Application
Please read this full page for income requirements and frequently asked questions.
If your child attends the Deer Valley, East Tucson, Goodyear, Laveen, North Phoenix, or Phoenix campuses, you do not need to complete this application. Please refer to the Community Eligible Provision section of this page for more information.
Community Eligible Provision
Deer Valley, East Tucson, Goodyear, Laveen, North Phoenix, and Phoenix campuses participate in the Community Eligible Provision program that allows all students to receive free meals without having to pay a fee or submit an application. If your child attends one of these campuses, please download and complete the following form:
After completing this form, please bring it to the school and drop it in the Title 1 drop box.
Resources
Parent Letter (English)
Parent Letter (Spanish)
Wellness Policy
Meal Charge Policy
Wellness Report Card
Dietary Medical Form
Schools Providing Summer Meals
Meal Prices
School Breakfast price is $2.15 and School Lunch price is $3.65 at all sites. Reduced-price breakfast is $0 and Reduced-price lunch is $0 at all sites.
Your child(ren) may qualify for free meals or reduced-price meals. You will have to pay the regular price for meals until your application is processed and eligibility determined. Eligibility from another school district does not automatically roll to Legacy Traditional School.
This packet includes an application for Free or reduced-priced meal benefits, as well as a set of detailed instructions. Below are some common questions and answers to help you with the application process.
This program provides one breakfast and one lunch meal per day per student.
Who can get free meals?
- All children in households receiving benefits from SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), FDPIR (Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations) or TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), may receive free meals regardless of income.
- Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.
- Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.
- Children can get free or reduced-price meals if your household’s gross income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Your children may qualify for free or reduced-price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.
Federal Eligibility Chart
Federal Eligibility Income Chart for School Year 2025-2026
| Household Size | Yearly Income | Monthly Income | Weekly Income |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $28,953 | $2,413 | $557 |
| 2 | $39,128 | $3,261 | $753 |
| 3 | $49,303 | $4,109 | $949 |
| 4 | $59,478 | $4,957 | $1,144 |
| 5 | $69,653 | $5,805 | $1,340 |
| 6 | $79,828 | $6,653 | $1,536 |
| 7 | $90,003 | $7,501 | $1,731 |
| 8 | $100,178 | $8,349 | $1,927 |
| Each additional person | +$10,175 | +$848 | +$196 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I fill out an application if I received a Direct Certification Letter this school year saying my children are approved for free meals?
No, but please read the letter carefully and follow the instructions. Contact the Legacy Traditional School office at food@legacytraditional.org if you have questions or to check on eligibility status. Each child receives an individual letter; contact us if you do not get a letter for each student.
Can I apply online?
Yes. We prefer you to complete an online application instead of a paper application. It has the same requirements and will ask you the same information as the paper application. Visit https://linqconnect.com/ to begin this process. Please submit one way only, either an online or paper application, to help the processing of applications. To complete a paper application, contact Legacy Traditional School by email at food@legacytraditional.org and/or refer to the information below.
I’d prefer a paper application, where do I go to fill one out?
The front office has English and Spanish paper applications available.
Do I need to fill out an application for each child?
No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to the school office. Securely attach a paper for additional family members and income information if necessary. Contact Legacy Traditional School at food@legacytraditional.org for applications that can be translated in 33 languages.
My child’s application was approved last year. Do I need to fill out another one?
Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few weeks of this school year. If you do not send in a new application that is approved by the District Office or you have not been notified that your child is eligible for free or reduced-price meals, your child will be charged the full price for meals.
I receive WIC benefits. Can my child(ren) get free meals?
Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Please fill out and submit an application.
Will the information I give be checked?
Yes, and we may also ask you to send written proof.
If I don’t qualify now, may I apply later?
Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced-price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.
What if I disagree with the school’s decision about my application?
You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by contacting Mia Vega (mia.vega@vertexeducation.com).
May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen?
Yes. You or your child(ren) do not have to be U.S. citizens to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
What if my income is not always the same?
List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you made $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.
What if some household members have no income to report?
Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application, or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, please write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.
We are in the military. Do we report our income differently?
Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, it must also be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.
My spouse is deployed to a combat zone. Is his/her combat pay counted as income?
No, if the combat pay is received in addition to the basic pay because of the deployment and it wasn’t received before he/she was deployed, combat pay is not counted as income. Contact Legacy Traditional School at food@legacytraditional.org for more information.
My family needs more help. Are there other programs we might apply for?
To find out how to apply for SNAP or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office or call 1-800-352-8401.
How do I know if my children qualify as homeless, migrant, or runaway?
Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis? Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household? If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and have not been notified that your children will get free meals, please e-mail Mia Vega (mia.vega@vertexeducation.com) for qualification. McKinney-Vento eligibility must be determined or re-established for each school year.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
2. Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Free language assistance, auxiliary aids, and/or accommodations are available upon request. For more information, please contact the district at 480-270-5438.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Executive Order 13166; 7 CFR 246.8(c); DR 4300-003 6 (c.) and 8 c.(3); FNS Instruction 113-1, Sections VII and XII; U.S. Department of Agriculture Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Regarding the Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Persons with Limited English Proficiency, 79 Fed. Reg. 70771, (Nov. 28, 2014) (USDA LEP Policy Guidance); and DOJ LEP Guidance.
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