Free and Reduced Price School Meals for Pennsylvania Families
Children in Pennsylvania can get school breakfast and lunch free or at a reduced price when their household income falls under federal limits. The United States Department of Agriculture released the income eligibility guidelines for free and reduced-price school meals and free milk for July 2026 through June 2027, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education announced them. Schools, and other institutions and facilities, use the guidelines to determine eligibility for the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Special Milk Program for Children, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program.
Whether your child gets meals free or at a reduced price depends on your household size and income. The guidelines are effective July 1, 2026, until further notice. For free meals, a household of one can earn up to $20,748 a year ($1,729 a month), a household of three up to $35,516 a year ($2,960 a month), and a household of four up to $42,900 a year ($3,575 a month), with $7,384 added to the annual figure for each additional family member. For reduced price meals, the yearly limits are higher: $29,526 for one person, $50,542 for three and $61,050 for four, adding $10,508 a year for each additional family member. The tables also list the limits by month, twice a month, every two weeks and weekly.
How you apply depends on the benefits your household already receives:
- If you get SNAP or TANF, you only need to include your SNAP or TANF case number on the application.
- If you are enrolled in WIC or Medicaid, you may qualify for free or reduced price school meals based on income and should complete a Household Meal Benefit Application.
- Other households can find more information on the Commonwealth's COMPASS website at compass.dhs.pa.gov.
Schools that take part in the National School Lunch Program can use COMPASS to receive applications for free and reduced school meals online and to check benefits.
For general questions, the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Bureau of Food and Nutrition can be reached at 717-787-7698 or 800-331-0129, and the school nutrition email address is RA-NSLP@pa.gov. No deadline is given, and the page does not say how long a decision takes.
Source: pa.gov/agencies/education/newsroom/new-eligibility-guidel…, read September 21, 2026.
The details
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2,218 1,109 Seven 65,052 5,421 2,711 2,502 1,251 Eight 72,436 6,037 3,019 2,786 1,393 For each additional family member, add: +$7,384 +$616 +$308 +$284 +$142 Reduced Price Meals - 185% Household Size: Annual: Once/Month: Twice/Month: (24 pay periods/yr) Every Two Weeks: (26 pay periods/yr) Weekly: One 29,526 2,461 1,231 1,136 568 Two 40,034 3,337 1,669 1,540 770 Three 50,542 4,212 2,106 1,944 972 Four 61,050 5,088 2,544 2,349 1,175 Five 71,558 5,964 2,982 2,753 1,377 Six 82,066 6,839 3,420 3,157 1,579 Seven 92,574 7,715 3,858 3,561 1,781 Eight 103,082 8,591 4,296 3,962 1,983 For each additional family member, add: +$10,508 +$876 +$438 +$405 +$203
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Households enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) or Medicaid may qualify for free or reduced-price school meals based on income and should complete a Household Meal Benefit Application. Other households can find more information on the Commonwealth’s COMPASS website .
In Pennsylvania Department of Education’s words
Harrisburg, Pa . – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released federal income eligibility guidelines for free and reduced-price school meals and free milk for July 2026 through June 2027. Schools, and other institutions and facilities, use the guidelines to determine eligibility for the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Special Milk Program for Children, the Child and…
Organization
Pennsylvania Department of Education
About this listing
This listing summarizes publicly available information from pa.gov/agencies/education/newsroom/new-eligibility-guidel…. Last recorded review: September 21, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.