Parent Letter/Instructions - PY 2024
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Children need healthy meals to learn. Burris Laboratory Schools offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $2.00; lunch costs $3.30. Your children may qualify for
free meals or for reduced price meals. Reduced price is $0.30 for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch. This packet includes an application for free or reduced price meal benefits, and a
set of detailed instructions. Below are some common questions and answers to help you with the application process.
1. WHO CAN GET FREE OR REDUCED PRICE MEALS?
● All children in households receiving benefits from SNAP (Food Stamps) or TANF, are eligible for free meals.
● Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.
● Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals.
● Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.
● Children may receive free or reduced price meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Your children may
qualify for free or reduced price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.
FEDERAL ELIGIBILITY INCOME CHART For School Year 2023-24
Household size
Yearly
Monthly
Weekly
1
26,973
2,248
519
2
36,482
3,041
702
3
45,991
3,833
885
4
55,500
4,625
1,068
5
65,009
5,418
1,251
6
74,518
6,210
1,434
7
84,027
7,003
1,616
8
93,536
7,795
1,799
Each additional
person:
+9,509
+793
+183
2. HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILDREN QUALIFY AS HOMELESS, MIGRANT, OR RUNAWAY? 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 call
or e-mail Courtney Harnish at c[email protected] or 765-285-8499.
3. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD? No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot
approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: Burris Laboratory School at 2201 W
University Ave, Muncie, IN 47306.
4. SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAYING MY CHILDREN ARE ALREADY APPROVED FOR FREE MEALS? No, but please read
the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Angela Campbell, Burris
Laboratory School at 2201 W University Ave, Muncie, IN 47306, 765-285-2303, angela.cam[email protected] immediately.
Parent Letter/Instructions - PY 2024
5. MY CHILD’S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT A NEW ONE? Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first
few days of this school year through September 21, 2023. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that your child is eligible for the new school year.
If you do not send in a new application that is approved by the school or you have not been notified that your child is eligible for free meals, your child will be charged the
full price of meals.
6. SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF MY CHILDREN RECEIVED FREE OR REDUCED MEALS AT THEIR PREVIOUS SCHOOL? If it is the beginning of the school year and you
have not been notified that your children will receive free or reduced meals for the upcoming year, you will need to fill out an application. If your children transferred
during the school year and they were receiving free or reduced meals at the previous school, contact Angela Campbell, Burris Laboratory School at 2201 W University
Ave, Muncie, IN 47306, 765-285-2303, angela.campbell@bsu.edu immediately.
7. I GET WIC. CAN MY CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS? Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please send in an
application.
8. WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED? Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.
9. IF I DON’T QUALIFY NOW, MAY I APPLY LATER? 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 and reduced price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.
10. WHAT IF I DISAGREE WITH THE SCHOOL’S DECISION ABOUT MY APPLICATION? You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to:
Abigail Comber, Burris Laboratory School at 2201 W University Ave, Muncie, IN 47306, 765-285-1131, aecomber@bsu.edu
11. MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN? Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free
or reduced price meals.
12. WHAT IF MY INCOME IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME? 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.
13. WHAT IF SOME HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS HAVE NO INCOME TO REPORT? 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.
14. WE ARE IN THE MILITARY. DO WE REPORT OUR INCOME DIFFERENTLY? 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, 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. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.
15. WHAT IF THERE ISN’T ENOUGH SPACE ON THE APPLICATION FOR MY FAMILY? List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper, and attach it to your
application. Contact Angela Campbell, Burris Laboratory School at 2201 W University Ave, Muncie, IN 47306, 765-285-2303, angela.campb[email protected] to receive a
second application.
16. MY FAMILY NEEDS MORE HELP. ARE THERE OTHER PROGRAMS WE MIGHT APPLY FOR? To find out how to apply for SNAP (Food Stamp) or other assistance benefits,
contact your local assistance office or call 1-800-403-0864.
If you have other questions or need help, call 765-285-2303
Sincerely,
Burris Laboratory School
Parent Letter/Instructions - PY 2024
HOW TO APPLY FOR FREE AND REDUCED PRICE SCHOOL MEALS
Please use these instructions to help you fill out the application for free or reduced price school meals. You only need to submit one application per household, even if your
children attend more than one school in Burris Laboratory School. The application must be filled out completely to determine the eligibility of your child(ren) for free or reduced
price school meals. Please follow these instructions in order! Each step of the instructions is the same as the steps on your application. If at any time you are not sure what to do
next, please contact Angela Campbell, Burris Laboratory School at 2201 W University Ave, Muncie, IN 47306, 765-285-2303, angela.campbell@bsu.edu
Please use a pen (not a pencil) when filling out the application and do your best to print clearly.
