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| | For Immediate Release | | Monday, August 4, 2025 | |
| SPRINGFIELD — As students prepare to return to classrooms across the state, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is announcing the federal income eligibility guidelines for students to receive free and reduced-price lunch, breakfast, and after-school snacks at participating schools. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and After-School Care Program are funded by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by ISBE. "Access to healthy meals should never be a barrier to learning," said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders. “Federal school nutrition programs play a critical role in supporting the whole child by ensuring students have the nourishment they need to learn, grow, and thrive." As of May 2025, participating schools served around 186 million free or reduced-price meals during the 2024-25 school year. Additionally, 47% 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, 484 Illinois school districts participated in CEP, providing more than 1 million students with access to free, nutritious lunch and breakfast meals. Schools that participate in the federal lunch program are required to follow a meal pattern consisting of 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. The MyPlate Guide to School Lunch and MyPlate Guide to School Breakfast highlight how a variety of healthy foods are part of the NSLP and SBP meals. The following chart lists the household size and income criteria that determine students’ eligibility to receive free and reduced-price lunch, breakfast, and after-school snacks through NSLP and SBP. USDA's Fiscal Year 2026 Income Eligibility Guidelines are also on ISBE's website. These guidelines took effect at the start of the 2026 fiscal year on July 1, 2025, and are updated annually to reflect changes in federal poverty guidelines. Income Eligibility Guidelines
Effective from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026
Free Meals – 130% Federal Poverty Guidelines
| Household Size | Annual | Monthly | Twice Per Month | Every Two Weeks | Weekly |
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| 1 | 20,345 | 1,696 | 848 | 783 | 392 |
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| 2 | 27,495
| 2,292 | 1,146 | 1,058 | 529 |
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| 3 | 34,645 | 2,888 | 1,444 | 1,333 | 667 |
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| 4 | 41,795 | 3,483 | 1,742 | 1,608 | 804 |
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| 5 | 48,945 | 4,079 | 2,040 | 1,883 | 942 |
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| 6 | 56,095 | 4,675 | 2,338 | 2,158 | 1,079 |
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| 7 | 63,245 | 5,271 | 2,636 | 2,433 | 1,217 |
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| 8 | 70,395 | 5,867 | 2,934 | 2,708 | 1,354 |
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| For each additional family member, add | 7,150 | 596 | 298 | 275 | 138 |
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Income Eligibility Guidelines
Effective from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026
Reduced-Price Meals – 185% Federal Poverty Guidelines| Household Size | Annual | Monthly | Twice Per Month | Every Two Weeks | Weekly |
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| 1 | 28,953 | 2,413 | 1,207 | 1,114 | 557 |
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| 2 | 39,128 | 3,261 | 1,631 | 1,505 | 753 |
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| 3 | 49,303 | 4,109 | 2,055 | 1,897 | 949 |
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| 4 | 59,478 | 4,957 | 2,479 | 2,288 | 1,144 |
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| 5 | 69,653 | 5,805 | 2,903 | 2,679 | 1,340 |
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| 6 | 79,828 | 6,653 | 3,327 | 3,071 | 1,536 |
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| 7 | 90,003 | 7,501 | 3,751 | 3,462
| 1,731 |
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| 8 | 100,178 | 8,349 | 4,175 | 3,853 | 1,927 |
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| For each additional family member, add | 10,175 | 848 | 424 | 392 | 196
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Families are encouraged to contact their local school(s) for details about their meal service offerings. Participation in the federal School Nutrition Programs varies. Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language) should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at 202- 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, which also can be obtained from any USDA office; by calling 866-632-9992; or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the assistant secretary for civil rights about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 Form or letter must be submitted to USDA by: Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
Fax: 833-256-1665 or 202-690-7442; or
Email: program.intake@usda.gov
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