AUSTIN (KXAN) — As students in Austin head back to class Monday, 43 schools this year will offer free breakfast and lunch to all students.
Last year, 29 schools in the district offered the free meals through the Community Eligibility Provision. Fourteen new ones were added this year, including four middle schools for the first time.
The Community Eligibility Provision is a meal program that’s offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Austin Independent School District expanded the program this year to campuses where 62 percent of the students already qualify for the free or reduced lunch program.
Those students don’t need to fill out an application for the program. Now, any student at these schools can eat for free.
“What it means for parents is they don’t have to pack lunches for their kids,” says Ryan Cengel, a dietitian for AISD. “All of our kids will be able to have good, healthy, wholesome food for breakfast and lunch. Which means that’s going to help them grow and develop better and will help kids learn in the classroom better because they are going to be well nourished.”
Below is a list of schools taking part:
- Pre-K and Early Childhood Centers: Dobie Pre-K and Uphaus ECC.
- Elementary Schools: Allison, Andrews, Barrington, Brooke, Brown, Campbell, Cook, Galindo, Govalle, Guerrero Thompson, Harris, Hart, Houston, Jordan, Langford, Linder, McBee, Metz, Norman & Sims, Oak Springs, Ortega, Overton, Padron, Pecan Springs, Perez, Pickle, Pleasant Hill, Rodriguez, Sanchez, Walnut Creek, Webb Primary, Widén, Winn, Wooldridge, Wooten and Zavala.
- Middle School: Martin, Mendez, Means Young Women’s Leadership Academy, Webb.