with local agencies to identify children who are categorically and program eligible. Both will notify households of the children that they do not need to complete an application.
Any household that wishes to decline the benefits should submit an application and choose to deny benefits.
If a household has not received a letter and felt that they should, needs to contact Wanda Carrillo, CNS Coordinator, 12100 Eastlake, or call at (915) 937-0450.
Determining Eligibility
Child Nutrition Services Reviewing Official will review applications and determine eligibility through the CEP policy. Households or guardians dissatisfied with the review can discuss the decision with an official.
Households wishing to make a formal appeal for a hearing on the decision may make a request either orally or in writing to Shelley Chenausky, director of Child Nutrition Services, 12100 Eastlake, or call at (915) 937-0450.
Unexpected Circumstances
If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size increases, those factors may affect the eligibility for benefits. Contact Sandra Velasquez if this occurs at (915) 937-0450.
Parents can manage their child’s school meal accounts through the MySchoolBucks app, according to SISD. Parents can set up automatic payments, add money to the account and receive low balance alerts.
Parents can also download the MealViewer app to see the school breakfast and lunch menus and get the nutritional values of the food items.
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