USDA Guidance Increases Access to School Meals for Homeless Children

The USDA's definition of a homeless child has been updated to include not only children in shelters, but also a child whose family is "doubled up" with another family because of loss of housing, children living in motels or campgrounds because of lack of adequate housing, children/youth on their own who are living temporarily with another family, and children awaiting foster care placement. The USDA guidance allows school officials to determine a homeless child eligible for free school meals based on documentation from the local educational agency liaison, principal or homeless shelter director that the child is homeless.

Resources for Families

To enroll your child in the free school lunch program, speak with the Local educational agency liaison for homeless children (ask at your school) or Principal of your child's school, or Homeless shelter director. No documents or paperwork are required.

Automatic Eligibility for Free School Meals to Homeless and Runaway Children

Before the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act was passed, administrative guidance made homeless children, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, automatically eligible for free school meals. The Reauthorization Act establishes in law this categorical eligibility for homeless children, meaning that all children who are defined as homeless are eligible for free school meals.

The Reauthorization Act also confers automatic eligibility for free school meals on migrant children served through the Migrant Education Program and runaway children and youth served through the three grant programs established under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA): Basic Center Program, Transitional Living Program for Older Homeless Youth, and Street Outreach Program.

Streamlined Procedures to Document Free School Eligibility

The McKinney-Vento Act requires every school district to designate a local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youth. The liaisons ensure that children receive the educational and other services for which they are eligible - including free school meals. Local educational agency liaisons, homeless or domestic violence shelter directors and RHYA service providers may provide documentation that children are homeless or runaway to school food service directors or other officials who determine school meal eligibility.

The documentation must include the child's name or a list of their names, effective date(s), and the signature of the local educational agency liaison, homeless or domestic violence shelter director or RHYA service provider. This list is acceptable in lieu of a school meal application usually submitted by the child's parent or guardian and is sufficient for school officials to approve the child's eligibility for free school meals.

School food service directors, principals and other school officials should work closely with local educational agency liaisons, homeless or domestic violence shelter directors and RHYA service providers to ensure that homeless and runaway children and youth are provided free meal benefits as promptly as possible.