Free and Reduced-Price Meal Program

About the Program

Free & reduced-price school meals are provided to students whose families meet certain income requirements. Students on the Free & Reduced program may get 1 Breakfast & 1 Lunch Combo Meal daily for their free or reduced-meal price. Free & Reduced prices don’t apply towards a la carte items (chips, capri-suns, packaged snacks, etc). All serving lines offer a la cart items so please let your child know they only qualify for a Combo Meal.

Parents/guardians are responsible for all meal account charges prior to being accepted on the Free & Reduced program. This also applies if your child falls off the program once the grace period ends. All charges accrued from the time they fall off the program until they are back on the program are the parents/guardians' responsibility.

Paper applications are available below to print, at the food service office, and at all NISD schools.

What to Know for Students on the Program

Students on the free and reduced-price meal program may get 1 breakfast and 1 lunch combo meal daily for their free or reduced price.
Free and reduced prices don’t apply towards a la carte items such as chips, capri-suns, packaged snacks and other items. All serving lines offer a la cart items, so please let your child know they only qualify for a combo meal.
At High School, students on the program may get a reimbursable meal at any of the station lines except for Local Restaurant Row and The Confectionary.

Apply Online: 2022-2023 Applications

Online applications are processed faster than paper applications! Complete your application at the link below.

Apply for 2022-2023 Program

Check Your Application Status Online

Visit www.schoollunchstatus.com.
New or preschool students may NOT show they have qualified for the program until the school completely enrolls the child into their system. If you have multiple children on the program, the child who is new to the district will not appear with the siblings until the school fully enrolls the child.
You may submit a free and reduced-price meal program application without a student ID for new students. Once they are enrolled in the school, the application will begin processing.
If your child is enrolled at Northwest ISD, the application status is typically available within 48 hours after submitting your completed online application.

What to Know About the Application Process

You are encouraged to submit free and reduced-price meal applications before school begins. Parents are responsible for all charges to a child’s meal account until their application is approved. A new application must be completed each school year.
If you have more than one child attending Northwest ISD schools, add all names to one application.
Please follow the application directions carefully so your application is processed quickly. An application cannot be approved until all requested fields are completed.
If your pre-kindergarten child was automatically enrolled on the free and reduced-price program, your other children will not automatically be on the program. You must complete an application for all other children.
If your child received free or reduced-priced meals last year, those benefits will carry over into the first 30 days of the new school year or until an application is submitted and a new determination is made.; whichever comes first. After 30 days, only students who submitted a new application this school year and qualified for the program will receive free or reduced-price meals. If your child falls off the program once the grace period ends, all charges accrued are the parents/guardians' responsibility.
If your household receives benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), then your child may automatically qualify for free school meals. Please contact the Food Service Office Department to determine if you are required to fill out an application.

Applying with a Paper Application

Online applications are processed faster than paper applications, but paper applications will be processed as soon as they can.

Paper Application Documents

2022-2023 Free & Reduced Application (English)
2022-2023 Free & Reduced Application (Spanish)

Applications must be signed or they will not be processed. Additionally, only applications for the current year will be accepted. Old applications are not accepted.

Where to Return Completed Applications

E-mail: yen.brown2@nisdtx.org
Fax: 817-215-0006
District Drop-Off: Food Service Department (220 County Road 4840, Haslet, Texas)
Campus Drop-Off: The front office of your child's school

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to provide proof of income with my application?
You only have to provide proof of income if you are applying for Pre-K with your child’s school. However, families are randomly selected for income verification once a year. Families that are selected will have to provide proof of income or will be dropped from the program.

If my child was on the program last year, do I need to complete another application?
Yes, a new application must be completed each school year. If you received free/reduced-priced meals last year, your children will continue to receive meal benefits the first 30 business days of school. During that time, a new application must be completed for free/reduced meals to continue. If a new application is not submitted, your child will be dropped from the program after the 30 day grace period. If your child falls off the program once the grace period ends, all charges accrued are the parents/guardians' responsibility.

What type of income should be included on the form?
All types of income must be included, including employment income, social security benefits, child support, etc. You must report how often it is received.

Is the form available in Spanish?
Yes.

What if I have no income?
If you do not have an income at the time of the application, we will approve the application temporarily for 60 days. After 60 days, your child will be dropped from the program unless a new application is filed showing some type of income, food stamp, or TANF case number.

Who to Contact for Help

Non-discrimination Notice

Non-discrimination Notice

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1)mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.