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District officials said the change comes after a “careful review” of the budget for the upcoming school year.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Dozens of Duval County Public Schools will no longer offer free lunches for a majority of students beginning next year.
DCPS officials stated on Wednesday that starting in the 2025-2026 school year, 37 schools will no longer provide free lunch meals under the Community Eligibility Provision.
Instead, families at the affected schools will need to apply for free or reduced-price meals for assistance or obtain direct certification through the state.
The 37 schools in Duval County do not meet the requirements for the CEP, a federal initiative that enables schools to provide free meals to all students.
Here are the DCPS schools impacted
- Alden Road Exceptional Student Center
- Alimacani Elementary
- Anchor Academy Elementary
- Atlantic Beach Elementary
- Atlantic Coast High
- Baldwin Jr/Sr
- Bartram Springs Elementary
- Chets Creek Elementary
- Darnell Cookman Jr/Sr
- Douglas Anderson High
- Fishweir Elementary
- Fletcher High
- Fletcher Middle
- Greenland Pines Elementary
- Hendricks Avenue Elementary
- J Allen Axson Elementary
- Jacksonville Beach Elementary
- James Weldon Johnson Middle
- John Stockton Elementary
- Julia Landon Middle
- Lavilla Middle
- Loretto Elementary
- Louis Sheffield Elementary
- Mandarin High
- Mandarin Middle
- Mandarin Oaks Elementary
- Mayport Elementary
- Mayport Middle
- Neptune Beach Elementary
- New Berlin Elementary
- Paxon High
- Sabal Palm Elementary
- Samuel W Wolfson High
- San Pablo Elementary
- Sandalwood High
- Seabreeze Elementary
- Stanton
District officials said in order to qualify for the program, 40% of enrolled students must be eligible for free or reduced-price meals through government programs, like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, or Medicaid.
District officials said the change comes after a “careful review” of the budget for the upcoming school year.
“Since March 2020, we’ve been able to offer free meals to all students districtwide thanks to federal pandemic relief funding,” DCPS officials said in a message to parents Wednesday. “However, that funding has ended, and continuing the program without it is no longer financially sustainable.”
Officials noted that the change will only impact lunch meals, and breakfast will continue to be available at no cost to all students at all schools, through the Universal Free Breakfast Program.
“While this is a necessary step for the district, we understand it may create challenges for some families,” the message continued. “Our goal is to provide you with the information and support you need to be prepared for the 2025-26 school year.”
Here’s what to do if your child attends an impacted school
- To receive assistance with the cost of school lunch, parents will need to apply for free or reduced-price meals.
- The application will be available online the first week of August.
- All students will continue to receive lunch at no cost for the first 30 operating days of the school year, or until a new meal eligibility status determination is made. Meal eligibility is established through the processing of a Free & Reduced-Price Meal Application or Direct Certification.
- If students receive benefits such as SNAP, TANF or Medicaid, they will be automatically approved for free or reduced-price meals by Direct Certification.
If your child does not attend an impacted school
Parents don’t need to take action if their student does not attend an impacted school. Lunch will continue to be provided at no cost to all students at the school.
