[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 38 (Friday, February 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-4320]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 25, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service

 

Child Nutrition Programs--Income Eligibility Guidelines

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to 
the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility 
for free and reduced price meals or free milk for the period from July 
1, 1994 through June 30, 1995. These guidelines are used by schools, 
institutions, and centers participating in the National School Lunch 
Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program for Children, 
Child and Adult Care Food program and Commodity School Program. The 
annual adjustments are required by section 9 of the National School 
Lunch Act. The guidelines are intended to direct benefits to those 
children most in need and are revised annually to account for increases 
in the Consumer Price Index.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Robert M. Eadie, Chief, Policy and Program Development Branch, 
Child Nutrition Division, FNS, USDA, Alexandria, Virginia 22302, or by 
phone at (703) 305-2618.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action is not a rule as defined by the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612) and thus is exempt from 
the provisions of that Act. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3507), no new recordkeeping or reporting 
requirements have been included that are subject to approval from the 
Office of Management and Budget. These programs are listed in the 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under No. 10.553, No. 10.555, 
No. 10.556 and No. 10.558 and are subject to the provisions of 
Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation 
with State and local officials. (See 7 CFR part 3015, Subpart V, and 
the final rule related notice published at 48 FR 29114, June 24, 1983.)

Background

    Pursuant to sections 9(b)(1) and 17(c)(4) of the National School 
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(1) and 42 U.S.C. 1766(c)(4)), and sections 
3(a)(6) and 4(e) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
1772(a)(6) and 1773(e)), the Department annually issues the Income 
Eligibility Guidelines for free and reduced price meals in the National 
School Lunch Program (7 CFR part 210), School Breakfast program (7 CFR 
part 220), Child and Adult Care Food Program (7 CFR part 226), and 
Commodity School Program (7 CFR part 210), and the guidelines for free 
milk in the Special Milk Program for Children (7 CFR part 215). These 
eligibility guidelines are based on the Federal income poverty 
guidelines and are stated by household size.
    The Department requires schools and institutions which charge for 
meals separately from other fees to serve free meals to all children 
from any household with income at or below 130 percent of the poverty 
guidelines. The Department also requires such schools and institutions 
to serve reduced price meals to all children from any household with 
income higher than 130 percent of the poverty guidelines, but at or 
below 185 percent of the poverty guidelines. Schools and institutions 
participating in the Special Milk Program for Children may, at local 
option, serve free milk to all children from any household with income 
at or below 130 percent of the poverty guidelines.

Definition of Income

    ``Income,'' as the term is used in this Notice, means income before 
any deductions such as income taxes, Social Security taxes, insurance 
premiums, charitable contributions and bonds. It includes the 
following: (1) Monetary compensation for services, including wages, 
salary, commissions or fees; (2) net income from nonfarm self-
employment; (3) net income from farm self-employment; (4) Social 
Security; (5) dividends or interest on savings or bonds or income from 
estates or trusts; (6) net rental income; (7) public assistance or 
welfare payments; (8) unemployment compensation; (9) government 
civilian employee or military retirement, or pensions or veterans 
payments; (10) private pensions or annuities; (11) alimony or child 
support payments; (12) regular contributions from persons not living in 
the household; (13) net royalties; and (14) other cash income. Other 
cash income would include cash amounts received or withdrawn from any 
source including savings, investments, trust accounts and other 
resources which would be available to pay the price of a child's meal.
    ``Income,'' as the term is used in this Notice, does not include 
any income or benefits received under any Federal programs which are 
excluded from consideration as income by any legislative prohibition. 
Furthermore, the value of meals or milk to children shall not be 
considered as income to their households for other benefit programs in 
accordance with the prohibitions in section 12(e) of the National 
School Lunch Act and section 11(b) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 
(42 U.S.C. 1760(e) and 1780(b)).

The Income Eligibility Guidelines

    The following are the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be effective 
from July 1, 1994 through June 30, 1995. The Department's guidelines 
for free meals and milk and reduced price meals were obtained by 
multiplying the 1994 Federal income poverty guidelines by 1.30 and 
1.85, respectively, and by rounding the result upward to the next whole 
dollar. Weekly and monthly guidelines were computed by dividing annual 
income by 52 and 12, respectively, and by rounding upward to the next 
whole dollar.

                                                              Income Eligibility Guidelines                                                             
                                                     [Effective from July 1, 1994 to June 30, 1995]                                                     
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                                                          Federal poverty guidelines       Reduced price meals--185%             Free meals--130%       
                    Household size                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Annual     Month       Week      Annual     Month       Week      Annual     Month       Week  
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                                         48 Contiguous United States, District of Columbia, Guam and Territories                                        
                                                                                                                                                        
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1....................................................      7,360        614        142     13,616      1,135        262      9,568        798        184
2....................................................      9,840        820        190     18,204      1,517        351     12,792      1,066        246
3....................................................     12,320      1,027        237     22,792      1,900        439     16,016      1,335        308
4....................................................     14,800      1,234        285     27,380      2,282        527     19,240      1,604        370
5....................................................     17,280      1,440        333     31,968      2,664        615     22,464      1,872        432
6....................................................     19,760      1,647        380     36,556      3,047        703     25,688      2,141        494
7....................................................     22,240      1,854        428     41,144      3,429        792     28,912      2,410        556
8....................................................     24,720      2,060        476     45,732      3,811        880     32,136      2,678        618
For each additional family member add................     +2,480       +207        +48     +4,588       +383        +89     +3,224       +269        +62
                                                                                                                                                        
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                                                                         Alaska                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                        
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1....................................................      9,200        767        177     17,020      1,419        328     11,960        997        230
2....................................................     12,300      1,025        237     22,755      1,897        438     15,990      1,333        308
3....................................................     15,400      1,284        297     28,490      2,375        548     20,020      1,669        385
4....................................................     18,500      1,542        356     34,225      2,853        659     24,050      2,005        463
5....................................................     21,600      1,800        416     39,960      3,330        769     28,080      2,340        540
6....................................................     24,700      2,059        475     45,695      3,808        879     32,110      2,676        618
7....................................................     27,800      2,317        535     51,430      4,286        990     36,140      3,012        695
8....................................................     30,900      2,575        595     57,165      4,764      1,100     40,170      3,348        773
For each additional family member add................     +3,100       +259        +60     +5,735       +478       +111     +4,030       +336        +78
                                                                                                                                                        
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                                                                         Hawaii                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                        
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1....................................................      8,470        706        163     15,670      1,306        302     11,011        918        212
2....................................................     11,320        944        218     20,942      1,746        403     14,716      1,227        283
3....................................................     14,170      1,181        273     26,215      2,185        505     18,421      1,536        355
4....................................................     17,020      1,419        328     31,487      2,624        606     22,126      1,844        426
5....................................................     19,870      1,656        383     36,760      3,064        707     25,831      2,153        497
6....................................................     22,720      1,894        437     42,032      3,503        809     29,536      2,462        568
7....................................................     25,570      2,131        492     47,305      3,943        910     33,241      2,771        640
8....................................................     28,420      2,369        547     52,577      4,382      1,012     36,946      3,079        711
For each additional family member add................     +2,850       +238        +55     +5,273       +440       +102     +3,705       +309        +72
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    Authority: (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(1)).

    Dated: February 18, 1994.
George A. Braley,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-4320 Filed 2-24-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-M