800,000 CA Students Now Qualify For Free, Reduced Lunch

CALIFORINA -- The state superintendent announced recently that more than 800,000 California students can now receive free or reduced lunch as the program becomes more streamlined thanks to an automated system. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said local education agencies can now use Medi-Cal data to help certify eligible students.

The data exchange between the state departments and the local agency takes place securely and identifies eligible students in a more expedient timeline, according to the California Department of Education.

“This new process is a great example of government agencies working together to create a more efficient system that better serves our students and can help to increase the number of students who receive healthy meals,” Torlakson said. “Now, many students can start the school year with their meal eligibility already in place, giving them access to the nutritious food they need to stay focused in class and ready to learn.”

The initiative seeks to ensure students have access to healthy meals and clean drinking water, according to the department.

Direct certification is a federally-mandated process that certifies school age recipients of CalFresh and CalWorks benefits as eligible for the free school lunch program.

All students on Medi-Cal are not eligible for free and reduced price lunch. Families have to fall within a certain household income to be considered eligible. Once certified, a student’s eligibility is good for the entire school year.

--Patch file photo