The Maryland State Department of Education has announced updated income eligibility guidelines for free and reduced-price school meals, effective through June 30, 2027. The guidelines, adjusted annually by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reflect the Consumer Price Index, determine which Maryland families qualify for meal assistance based on household size and income.
Under the new thresholds, a family of four qualifies for free school meals if its annual household income is at or below $42,900, up from $41,795 last year — an increase of roughly 2.6%. Families of four earning between $42,900 and $61,050 qualify for reduced-price meals. The guidelines are calculated by multiplying the federal poverty level by 130% for free-meal eligibility and by 185% for reduced-price eligibility.
For Southern Maryland families, the practical difference between “free” and “reduced-price” is smaller than it sounds. Under Maryland’s Cares for Kids Act, the state covers the cost of reduced-price meals directly, meaning families in that income bracket pay nothing out of pocket even though they technically fall into the reduced-price tier under federal rules. Some local schools go further still: a number of schools in Charles County, for instance, operate under the federal Community Eligibility Provision, which lets schools with a high concentration of low-income students serve free breakfast and lunch to every enrolled student regardless of individual household income — meaning families at those schools don’t need to apply at all.
Certain households are automatically approved for free meals without submitting an application, including those enrolled in Head Start or Even Start, and children who are certified as homeless, migrant, runaway, or in foster care, or who live in households already receiving SNAP or Temporary Cash Assistance benefits. Everyone else must submit a complete application; incomplete applications cannot be processed. Households are encouraged to reapply at any point during the school year if income, employment, or household size changes, or if they become newly eligible for SNAP or TCA. Families who disagree with an eligibility determination can request clarification from school officials, appeal the decision, or request a hearing with school district administrators. U.S. citizenship is not required to apply.
Local school systems have their own application portals — Charles County families apply through myschoolapps.com, while Calvert and St. Mary’s counties direct families to their respective child nutrition department websites. More information on the statewide guidelines is available at www.eatsmartmaryland.org, or by contacting MSDE’s Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs at 410-767-0219.
Income Eligibility Guidelines — Free Meals
Household Size Annual Monthly Twice/Month Every 2 Weeks Weekly 1 $20,748 $1,729 $865 $798 $399 2 $28,132 $2,345 $1,173 $1,082 $541 3 $35,516 $2,960 $1,480 $1,366 $683 4 $42,900 $3,575 $1,788 $1,650 $825 5 $50,284 $4,191 $2,096 $1,934 $967 6 $57,668 $4,806 $2,403 $2,218 $1,109 7 $65,052 $5,421 $2,711 $2,502 $1,251 8 $72,436 $6,037 $3,019 $2,786 $1,393 Each additional member, add $7,384 $616 $308 $284 $142
Income Eligibility Guidelines — Reduced-Price Meals
Household Size Annual Monthly Twice/Month Every 2 Weeks Weekly 1 $29,526 $2,461 $1,231 $1,136 $568 2 $40,034 $3,337 $1,669 $1,540 $770 3 $50,542 $4,212 $2,106 $1,944 $972 4 $61,050 $5,088 $2,544 $2,349 $1,175 5 $71,558 $5,964 $2,982 $2,753 $1,377 6 $82,066 $6,839 $3,420 $3,157 $1,579 7 $92,574 $7,715 $3,858 $3,561 $1,781 8 $103,082 $8,591 $4,296 $3,965 $1,983 Each additional member, add $10,508 $876 $438 $405 $203
