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Free and Reduced Lunch Application

LUNCH AND BREAKFAST INFORMATION
FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATION INFORMATION 

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year. Children need healthy meals to learn. Jackson Local School District offers healthy meals every school day.

The breakfast/lunch prices are as follows:

Reduced and Free Meals
  • Breakfast costs at Jackson High School and Jackson Memorial Middle School $2.75; and $2.25 at elementary schools.
  • Lunch costs (9-12) $4.00 and $5.00 for a premium lunch, (6-8) $4.00 and (K-5) $3.50.

Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals.

  • Reduced prices are: free for breakfast and lunch.

Please review the following information carefully. Students who qualify for free and reduced lunches also qualify for free or reduced fees. This includes a complete waiver of fees for students who qualify for free lunches.  A NEW APPLICATION MUST BE APPROVED EACH SCHOOL YEAR IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE WAIVER FOR FREE OR REDUCED FEES AND TO AVOID ANY GAP IN COVERAGE AND/OR FEE WAIVERS. A new application must be approved for the 2026-2027 school year, along with a parent signature to share the lunch application status with other departments in the district, to receive the waiver for free or reduced-price school fees. A new application must be completed after July 1 of each school year. Any Free or Reduced-price applications approved during the 2025-2026 school year will carry over into the 2026-2027 school year for the first 30 days of school, or until a new application is processed, whichever occurs first. Applications can be completed at any time during the school year.

You should complete this application if you think there is a chance you may qualify for free or reduced meals and fees.

All applications on file will be subject to verification. You may be asked to send written proof of your income. If you fail to provide proof of income, free/reduced-price lunch benefits will be revoked and school fees reinstated.

There are two methods for qualification:

  1. DIRECT CERTIFICATION
    • If you received a letter stating your student is ELIGIBLE FOR DIRECT CERTIFICATION, YOU DO NOT need to fill out an application for free and reduced lunches. Your student is automatically eligible for free lunches and the fee waiver. You should be able to access your student’s information online as soon as the information is available or at your school’s registration in August.
    • All children living in the household with a student who qualifies under Direct Certification are also eligible for Free Lunches and Fee Waivers. Please contact Krista Gindlesberger, Food Service Director at (330) 830-8031 if there are additions to the household that were not listed in the letter.
  2. ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS (must be completed by October 1, 2026, or you will be held responsible for the payment of lunches).
    • All Free and Reduced applications must be submitted online. You can find the link to the online application on this webpage, or go directly to www.payschoolscentral.com. Please find instructions at the bottom of this page for account set-up. 
    • YOU ONLY NEED TO FILL OUT ONE APPLICATION FOR ALL STUDENTS LIVING IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD NO MATTER WHAT SCHOOL THEY ATTEND. 
    • Your application must include all members living in the household and their income.
    • You will need the STUDENT ID for your child which can be found on the STUDENT PROFILE UPDATE FORM that will be given to your child at open house or on the first day of school or in an email sent to new students. High school and middle school students can find their student ID on their schedules.
    • At the completion of entering your application, you will know your status as Free, Reduced or Denied.
  3. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION ONLINE or have questions, please contact Food Services at (330) 830-8031. Paper applications are available upon request for any household. You may pick up a physical form at the Central Office (7602 Fulton Dr NW, Massillon OH 44646) or call the Food Services department and request to have a paper application mailed directly to your home.

PDF file with instructions for entering the application is attached below.

 

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.