Applications for free or reduced-price school meals will be sent out by public school districts in the coming days, with an expanded breakfast option thanks to funding approved by the Texas Legislature.

“Children will go back to school before you know it and this year families have a new reason to get the application for free and reduced-price meals submitted as soon as possible,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in a statement. “Submitting the application for free and reduced-price meals early will help schools prepare to implement this new benefit and provide healthy, balanced meals to more students.”

Only one application needs to be completed per household, according to Miller.

Eligible parents will have to apply to receive free or reduced lunches at the following San Antonio-area school districts:

School nutrition teams across Texas are prepared to assist eligible students in accessing free or reduced-price meals, according to a press release from the commission.

For more information, visit SquareMeals.org.

Campuses that participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) already provide free meals to all students, so families are not required to submit a household application. Many districts still urge families to fill out the applications sent home, however, which can be important for data tracking and also be used to apply for fee waivers when taking AP exams, SATs and ACTs.

Eleven traditional public school districts including Edgewood Independent School District and the Southside Independent School District, as well as several charter schools including Essence Prep, Inc. and San Antonio Preparatory Charter School, are participating in CEP.

View the CEP campuses at some of the districts below:

A full list is available on the Texas Department of Agriculture website.

Isaac Windes covered education for the San Antonio Report from 2023 to 2024.