Low-income households can qualify for free or reduced-priced lunches in public schools thanks to a federal free and reduced lunch program. Applications are open in school districts across Tarrant County for those who wish to participate in the program.
Some districts qualify for a community eligibility program, which means an application is not required and all students get free breakfast and lunch for the 2023-24 school year.
Tarrant County school districts that qualify for the community eligibility program are Fort Worth ISD, Castleberry ISD, Everman ISD and Lake Worth ISD.
Aledo ISD
Applications can be submitted online at https://www.nlappscloud.com/ or picked up from the Child Nutrition Department.
Even if a student received free meals last year, a parent or guardian must reapply for the new school year. Applications can be submitted at any time during the school year. Families can reapply if household size or income changes.
Arlington ISD
Arlington ISD applications are available online.
Azle ISD
Families in Azle ISD can apply for free and reduced lunch online through SchoolCafe. Only one application is required per household.
The district encourages families to apply before the start of the school year, which begins on Aug. 16.
Birdville ISD
Birdville ISD applications are available online. If anyone has application questions, the child nutrition department is available at 817-547-5860.
Burleson ISD
In Burleson ISD, families can apply for free or reduced meals through their LINQ Connect Family Portal.
Carroll ISD
Families can download applications in English and Spanish and send in paper copies, with supporting income documentation, to Child Nutrition Dept., 2400 N. Carroll Ave., Southlake, Texas 76092.
Crowley ISD
Crowley ISD is giving a 30-day grace period for families who received free or reduced price meals last school year to complete the application for the new school year.
The grace period ends on Oct. 2. The application can be found online here.
Eagle Mountain Saginaw ISD
Families can apply for free and reduced price meals online here.
Godley ISD
Each campus in Godley ISD has applications for free and reduced price meals that can be picked up any time during the school year.
Applications also can be completed online through the Skyward Family Access portal.
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD families can find paper copies of applications on any campus or the Nutrition Services office.
Families also can apply online here.
Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD
Parents have until Sept. 21 to submit a new free or reduced price meal application for the new school year.
Applications can be found online here.
Keller ISD
Keller ISD free and reduced price meal applications are available online here. The approval process can take 10 or more days, so the district asks people to complete applications as soon as possible.
Kennedale ISD
Kennedale ISD applications are online here. Families also can turn in paper copies to their campus.
Mansfield ISD
The district has a new online system, called SchoolCafé, that allows parents to apply for free or reduced price meals.
Mansfield ISD also has paper applications available at the student nutrition department, 1151 Mansfield Webb Road, or any campus.
Northwest ISD
Northwest ISD encourages online applications, because they process faster. Online applications can be found here.
White Settlement ISD
Anyone who wants to apply for free or reduced price meals in White Settlement ISD who qualified last year have until the end of September to reapply. Applications are now open for everyone who wishes to apply.
Families have to apply through their Schoolcafe account. If a family doesn’t have an account yet, they can create an account on the Brewer Bear Cafe website.
If a family wants to fill out a paper application, they can request one from the school’s front office or Child Nutrition Office.
Kristen Barton is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at kristen.barton@fortworthreport.org.
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