Skip to main content

Personal tools

Translate

PE11 National School Meal Programs

For purposes of this procedural directive, “school meal program” means a program under which meals are served by a public school in the district on a nonprofit basis to students attending the school.

For purposes of this procedural directive, “traditional Albuquerque Public School” means an elementary or secondary school fully administered by the Albuquerque Public School district which convenes during the conventional school day.  It excludes alternative schools, charter schools, locally authorized charter schools and evening schools.

For purposes of this procedural directive, “fair hearing official” means a person who is not involved in the original eligibility determination under appeal or any previous conference.

The district shall enter and maintain an agreement with the New Mexico Public Education Department to establish a school meal program to all traditional Albuquerque Public School students. Students from families whose income is at or below that listed in the Family Size/Income Scale published by the United States Department of Agriculture shall be eligible for meals at low or no cost to the family. Schools that are designated as Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the school lunch program shall offer on reimbursable meal for breakfast and one reimbursable meal for lunch, at no charge, to each student daily.

Compliance Agreement

Compliance of this agreement shall be required at all meal locations. The agreement consists of the following:

The District agrees that there shall be no physical segregation or discrimination against any child because of his/her ability or inability to pay the full price of a meal.

Application Procedure

The application procedure is for families not in a designated Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school.

  1. Families can complete an annual online application, available after July 1, for the upcoming school year. Hard copies of the application can be made available at school sites or at the district Food and Nutrition Services building.
  2. The online application must be completed by the student’s parents/legal guardians. Families need only fill out ONE application and include all their APS students on the student section. 
  3. According to the agreement, the Food and Nutrition Services director and his/her designees shall be the responsible agents for determining eligibility for free and/or reduced meals.
  4. Children may be determined “categorically eligible” for free meals through participation in certain Federal Assistance Programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or based on their status as a homeless, migrant, runaway, or foster child.
  5. An up-to-date, confidential list of students approved for free and/or reduced meals shall be maintained by Food and Nutrition Services. Individual eligibility status of students shall remain confidential. Access to these student records is available only to selected Food and Nutrition Services and Medicaid personnel. Requests for this information shall be forwarded to the Food and Nutrition Services executive director.
  6. All applications shall be kept on hand at the Food and Nutrition Services Department for five (5) years. Individual eligibility status of students shall remain confidential. Access to these records is available only to selected food service personnel and Medicaid personnel.  All requests for this information shall be forwarded to the Food and Nutrition Services director.
  7. Parents whose children have not been found eligible for free or reduced meals shall have the right of appeal before a Fair Hearing Official. Request for a review of eligibility must be in writing and addressed to the Food and Nutrition Services executive director. 

Any overt identification of students is against administrative procedure and federal regulations. Uniform collection procedures using a computerized point of sale and student identification numbers shall be used along with the exchange of cash in payment for meals.

Annually the Albuquerque Public Schools Communications Office shall publicly announce the availability of free and/or reduced meals. Information regarding free and reduced meals shall also be available on the Albuquerque Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services Department website.

Administrative Position: Chief Operations Officer

Department Director: Executive Director of Food and Nutrition Services

References

Legal Cross Ref.:

  • USDA Policy for Free and Reduced Meal Applications
  • §22-13C-8 NMSA
  • §22-13-13 NMSA 1978
  • §22-9-1 NMSA 1978
  • §22-9-2 NMSA 1978
  • §22-9-5 NMSA 1978

Board Policy Cross Ref.:

Procedural Directive Cross Ref.:

 SBA/NEPN Classification: EFC, EFI

Revised: May 1995
Revised: April 1996
Revised: May 1997
Revised: May 22, 2000
Revised: July, 2009
Revised: February 2010
Reviewed:  September 6, 2022
Revised:  September 9, 2022

This page was last updated on: December 9, 2009.