Meal Assistance Program Policy & Application
HPISD Cafeteria Income Need Meal Assistance Program Policy
The cafeterias of Highland Park ISD are owned and operated by their respective PTA/PTO. No federal funds are accepted for the student meal service operation. Any breakfast or lunch assistance given to a Highland Park ISD student is a gift to the student from the Cafeteria PTA/PTO campus in which the student is attending. Funding of the Meal Assistance Program is done independently at each campus through parent donation or outside funding. The Cafeteria Meal Assistance Program is overseen by the Director of Food Services. The criteria in which eligibility will be based are the state family income guidelines (based on the Texas School Lunch/School Breakfast Program Income Guidelines) and availability of meal assistance funds at each individual campus per school year. All student cafeteria meal assistance decisions made by the Director of Food Services will be final, although at any point there is a life event change that may affect your eligibility an application may be re-submitted. Meal Assistance Program Application forms will be reviewed by the Director of Food Services who will communicate an approved meal assistance application to the Cafeteria Manager at the campus in which the student is attending.
If your child is found eligible for a free breakfast or lunch, he/she will be able to purchase a basic entrée option meal only (entrée or sandwich, fruit/vegetable, milk or juice) with a maximum spend limit of $6.00/Grades K-1 or $6.50/Grades 2-4 lunch meal at Elementary Campuses and a combined breakfast and/or lunch maximum spend limit of $10.00 at Secondary Campuses, with no charge to the student. Your child’s Skyward account will be funded in the amount equal to the set above daily spend limit of the free meal rate times the number of school days left in the school calendar at the time of application approval. Any purchases above the amount funded to the child’s account will be the responsibility of the child. If your child qualifies for a reduced meal, he/she will be able to purchase a basic entrée option meal only (entrée or sandwich, fruit/vegetable, milk or juice). Your child’s Skyward account will be funded in the amount equal to the provided meal rate of $3.25/meal (elementary) and $5.00/day (secondary), times the number of school days left in the school calendar at the time of application approval for reduced meal assistance. Any purchases above the amount funded to the child’s account will be the responsibility of the child. Money will be placed into the child’s Skyward account with a limit for either free or reduced rate, based on determined eligibility.
Assistance Application Process
The attached application below must be completed by the legal guardian of the student requesting funds and submitted to:
Lynn Prichard
Director of Food Services
214-780-3025 office
214-780-4019 fax
[email protected]
The application will be forwarded to the appropriate campus(es) in which your child is attending after a determination of eligibility has been made. Assistance will be provided after appropriate eligibility has been determined. A decision will be made in as timely of a manner as possible and the parent will be notified of the application eligibility decision. Your eligibility may be checked at any time during the school year to determine the need for continued assistance. If your income situation changes, the school should be notified immediately. Verification of income should be attached to your application (i.e. past income tax return, two months of paycheck stubs, a letter from your employer stating yearly or monthly income). School officials may ask you to provide additional documentation if needed.
**If there is a temporary need that is not addressed adequately through this process, you may contact your campus administrator for possible assistance.