News

Applications for Free/Reduced School Meals in SC Returns

August 1, 2022

Parents, for the first time ever, will have to submit a free/reduced school lunch meal application for the 2022-2023 school year. Pandemic protections over the past two school years had enabled children to receive free school meals without the need for applications. Those protections have expired, meaning a return to many pre-pandemic policies.

Details:

  • Parents, for the first time ever, will have to submit free/reduced school lunch meal applications for the 2022-2023 school year.
  • While the application is available online for many school districts at the district or school website, some districts may only have the application available by paper.
  • If you are unable to find the application online, please contact your school district for details.
  • Families should complete and submit a school meal application, even if they are unsure whether they could qualify for free or reduced-price school meals.
  • School meal applications will request household information including wages, retirement income, or spousal support. Be prepared to include this information in your application.
  • There is a grace period after the school year starts, which is intended to provide families with a little extra time to complete these applications. Even so, we recommend families complete meal applications as quickly as possible to avoid missing the window, or delays in processing.
  • If your family currently receives benefits through Medicaid, SNAP, or TANF, you may qualify for school meals without needing to file an application. We recommend checking with your school district to confirm that they have your information updated in the system and make sure no application is needed.
  • Students who are migrants, homeless (including those who are temporarily staying with other family or friends), foster children, or participating in the Head Start program may be categorically eligible for free school meals. These students should still complete a school meal application, but include this information in their application.

Contacts for more information and/or questions: sarah@scjustice.org or sberk@scjustice.org 


The Department of Education has provided a list of CEP schools for the 2022-2023 school year below. Students who attend a CEP school will not need to complete school meal applications in order to qualify for free school meals, but all other schools will. 