STEP 1
LIST ALL INFANTS, CHILDREN, AND STUDENTS UP TO AND INCLUDING GRADE 12 IN THE HOUSEHOLD
Tell us how many infants/toddlers, children not in school, and elementary/middle/high school students live in your household. They do NOT have to be related to you to be a part
of your household.
Who should I list here? When filling out this section, please include ALL members in your household who are:
● Children age 18 or under AND are supported with the household’s income;
● In your care under a formal foster arrangement through a court or state/local agency, or qualify as homeless, migrant, or runaway youth;
● Students attending (regardless of age) Burris Laboratory School
A) List each child’s name. Print each
child’s name. Use one line of the
application for each child. If there are
more children present than lines on the
application, attach a second piece of
paper with all required information for
the additional children. “MI” is short for
middle initial. Print the first letter of each
child’s middle name in the box.
B) Is the child a student? If
yes, write the grade level of
the student in the “Grade”
column. For these students,
also complete the “Only for
Students” section including the
name of the school building,
birthdate, and whether the
student is living with the
parent or caretaker.
C) Do you have any foster children? If any children listed are
foster children, mark the “Foster Child” box next to the child’s
name. If you are ONLY applying for foster children, after
finishing STEP 1, go to STEP 4.
Foster children who live with you may count as members of
your household and should be listed on your application. If you
are applying for both foster and non-foster children, go to step
3.
Note: Adopted children are not considered foster children. A
foster child is a minor child who has been taken into state
custody and placed with a state-licensed adult, who cares for
the child in place of their parent or guardian.
D) Are any children homeless, migrant, or
runaway? If you believe any child listed in this
section meets this description, mark the “Homeless,
Migrant, Runaway” box next to the child’s name and
complete all steps of the application. Homeless,
Migrant, Runaway status must be confirmed with
the appropriate program staff. If the school district
cannot confirm your student’s homeless, migrant, or
runaway status, then the school district will contact
you to complete an income-based application. You
may choose to provide income information now in
order to prevent the school district from potentially
needing to contact you later.
STEP 2
DO ANY HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS CURRENTLY PARTICIPATE IN SNAP or TANF?
If anyone in your household (including you) currently participates in one or more of the assistance programs listed below, your children are eligible for free school meals:
● The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
● Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
A) If no one in your household participates in any of the above listed
programs:
● Leave STEP 2 blank and go to STEP 3.
B) If anyone in your household participates in any of the above listed programs:
● Write a case number for SNAP or TANF. You only need to provide one case number. If you participate in one of
these programs and do not know your case number, contact: 1-800-403-0864.
● Go to STEP 4.
Parent Letter/Instructions - PY 2024
STEP 3
REPORT INCOME FOR ALL HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS
How do I report my income?
● Use the charts titled “Sources of Income for Adults” and “Sources of Income for Children,” to determine if your household has income to report.
Sources of Income for Children
Sources of Child Income
Example(s)
- Earnings from work
- A child has a regular full or part-time job
where they earn a salary or wages
- Social Security
- Disability Payments
- Survivor’s Benefits
- A child is blind or disabled and receives Social
Security benefits
-A Parent is disabled, retired, or deceased, and
their child receives Social Security benefits
-Income from person outside the
household
- A friend or extended family member
regularly gives a child spending money
-Income from any other source
- A child receives regular income from a
private pension fund, annuity, or trust
Sources of Income for Adults
Earnings from Work
Public Assistance
/ Alimony / Child
Support
Pensions /
Retirement / All
Other Income
- - Salary, wages, cash
bonuses
- - Net income from self-
employment (farm or
business)
If you are in the U.S. Military:
- - Basic pay and cash
bonuses (do NOT include
combat pay, FSSA or
privatized housing
allowances)
- - Allowances for off-base
housing, food and
clothing
- - Unemployment benefits
- Worker’s compensation
- - Supplemental Security
Income (SSI)
- - Cash assistance from
State or local
government
- - Alimony payments
- - Child support payments
- - Veteran’s benefits
- - Strike benefits
- Social Security (including
railroad retirement and
black lung benefits)
- Private pensions or
disability benefits
- Regular income from
trusts or estates
- Annuities
- Investment income
- Earned interest
- Rental income
- Regular cash payments
from outside household
Parent Letter/Instructions - PY 2024
● Report all amounts in GROSS INCOME ONLY. Report all income in whole dollars. Do not include cents.
o Gross income is the total income received before taxes and deductions.
o Many people think of income as the amount they “take home” and not the total, “gross” amount. Make sure that the income you report on this application has NOT been
reduced to pay for taxes, insurance premiums, or any other amounts taken from your pay.
● Write a “0” in any fields where there is no income to report. Any income fields left empty or blank will also be counted as a zero. If you write ‘0’ or leave any fields blank, you
are certifying (promising) that there is no income to report. If local officials suspect that your household income was reported incorrectly, your application will be investigated.
