School Meal Eligibility

School Meal Eligibility is determined at the district level by households completing a free or reduced-price application; households can also be automatically eligible for free school meals through direct certification. Qualifying students as eligible for free or low-cost school meals helps to increase access to healthy meals, which supports their health and academic performance. Find more specific information regarding school meal eligibility below.

2020 Free and Reduced-Price Public Release

The free and reduced-price school meals public release was published on behalf of all sponsors operating NSLP on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. The public release provides families with the newest qualifying income guidelines, information on eligible school sites, and guidance on how to complete a free and reduced-price meal application. Sponsors interested in providing their families with specific district information can find editable public release templates in both English and Spanish.

The Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) program is an important nutritional resource to families who lost access to free or reduced-price school meals as schools across Colorado closed in response to COVID-19. P-EBT provides households with an EBT card funded with the value of the free school breakfast and lunch reimbursement rates for the days that schools have been closed in March, April and May, which equals $5.70 per day. 

For school food authorities and sponsors: 

• Communication Templates Toolkit - English (DOC) 
• Communication Templates Toolkit - Spanish (DOC)
  • Simply input district letterhead and distribute important information about P-EBT with families in your communities. Scripts include: letter to households, robo-call sample language, sample text messages, grab-and-go stuffers, and social media posts. 
• P-EBT Outreach Toolkit
  • Use this toolkit, which includes bright and creative graphics as well as a direct link to the P-EBT application, to communicate with communities about P-EBT, 
• Outreach Guide (PDF) 
  • Reference this outreach guide to start planning district operations around P-EBT. 
• P-EBT Webinar Recording June 11
  • This recording contains audio quality issues we are unable to fix. See presentation PDF for speaker notes. 
• P-EBT Webinar Slides (PDF)
  • Access speaker notes by double-clicking the comment box in the left hand corner of the PDF. 
• P-EBT Resource Based on Needs (PDF)
• Confidentiality Agreement for P-EBT (DOC) 
  • This is an optional document sponsors can use if they are choosing to work with a 3rd party in regards to P-EBT supportive efforts. The Confidentiality Agreement for P-EBT template can be used to enter sponsor and partner information for both parties to agree on specific data sharing and/or disclosure processes. 
• P-EBT Efforts and Considerations for Data Protection (PDF)
  • Use this document to review helpful considerations for data sharing process planning.
• Food Research and Action Center P-EBT website

For students and families: 

• Colorado Department of Human Services P-EBT Frequently Asked Questions website
• Apply for P-EBT

Direct Certification (DC)

Direct Certification uses approved assistance program data to automatically approve eligible students for free school meals. Colorado uses an automated online system to directly certify households that participate in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the Migrant Education Program.

Free and Reduced-Price (F&R) Application Guidance

The free and reduced-price application determines school meal eligibility based on reported information including household size and income or participation in approved assistance programs.

Income Verification Guidance

Verification is the process of confirming free or reduced-price meal eligibility based on income and/or assistance program information provided on applications.

For more information or if an alternative version of a document is needed, please contact free&reducedpriceschoolmeals@cde.state.co.us or call 303-866-6661.