Abbeville County
  • John C. Calhoun Elementary
  • Wright Middle
  • Westwood Elementary
  • Long Cane Primary
Aiken County
  • A L Corbett Middle
  • Jefferson Elementary
  • Langley-Bath-Clearwater Middle
  • Aiken Elementary
  • JD Lever Elementary
  • Clearwater Elementary
  • East Aiken Elementary
  • Schofield Middle
  • Gloverville Elementary
  • Greendale Elementary
  • Jackson Middle
  • North Aiken Elementary
  • Cyril B Busbee Elementary
  • Warrenville Elementary
  • Oakwood-Windsor Elementary
  • Redcliffe Elementary
  • Aiken Intermediate
  • Wagener-Salley High
  • Mossy Creek Elementary
  • Ridge Spring-Monetta Elementary
  • Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle
  • Graniteville Elementary
Allendale County
  • Allendale-Fairfax High
  • Allendale-Fairfax Elementary
  • Allendale-Fairfax Middle
Anderson 05
  • Homeland Park Elementary
  • Nevitt Forest Elementary
  • New Prospect Elementary
  • Varennes Elementary
  • Whitehall Elementary
  • Calhoun Academy of the Arts
  • West Market FEC
  • Robert Anderson Middle
Bamberg County School District
  • Bamberg-Ehrhardt High
  • Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle
  • Richard Carroll Elementary
  • Denmark-Olar High
  • Denmark-Olar Middle
  • Denmark-Olar Elementary
Barnwell 45
  • Barnwell High
  • Guinyard Butler Middle
  • Barnwell Elementary
  • Barnwell Primary
Barnwell County Consolidated School District
  • Blackville-Hilda High
  • Macedonia Elementary-Middle
  • Williston-Elko High
  • Kelly Edwards Elementary
  • Williston-Elko Middle
Beaufort County
  • Beaufort Elementary
  • Broad River Elementary
  • Lady's Island Elementary
  • Mossy Oaks Elementary
  • Port Royal Elementary
  • St. Helena Elementary
  • Shanklin Elementary
  • Whale Branch Elementary
  • Whale Branch Middle
  • Whale Branch High
  • Roberts Smalls International Academy
Berkeley County
  • Cross High
  • Cainhoy Elementary & Middle
  • Cross Elementary
  • College Park Elementary
  • J.K. Gourdin Elementary
  • H.E. Bonner Elementary
  • St. Stephen Elementary
  • St. Stephen Middle
  • College Park Middle
  • Macedonia Middle
  • Timberland High
Calhoun County
  • Calhoun County High
  • Sandy Run Elementary
  • St. Matthews K-8
Charleston County
  • Baptist Hill High
  • North Charleston High
  • Burke High
  • West Ashley High
  • Military Magnet Middle
  • St. John's High
  • Stall High
  • Northwoods Middle
  • Chicora Elementary
  • A.C. Corcoran Elementary
  • E.A. Burns Elementary
  • Jane Edwards Elementary
  • Mary Ford Elementary
  • W.B. Goodwin Elementary
  • Haut Gap Middle
  • Minnie Hughes Elementary
  • Hunley Park Elementary
  • Ladson Elementary
  • Lambs Elementary
  • St. James-Santee Elementary
  • Memminger Elementary
  • Midland Park Primary
  • E.B. Ellington Elementary
  • Julian Mitchell Elementary
  • Morningside Middle
  • North Charleston Elementary
  • Oakland Elementary
  • Hursey Elementary
  • M.F. Dunston Elementary
  • Frierson Elementary
  • Sanders-Clyde Elementary
  • Pepperhill Elementary
  • James Simons Elementary
  • Springfield Elementary
  • Angel Oak Elementary
  • Stono Park Elementary
  • Mt. Zion Elementary
  • West Ashley Middle
  • Clark Academy
  • Jenkins Academy
  • Charleston Progressive School
  • Zucker Middle School of Science
  • Pinehurst Elementary
  • Head Start - West Ashley
  • North Charleston Creative Arts Elementary
  • Meeting Street Elementary at Brentwood
  • Charleston Development Academy
  • Greg Mathis Charter High
  • Simmons Pinckney Middle
  • Deer Park Middle
Cherokee County
  • John E. Ewing Middle
  • Blacksburg Middle
  • Corinth Elementary
  • Draytonville Elementary
  • B.D. Lee Elementary
  • Luther Vaughan Elementary
  • Blacksburg Elementary
  • Limestone-Central Elementary
  • Grassy-Pond Elementary
  • Northwest Elementary
  • Gaffney Middle
  • Cherokee Alternative Program
  • Blacksburg Primary
Chester County
  • Chester High
  • Chester Middle
  • Lewisville High
  • Lewisville Middle
  • Great Falls Elementary
  • Lewisville Elementary
  • Chester Park Complex
  • Great Falls Complex
  • The Academy for Teaching & Learning
Chesterfield County
  • Cheraw High
  • Chesterfield High
  • Long Middle
  • McBee High
  • Central High
  • Pageland Elementary
  • Cheraw Primary
  • Chesterfield-Ruby Middle
  • Edwards Elementary
  • Jefferson Elementary
  • Petersburg Primary
  • McBee Elementary
  • Plainview Elementary
  • Ruby Elementary
  • Cheraw Intermediate
  • New Heights Middle
Clarendon County School District
  • Scott's Branch High
  • East Clarendon Middle-High
  • Scott's Branch Middle
  • Dr. Rose H. Wilder Elementary
  • Walker-Gamble Elementary
  • Summerton Early Childhood Center
  • Manning High
  • Manning Junior High
  • Manning Primary
  • Manning Elementary
  • Manning Early Childhood Center
  • F.E. Dubose Career Center
Colleton County
  • Colleton Middle
