Free & Reduced Price Meals
2023-24 School Meal Benefit Application
The online application, available in English, Spanish and Chinese, only takes a few minutes and is the fastest, easiest way to get approved. Complete only one application per household. List all students enrolled in a BSD school and all household members on the application. Families may reapply during the school year if financial or household size changes occur.
Families with a student(s) attending Lake Hills, Sherwood Forest or Stevenson Elementary schools, please review the following BEFORE completing an application for school meal benefits.
My student(s) attends a CEP school (Lake Hills, Sherwood Forest or Stevenson) where meals are offered at No Cost during the 2023-24 school year. Do I need to complete the annual application for school meal benefits?
My student attends a CEP school (PDF)
- No; if you only have a student(s) enrolled at Lake Hills, Sherwood Forest or Stevenson Elementary school.
- Families will be encouraged to complete a new Family Income Survey to gather data that supports school funding.
- No; if you also have a student enrolled at a non-CEP school AND received notification from Nutrition Services informing you that all your student(s) have been directly certified for free or reduced price meals for the 2023-24 school year.
- YES; if you also have a student enrolled at a non-CEP school AND did not receive a direct certification notification from Nutrition Services. Please report all BSD students on the application for free or reduced-price school meals.
Free and Reduced Price Meals Application
Families may also print and complete a paper application to apply for school meal benefits. Completed applications should be mailed to Nutrition Services at 12037 NE 5th Street, Bellevue WA 98005.
*For applications in other languages, please go to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website. Disregard the application reference to 2016-17.
Parents/guardians will receive written notification when the application has been processed. Please retain a copy of the eligibility letter as it may be needed at later times during the year for discounts on programs offered in your community such as internet or sports club participation. Applications may take up to 10 days to process.
Families that qualify for Basic Food/SNAP (formerly known as food stamps), TANF, FDPIR, ECEAP, Foster Care, Homeless, or Migrant are automatically enrolled in the school meal program as “Directly Certified” for free meals. Some Medicaid programs through DSHS may directly certify your student for free or reduced price school meals.
Families that are directly certified do not need to complete the annual application for school meal benefits.
If your student(s) are directly certified, family/guardians must complete the “consent to share” form so that your student’s eligibility status can be shared to access resources offered by the Family Engagement Specialists or to have fees waived for IB, AP and World Language tests; extracurricular activities such as ASB dues, event registrations, field trips, performances, social event/dances, sporting events, transportation fees, athletic fees, required uniforms; discounted summer school tuition.
Once submitted to Nutrition Services, please allow 3-5 business days to be activated in the Fee Waiver Program. Once activated, fee-waiver eligible items will be automatically waived or reduced at purchase. Fee waivers are not applied retroactively, and fees paid prior to becoming active in the Fee Waiver Program are not refundable.
For questions or assistance, contact Nutrition Services at (425) 456-4507 during our normal business hours (7:00-3:30 p.m.).