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Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 18A:33-11

  • Categorically eligible: means that a student is homeless, is a migrant child, is a runaway child, is a foster child, or is a Head Start child, as defined in 7 C. See New Jersey Statutes 18A:33-3.2
  • District: means a school district. See New Jersey Statutes 18A:1-1
  • Income-eligible: means that a student either satisfies federal income eligibility requirements, adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to 7 C. See New Jersey Statutes 18A:33-3.2
  • School breakfast program: means a program that is established and operated by a public or nonpublic school, in accordance with the requirements of the federal School Breakfast Program and, in the case of a public school, in accordance with a plan adopted pursuant to section 2 of P. See New Jersey Statutes 18A:33-3.2
  • School lunch program: means a program that is established and operated by a school district, in accordance with the requirements of the National School Lunch Program and the provisions of section 1 of P. See New Jersey Statutes 18A:33-3.2
  • Student: means a child 18 years of age or younger who is enrolled at a school in the State. See New Jersey Statutes 18A:33-3.2
3. In implementing a school lunch program, pursuant to P.L.1974, c.53 (C. 18A:33-4 et seq.), a school breakfast program, pursuant to P.L.2003, c.4 (C. 18A:33-9 et seq.) or section 6 of P.L.2022, c.104 (C. 18A:33-10.1), or a breakfast after the bell program, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2014, c.66 (C. 18A:33-11.1) or section 2 of P.L.2018, c.25 (C. 18A:33-11.3), each school and school district shall:

a. publicize, to parents and students, the availability of the respective school meals program, as well as the various ways in which a student may qualify to receive free or reduced price meals under the program, as provided by subsection a. of section 1 of P.L.1974, c.53 (C. 18A:33-4) and subsection a. of section 12 of P.L.2022, c.104 (C. 18A:33-14a);

b. make every effort to ensure that subsidized students are not recognized as program participants, by the student body, faculty, or staff, in a manner that is different from the manner in which unsubsidized students are recognized as program participants. Such efforts shall include, but need not be limited to, the establishment of a neutral meal plan or voucher system that does not make a distinction between subsidized and unsubsidized students; and

c. make every effort to:

(1) facilitate the prompt and accurate identification of categorically eligible students who may be certified to participate in the program, on a subsidized basis, without first submitting an application therefor, and, whenever an application is required to establish eligibility for subsidized meals, encourage students and their families to submit a subsidized school meals application for that purpose;

(2) facilitate and expedite, to the greatest extent practicable, the subsidized school meals application and income-eligibility determination processes that are used, by the school or school district, to certify a student for free or reduced price school meals on the basis of income, and assist parents and guardians in completing the school meals application; and

(3) encourage students who are neither categorically eligible nor income-eligible for free or reduced price school meals to nonetheless participate, on a paid and unsubsidized basis, in the program.

L.2003,c.4,s.3; amended 2022, c.104, s.7.