  • Colleton High
  • Bells Elementary
  • Black Street Elementary
  • Cottageville Elementary
  • Forest Hill Elementary
  • Northside Elementary
  • Hendersonville Elementary
Darlington County
  • Hartsville Middle
  • Hartsville High
  • Lamar High
  • Spaulding Middle
  • Brockington Elementary
  • Carolina Elementary
  • North Hartsville Elementary
  • Pate Elementary
  • Rosenwald Elementary-Middle
  • St. John's Elementary
  • Thornwell School for the Arts
  • Darlington High
  • Darlington Middle
  • Southside Early Childhood Center
  • Mayo High for Math, Science & Technology
  • J.L. Cain Elementary
  • Bay Road Elementary
  • Lamar-Spaulding Elementary
Dillon 04
  • Dillon High
  • East Elementary
  • South Elementary
  • Gordon Elementary
  • Stewart Heights Elementary
  • Lake View Elementary
  • Lake View High
  • Dillon Middle
Dorchester 02
  • Windsor Hill Elementary
  • Givhans Community School
Dorchester 04
  • Harleyville-Ridgeville Elementary
  • St. George Middle
  • Williams Memorial Elementary
  • Woodlands High
  • Clay Hill Elementary
  • Harleyville-Ridgeville Middle
Fairfield County
  • Fairfield Middle
  • Kelly Miller Elementary
  • McCrorey Liston Elementary
  • Geiger Elementary
  • Fairfield Central High
  • Fairfield Elementary
  • Fairfield Magnet for Math and Science
  • Alternative
Florence 01
  • Williams Middle
  • Greenwood Elementary
  • Lester Elementary
  • North Vista Elementary
  • Savannah Grove Elementary
  • Dewey L. Carter Elementary
  • Henry Timrod Elementary
  • Wallace Gregg Elementary
  • R.N. Beck Child Development Center
  • Brockington Elementary
Florence 02
  • Hannah-Pamplico Elementary-Middle
Florence 03
  • Ronald E. McNair Jr. High
  • Lake City High
  • Lake City Early Childhood Center
  • Main Street Elementary
  • J. Paul Truluck Creative Arts and Science Magnet
  • J.C. Lynch Elementary
  • Olanta Elementary
  • Scranton Elementary
Florence 05
  • Johnsonville High
  • Johnsonville Elementary
  • Johnsonville Middle
Georgetown County
  • Andrews High
  • Andrews Elementary
  • Browns Ferry Elementary
  • Pleasant Hill Elementary
  • Georgetown Middle
  • Kensington Elementary
  • Maryville Elementary
  • McDonald Elementary
  • Plantersville Elementary
  • Rosemary Middle
  • Sampit Elementary
  • Waccamaw Elementary
  • Carvers Bay High
  • Carvers Bay Middle
Greenville County
  • Berea High
  • Carolina High
  • Alexander Elementary
  • Armstrong Elementary
  • Berea Elementary 
  • Berea Middle
  • Sue Cleveland Elementary
  • Cherrydale Elementary
  • Duncan Chapel Elementary
  • East North Street Elementary
  • Hollis Elementary
  • Lakeview Middle
  • Monaview Elementary
  • Slater-Marietta Elementary
  • Tanglewood Middle
  • Welcome Elementary
  • Westcliffe Elementary
  • Grove Elementary
  • Chandler Creek Elementary
  • West Greenville
  • Thomas Kerns Elementary
Greenwood 50
  • Emerald High
  • Greenwood High
  • Northside Middle
  • Rice Elementary
  • Lakeview Elementary
  • Mathews Elementary
  • Merrywood Elementary
  • Pinecrest Elementary
  • Hodges Elementary
  • Brewer Middle
  • Woodfields Elementary
  • Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Elementary
  • Westview Middle
  • Early Childhood Montessori School
Greenwood 51
  • Ware Shoals High
  • Ware Shoals Primary
  • Ware Shoals Middle
Greenwood 52
  • Ninety Six High
  • Edgewood Middle
  • Ninety Six Elementary
  • Ninety Six Primary
Hampton County School District
  • Estill High
  • Wade Hampton High
  • North District Middle
  • Estill Middle 
  • Hampton Elementary
  • Brunson Elementary
  • Fennell Elementary
  • Estill Elementary
  • Varnville Elementary
  • Ben Hazel Primary
Horry County
  • Whittemore Park Middle
  • Daisy Elementary
  • Green Sea Floyds Elementary
  • Homewood Elementary
  • Loris Middle
  • Loris Elementary
  • Pee Dee Elementary
  • South Conway Elementary
  • Palmetto Bays Elementary
Jasper County
  • Hardeeville Elementary
  • Ridgeland Elementary
  • Ridgeland-Hardeeville High
  • Ridgeland-Hardeeville Middle
Laurens 55
  • Laurens District 55 High
  • Laurens Middle
  • Ford Elementary
  • E.B. Morse Elementary
  • Laurens Elementary
  • Sanders Middle
  • Waterloo Elementary
  • Gray Court-Owings School
  • Hickory Tavern School
Laurens 56
  • Clinton High
  • Bell Street Middle
  • M.S. Bailey Elementary
  • Clinton Elementary
  • Joanna-Woodson Elementary
  • Eastside Elementary
Lee County
  • Bishopville Primary
  • Lower Lee Elementary
  • West Lee Elementary
  • Lee Central High
  • Lee Central Middle
Lexington 03
  • Batesburg-Leesville High
  • Batesburg-Leesville Elementary
  • Batesburg-Leesville Middle
  • Batesburg-Leesville Primary
Lexington 04
  • Swansea High
  • Frances F. Mack Intermediate
  • Sandhills Middle
  • Swansea High Freshman Academy
  • Sandhills Elementary/Primary
  • Lexington Four Early Childhood Center
