Gatesville Independent School District

BIG News: Free meals for eligible students all year long!

This school year, students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals will receive both breakfast and lunch for FREE every day. We encourage families to take advantage of this benefit. Who knows, you may qualify! To receive free or reduced-priced meals in the current school year, your child(ren) must have a current school year approved meal application or current school year Direct Approval/Certification Notice on file in the Child Nutrition Department, even if they were approved for meal benefits in the previous school year.

Returning Applicants

To avoid any interruption in program benefits, submit a new application for approval within 30 school days after school starts. GISD does not backdate application approvals per Federal Regulations, so be sure to make a timely submission of your application. Submit only one application per household.

If your student is enrolled at Gatesville Primary or Gatesville Elementary, they will receive free breakfast and lunch daily. However, we ask all Primary and Elementary families to complete the Socioeconomic Survey. This helps ensure our schools continue receiving the funding and support our students deserve.

It is important to include all household members and students on the survey, even if they choose not to participate in the program and bring their own lunch to school.

Did you know that qualifying for free and reduced-price meals opens the door to a variety of benefits for your family, in addition to nutritional support?

For instance, students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals are also eligible for:

• Eligibility to participate in free PreKindergarten programs.
• Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) funding program: Students receive free dual credit tuition from our higher education partners. Students qualify for FAST funding if they've qualified for free and reduced-priced meals within the last four years. This means that some students qualify based on their middle school status, even if they do not qualify for free and reduced-priced meals in high school.
• SAT & ACT Waivers: Students eligible for free and reduced-price meals can take the SAT or ACT at no cost on NATIONAL TESTING DATES (usually on Saturday). They can contact their counselor to obtain waivers when ready to register for the tests. GISD offers a reduced rate for all Gatesville ISD students taking the ACT & SAT tests with us on District testing dates (on a school day).
• College Application Fee Waivers: Many higher education institutions waive application fees for admission for students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals.
• Quicker FAFSA Completion: Students who qualify for free and reduced-priced meals answer fewer questions on the FAFSA application, speeding up the process for students to apply for financial aid, including grants and scholarships.
• College Scholarships: Numerous higher education institutions offer full-tuition scholarships to students who qualify for free and reduced-priced meals.

Free and Reduced Benefits

Students and families may receive discounted fees for various programs at school and at home. The District also receives grant money and funding for students based on the number of students approved for free and reduced-price meals. Every family can assist our District and your child’s campus by completing a Free and Reduced meal application each school year.

When do I apply for free and reduced-price meals?

We encourage everyone to apply at the beginning of each year, but you may apply for free and reduced-price meals at any time during the school year. Also, if you are not eligible now but your economic situation changes during the school year (such as a decrease in household income, an increase in household size, unemployment, receive food stamps or TANF), simply submit another form.