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| Thursday, September 10, 2026 SPRINGFIELD — As the new school year begins, updated federal income eligibility guidelines are now available to help determine eligibility for free and reduced-price school meals during the 2026-27 school year. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) administers federally funded school meal programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program, and AfterSchool Snack Program. Participating schools use
income eligibility guidelines issued annually by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to determine eligibility for free and reduced-price meal benefits. "Nutritious school meals help students stay focused, engaged, and ready to learn,"
said StateSuperintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders. "As students settle into the new school year, we encourage families to connect with their local schools to learn more about available meal programs and eligibility requirements." Schools participating in the federal lunch program must offer meals that include five components: milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, and meat or meat alternates (such as cheese, yogurt, tofu, nuts, and seeds). These guidelines are based on scientific evidence and recommendations from the
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which encourage consuming a variety of foods that are nutritionally balanced and promote health. During the 2025-26 school year, participating schools served around 188 million free or reduced-price meals. Additionally, 48% of Illinois school districts participated in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the NSLP, which allows the nation’s highest-poverty schools and districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications. Last school year, 489 Illinois school districts participated in CEP, providing approximately 930,000 students with access to free, nutritious lunch and breakfast meals. The following charts list the household size and income criteria that determine eligibility for free and reduced-price breakfast, lunch, and after-school snacks. The USDA's Fiscal Year 2027 Income Eligibility Guidelines took effect July 1, 2026, and are available on ISBE's website. Illinois families with questions about meal availability, eligibility, or application requirements should contact their local school or school district.
Income Eligibility Guidelines Effective from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027
Free Meals – 130% Federal Poverty Guidelines
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Household Size |
Annual |
Monthly |
Twice Per Month |
Every Two Weeks |
Weekly |
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1 | 20,748 | 1,729 | 865 | 798 | 399 |
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2 | 28,132 | 2,345 | 1,173 | 1,082 | 541 |
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3 | 35,516 | 2,960 | 1,480 | 1,366 | 683 |
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4 | 42,900 | 3,575 | 1,788 | 1,650 | 825 |
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5 | 50,284 | 4,191 | 2,096 | 1,934 | 967 |
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6 | 57,668 | 4,806 | 2,403 | 2,218 | 1,109 |
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7 | 65,052 | 5,421 | 2,711 | 2,502 | 1,251 |
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8 | 72,436 | 6,037 | 3,019 | 2,786 | 1,393 |
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For each additional family member, add | 7,384 | 616 | 308 | 284 | 142
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Income Eligibility Guidelines Effective from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027
Reduced-Price Meals – 185% Federal Poverty Guidelines
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Household Size |
Annual |
Monthly |
Twice Per Month |
Every Two Weeks |
Weekly |
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1 | 29,526 | 2,461 | 1,231 | 1,136 | 568 |
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2 | 40,034 | 3,337 | 1,669 | 1,540 | 770 |
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3 | 50,542 | 4,212 | 2,106 | 1,944 | 972 |
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4 | 61,050 | 5,088 | 2,544 | 2,349 | 1,175 |
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5 | 71,558 | 5,964 | 2,982 | 2,753 | 1,377 |
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6 | 82,066 | 6,839 | 3,420 | 3,157 | 1,579 |
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7 | 92,574 | 7,715 | 3,858 | 3,561 | 1,781 |
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8 | 103,082 | 8,591 | 4,296 | 3,965 | 1,983 |
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For each additional family member, add | 10,508 | 876 | 438 | 405 | 203 |
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Non-Discrimination Statement 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.
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