  • Sandhills Elementary
Lexington 05
  • Irmo High
  • Irmo Middle
  • Dutch Fork Elementary
  • Leaphart Elementary
  • Seven Oaks Elementary
  • Nursery Road Elementary
  • Harbison West Elementary
McCormick County
  • McCormick Elementary
  • McCormick Middle
  • McCormick High
Marion County
  • Creek Bridge STEM Academy
  • Easterling Primary
  • Johnakin Middle
  • Marion High
  • Marion Intermediate
  • McCormick Elementary
  • Mullins Early Childhood
  • Mullins High
  • N. Mullins Primary
  • Palmetto Middle
Marlboro County
  • Bennettsville Primary
  • McColl Elementary/Middle
  • Clio Elementary
  • Wallace Elementary/Middle
  • Marlboro County High
  • Blenheim Middle School of Discovery
  • Bennettsville Intermediate
Newberry County
  • Boundary Street Elementary
  • Pomaria-Garmany Elementary
  • Little Mountain Elementary
  • Reuben Elementary
  • Whitmire Community School
  • Prosperity Elementary
  • Newberry Elementary
  • Gallman Elementary
Orangeburg County School District
  • Bethune-Bowman Middle/High
  • Bethune-Bowman Elementary
  • Holly Hill-Roberts Middle
  • Holly Hill-Roberts Elementary
  • St. James-Gaillard Elementary
  • Vance-Providence Elementary
  • Edisto High
  • Carver Edisto Middle
  • Edisto Primary
  • Robert E. Howard Middle
  • Orangeburg Wilkinson High
  • Marshall Elementary
  • Brookdale Elementary
  • William J. Clark Middle
  • Sheridan Elementary
  • Whittaker Elementary
  • North Middle/High
  • Dover Elementary
  • Elloree Elementary
  • Lake Marion High School and Technology Center
  • Branchville High
  • Lockett Elementary
  • Edisto Elementary
  • Hunter-Kinard-Tyler School
  • Hunter-Kinard-Tyler Elementary
  • Rivelon Elementary
  • Mellichamp Elementary
  • OCSD5 High School for Health Professions
Richland 01
  • Columbia High
  • Dreher High
  • Eau Claire High
  • A.C. Flora High
  • Hopkins Middle
  • C.A. Johnson High
  • Keenan High
  • Lower Richland High
  • St. Andrews Middle
  • Alcorn Middle
  • Arden Elementary
  • Bradley Elementary
  • Brennen Elementary
  • Burnside Elementary
  • Crayton Middle
  • Caughman Road Elementary
  • W.G. Sanders Middle
  • Gadsden Elementary
  • Gibbes Middle
  • A.J. Lewis Greenview Elementary
  • Hand Middle
  • Hopkins Elementary
  • Horrell Hill Elementary
  • Hyatt Park Elementary
  • Logan
  • Meadowfield Elementary
  • Mill Creek Elementary
  • A.C. Moore Elementary
  • E.E. Taylor Elementary
  • Rosewood Elementary
  • South Kilbourne Elementary
  • Satchel Ford Road Elementary
  • W.S. Sandel Elementary
  • H.B. Rhame Jr. Elementary
  • John P. Thomas Elementary
  • Webber Elementary
  • W.A. Perry Middle
  • Carver/Lyon Elementary
  • Burton/Pack Elementary
  • Pine Grove Elementary
  • Southeast Middle
  • Watkins/Nance Elementary
  • Forest Heights Elementary
  • Brockman School
  • Pendergrass Fairwold School
  • Richland 01 Central Kitchen
  • Olympia School
  • Carolina School for Inquiry
  • Richland One Carter Middle College
Richland 02
  • Condor Elementary
  • Joseph Keel Elementary
  • Windsor Elementary
  • Killian Elementary
  • Jackson Creek Elementary
Spartanburg 06
  • Fairforest Middle
  • Arcadia Elementary
  • Lone Oak Elementary
  • Jesse Bobo Elementary
  • Woodland Heights Elementary
Spartanburg 07
  • Carver Middle School
  • Whitlock Flexible Learning Center
  • Edwin P. Todd School
  • Cleveland Elementary
  • Mary H. Wright Elementary
  • McCarthy/Teszler
  • Meeting Street Academy-Spartanburg
  • Drayton Mills Elementary
Sumter County
  • Ebenezer Middle
  • Furman Middle
  • Hillcrest Middle
  • Cherryvale Elementary
  • R.E. Davis Elementary
  • High Hills Elementary
  • Manchester Elementary
  • Oakland Elementary
  • Rafting Creek Elementary
  • Shaw Heights Elementary
  • Alice Drive Middle
  • Bates Middle
  • Sumter High
  • Alice Drive Elementary
  • Crosswell Drive Elementary
  • Lemira Elementary
  • Millwood Elementary
  • Wilder Elementary
  • Willow Drive Elementary
  • Pocalla Springs Elementary
  • Kingsbury Road Elementary
  • Crestwood High
  • Lakewood High
  • Chestnut Oaks Middle
Union County
  • Sims Middle
  • Union County High
  • Buffalo Elementary
  • Foster Park Elementary
  • Jonesville Elementary/Middle K-8
  • Monarch Elementary
Williamsburg County
  • Hemingway High
  • Kingstree Middle
  • Kingstree Senior High
  • C.E. Murray High
  • Anderson Primary
  • Greeleyville Elementary
  • Kenneth Gardner Elementary
  • Hemingway Elementary
York 03-Rock Hill
  • Rawlinson Road Middle
  • Northside Elementary
  • Richmond Drive Elementary
  • Sunset Park Elementary
  • York Road Elementary
  • Independence Elementary
Additional
  • Legacy Early College
  • Calhoun Falls Carter School
  • Pee Dee Math, Science, and Technology Academy
  • Felton Laboratory School
  • Polaris Tech Charter School
  • Thornwell Charter School
  • Clear Dot Charter School Columbia, Inc.
  • Butler Academy