● Mark how often each type of income is received using the check boxes to the right of each field.
3-A. REPORT INCOME EARNED BY ADULTS
Who should I list here?
● When filling out this section, please include ALL adult members in your household who are living with you and share income and expenses, even if they are not related and
even if they do not receive income of their own.
● Do NOT include:
o People who live with you but are not supported by your household’s income AND do not contribute income to your household.
o Infants, Children and students already listed in STEP 1.
1) List adult household members’ names.
Print the name of each household member in
the boxes marked “Names of Adult Household
Members (First and Last).” Include college
students, unless they are declared
independently on taxes (all college students
are considered adults). Do not list any
household members you listed in STEP 1.
2) List earnings from work. Report all income from work in
the “Earnings from Work” field on the application. This is
usually the money received from working at jobs. If you are a
self-employed business or farm owner, you will report your
net income.
● What if I have multiple jobs? List each job
separately by entering your name and income from
each job on a new line. Add an additional sheet of
paper if necessary.
● What if I am self-employed? Report income from
that work as a net amount. This is calculated by
subtracting the total operating expenses of your
business from its gross receipts or revenue.
If a child listed in Step 1 has income, follow the instructions in
Step 3, Part B.
3) List income from public assistance/child support/alimony.
Report all income that applies in the “Public Assistance/Child
Support/Alimony” field on the application. Do not report the cash
value of any public assistance benefits NOT listed on the chart. If
income is received from child support or alimony, only report
court-ordered payments. Informal but regular payments should
be reported as “other” income in the next part.
4) List income from pensions/retirement/all
other income. Report all income that applies
in the “Pensions/Retirement/ All Other
Income” field on the application.
What if I receive income from multiple
sources in this category? List each source
separately by entering your name and income
from each source on a new line. Add an
additional sheet of paper if necessary.
5) List total household size. Enter the total number of
household members in the field “Total Household Members
(Children and Adults).” This number MUST be equal to the
number of household members listed in STEP 1 and STEP 3. If
there are any members of your household that you have not
listed on the application, go back and add them. It is very
important to list all household members, as the size of your
household affects your eligibility for free and reduced price
meals.
6) Provide the last four digits of your Social Security Number. An
adult household member must enter the last four digits of their
Social Security Number in the space provided. You are eligible to
apply for benefits even if you do not have a Social Security
Number. If no adult household members have a Social Security
Number, leave this space blank and mark the box to the right
labeled “Check if no Social Security Number.”
Parent Letter/Instructions - PY 2024
3-B. REPORT INCOME EARNED BY CHILDREN
Report all income earned or received by children. Report the combined gross income for ALL children listed in STEP 1 in your household in the box marked “child income.” Only
count foster children’s income if you are applying for them together with the rest of your household.
● What is child income? Child income is money received from outside your household that is paid DIRECTLY to your children. Many households do not have any child
income.
STEP 4: CONTACT INFORMATION AND ADULT SIGNATURE
All applications must be signed by an adult member of the household. By signing the application, that household member is promising that all information has been truthfully
and completely reported. Before completing this section, please also make sure you have read the privacy and civil rights statements on the back of the application.
A) Provide your contact
information. Write your current
mailing address in the fields
provided, if this information is
available. If you have no
permanent address, that is okay.
Sharing a phone number, email
address, or both is optional, but
helps us reach you quickly if we
need to contact you.
B) Print and sign your name. Print
the name of the adult signing the
application and that person signs in
the box “Signature of Adult.”
C) Mail Completed Form to:
Burris Laboratory School
2201 W. University Ave.
Muncie, IN 47306
STEP 5: OTHER BENEFITS – OPTIONAL
The following sections are optional and do not affect your children’s eligibility for free or reduced price school meals.
A) Textbook Assistance
If you want to receive textbook assistance, check ‘Yes’ and then read, sign, and date the section to the right. If you do not want to receive textbook assistance, check ‘No’.
B) Hoosier Healthwise Disclosure
If you want to share your child’s free/reduced eligibility in order to qualify for free or low-cost health insurance under Medicaid or Hoosier Healthwise, sign and date this section.
C) Share children’s racial and ethnic identities (optional). On the back of the application, we ask you to share information about your children’s race and ethnicity. This field is
optional and does not affect your children’s eligibility for free or reduced price school meals. This information is requested solely for the purpose of determining the State’s
compliance with Federal civil rights laws, and your response will not affect consideration of your application, and may be protected by the Privacy Act.
Please return the application directly to your child’s SCHOOL. DO NOT mail, fax, or email completed applications or questions about applications
to the USDA Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights or your child’s eligibility for free or reduced-price meals will be delayed.
