Free and Reduced FAQs
Households with foster and non-foster children may choose to include the foster child as a household member, as this may help other children in the household qualify for benefits. If the foster family is not eligible for free or reduced price meal benefits, that does not prevent a foster child from receiving free meal benefits.WHAT IF WE HAVE FOSTER CHILDREN?
Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis? Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household? If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and haven’t been told your children will get free meals, please contact: Nicole Ritland, District Homeless Liaison for Ankeny Schools at 515-963-4943 or Nicole.Ritland@AnkenySchools.org.HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILDREN QUALIFY AS HOMELESS, MIGRANT, OR RUNAWAY?
No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application unless complete eligibility information is submitted, so be sure to complete all required information.DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD?
Yes.MY CHILD’S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT A NEW ONE?
Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this school year, through October 5, 2020. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that your child is eligible for the new school year. When the carry-over period ends, unless you are notified that your children will receive free meals or you submit an application that is approved, the children must pay full price for school meals. The school is not required to send a reminder or a notice of expired eligibility.
Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please send in an application.I GET WIC. CAN MY CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS?
Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced price meals.MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN?
Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report. You are not required to provide proof with your application.WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED?
Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free or reduced price meals if the household income drops below the income limit, if your household size goes up, or if you start getting Food Assistance, FIP or other benefits.IF I DON’T QUALIFY NOW, MAY I APPLY LATER?
You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Scott Litchfield, Nutrition Services Director, Ankeny Schools, 306 SW School St, Ankeny, Iowa 50023 or Scott.Litchfield@AnkenySchools.org.WHAT IF I DISAGREE WITH THE SCHOOL’S DECISION ABOUT MY APPLICATION?
List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you made $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.WHAT IF MY INCOME IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME?
Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application, or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens please write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.WHAT IF SOME HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS HAVE NO INCOME TO REPORT?
Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, or receive Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance payments, it must also be included as income. However if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. There are currently no active Military Housing Projects in Iowa as found on Active Military Housing Projects. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.WE ARE IN THE MILITARY. DO WE REPORT OUR INCOME DIFFERENTLY?
Only the last four digits of the Social Security Number of the household’s primary wage earner or another adult household member (or an indication of “none”) is needed.DO I NEED TO PROVIDE MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER?
List any additional household members on a Supplemental Worksheet, and attach it to your application. Contact LeeAnna Vigor at 515-963-4964 or LeeAnna.Vigor@AnkenySchools.org to receive a Supplemental Worksheet.WHAT IF THERE ISN’T ENOUGH SPACE ON THE APPLICATION FOR MY FAMILY?
Ankeny Community School District does not participate in the Special Milk Program for half day kindergarteners. There is a charge for milk purchased to go with a lunch brought from home or an extra milk purchased to go with a meal.WHO CAN GET FREE MILK?
To find out how to apply for Food Assistance or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office or call 1-877-347-5678. Your children may be eligible for hawk-i (children’s health insurance) or a waiver of school fees. See the school waiver form for additional information.MY FAMILY NEEDS MORE HELP. ARE THERE OTHER PROGRAMS WE MIGHT APPLY FOR?
If a child has a disability, as determined by a licensed medical professional, and the disability prevents the child from eating the regular school meal, the school will make substitutions prescribed by the licensed medical professional. If a substitution is needed, there will be no extra charge for the meal. Please note, however, that the school is not required to make a substitution for a food allergy, unless it meets the definition of disability. Please contact the Nutrition Services Office and ask to speak to the dietitian.CAN CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES GET FOOD SUBSTITUTIONS?