Universal School Lunch Waiver to Expire in June
School breakfast and lunch has been available for Central Bucks School District students at no cost since March 2020. Reimbursement for the cost of providing these meals has come through a United States Department of Agriculture Waiver issued to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. This waiver suspended free and reduced lunch eligibility requirements, allowing for universal participation in the National School Lunch Program. The waiver is expected to expire at the end of June.
In anticipation of this, we wish to remind families of the following:
- Eligible families are strongly encouraged to apply for free and reduced lunches. Families may apply through an online application that is safe, secure, and private. Visit cbsd.org/freeandreduced for details. All children in households eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits are eligible for free meals. If you have questions about your family’s eligibility, please send email to Renee Ziccardi at rziccardi@cbsd.org or contact your school nurse.
- When the waiver expires, students may again purchase lunch, a la carte items, or snacks through their MySchoolBucks account. Now is a good time to log on, bring your child’s account up to date if money is owed, and update expired payment information. Review frequently asked questions about school lunch accounts on our website. Your child will not be able to utilize their account to purchase a la carte items or snacks if it is past due. If you have questions about your child’s account, or if you believe the balance information is inaccurate, please contact Renee Ziccardi at rziccardi@cbsd.org.
Thank you for your patience and support as we return to regular food service operations.