Montville ― The school district unveiled its policy on Tuesday for determining students’ eligibility for free and reduced-priced meals.

To begin the year, the district has opted into the School Meals Assistance Revenue for Transition (SMART) funds to provide meals at no cost for all students, the district said in a press release. However, the program is unlikely to last the entire year due to the availability of district funds, so those in need of free or reduced-cost meals will need to fill out an application.

Any student living in a household with an income at or below the determined thresholds are eligible for reduced-priced meals. Parents can fill out the paper applications being sent home with students, or the application can be accessed on the district’s website.

Only one application is required per household and can be submitted at any time during the year. All information provided is confidential and will only be used to determine eligibility for the programs.

A students’ eligibility from the previous school year will carry over for the first 30 days of the new school year. Meals will be become full-priced after the carry-over period ends unless an application is submitted or otherwise notified by the district.

School officials used the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Income Eligibility Guidelines for family size and income criteria to determine eligibility. These guidelines will be used from July until June 30, 2023.

For more details, visit www.montvilleschools.org/Content2/free-breakfast-and-lunch.

k.arnold@theday.com