Become an MVP!

The Meal Value Plan is a federal program that allows school districts to provide breakfast and lunch to qualifying students at reduced prices or for free! It's commonly known as the free/reduced meals program. Families that become MVPs save money on meals AND school fees!

During the pandemic, the USDA provided public school districts with waivers to provide free breakfasts and lunches for all students. The waivers ended in June 2022. Starting with the 2022-2023 school year, ALL STUDENTS unless they qualify as MVPs will be required to pay for breakfast and lunch.

Families have to meet income requirements explained in the MVP application. Families must apply each year even if they qualified the previous school year.

The following fees are waived for MVP students:

• Grades K–5: $15 general fee Magnet program fees for all grades will remain at $25.
  

• Grades 6–8: $25 general fee (with the exception of middle school band, orchestra and chorus). Magnet program fee for all grades - $25.

• Grades 9–12: $35 general fee The only individual course fees that will be assessed are for culinary arts, health science, cosmetology and barbering. Magnet program fee for all grades - $25.

All fees will be waived for students who qualify for Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, or are homeless, transient, or in foster care as well as qualify for free or reduced meals. Any family experiencing hardship can request a reduction in these fees to the school’s principal. The collection of school fees helps offset the various disposable supplies used by our students to enhance their learning experiences.

Students will still be charged for lost or damaged school property, technology insurance and charges for field trips and uniforms.

No. The following schools qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP): Jackson Creek, Joseph Keels, Conder and Windsor. Students at these schools receive free meals.

CEP is a powerful federal option that enables high-needs schools to offer breakfast and lunch to students at no charge. To qualify a group of schools in a district, or school with 40 percent or more “identified students” – children who are certified eligible for free school meals without a household application – can choose to participate.

Identified students include children directly certified through data-matching because their households receive SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR, and in some states, Medicaid benefits, as well as children who are certified for free meals without an application because they are homeless, migrant, enrolled in Head Start, or in foster care.

Simply stated, Richland Two as a school district doesn't qualify for the CEP program.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. Mail:
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. Fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. Email:
   Program.Intake@usda.gov

If you have any questions regarding the MVP program, please contact:

Nicole Burns, Food Service Accounting Specialist

nburns@richland2.org