Why it is important to fill out the school meal application form online:

• A free or reduced meal application must be completed each school year. The student’s eligibility from the prior school year is carried into the new school year for up to 30 operating days, beginning on the first operating day of school. SY 2019-2020 Meal Lunch Applications will expire on October 21, 2020.
• If your student qualifies for free or reduced price lunches, he/she qualifies for free or reduced price breakfasts at school as well. We want to ensure your student eats healthy meals while at school.
• Field trip costs will be waived for students that are determined to be eligible for free or reduced meals as per district policy #2340.
• Scholarships for the Summer Enrichment Camps are available from the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence (MFEE) each year with the presentation of the district’s eligibility result letter and a scholarship application form.
• High School students can receive the following benefits plus many others from CollegeBoard:
  • Waived and/or reduced fees on the following exams – SAT, PSAT, ACT & AP
  • Unlimited score reports to send to colleges
  • College application fees waived at participating colleges
• The Township of Montclair’s Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department provides a discount on recreation activities for Montclair students with the presentation of the district’s eligibility result letter. Reduced meal eligible students qualify for a 25% discount and free meal eligible students qualify for a 50% discount on recreation activities.
• Your student may receive other school benefits. The number of applications that are returned and approved can affect how much funding our schools get to help students meet academic benchmarks, including grant funding for materials like books and computers.
• The New Jersey Department of Education uses free or reduced price eligibility percentages in its methodology for determining “peer groups” for school and school district performance reports. The completeness and accuracy of our free and reduced price eligibility data helps to ensure fairness in performance evaluation across schools and school districts so that our schools receive the support and/or recognition that they deserve and need.Some parents are concerned about listing income amounts and social security numbers on the application. Any personal information you provide will not be shared:
  • Free and reduced price meal applications are confidential. Your information will be used to determine your child’s eligibility for the school meal programs and is only seen by select employees during this process in the Business Office. We cannot share your information for any other purpose without your written permission.
  • Students who receive free and reduced price meals are not identified. No other students, staff, or teachers need to know who is receiving free or reduced meals and who has paid meals.