We’re looking into how local school districts plan to provide food for students in the new year, even if they chose e-learning.
Polk County
Schools will provide free breakfast and lunch to all students who attend schools this year, which includes students enrolled both in-person and for remote learning.
Polk Virtual School students are not eligible for free meals.
For everyone else, the district will have meals available for pickup.
Meals will be provided once per week on Wednesday from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at Lake Alfred Polytech Academy, Sleepy Hill Middle and Stambaugh Middle.
For more information, click here.
Pinellas County
Students enrolled in MyPCS Online will be able to pick up packaged meals. Students on reduced or full lunch will have to pay the corresponding amount.
The district will provide five-days worth of meals that include breakfast and lunch.
Families can pick up the meals at each child’s assigned school.
Each school will set up its own pickup time.
Hillsborough County
Students who qualify for free and reduced lunch will get free lunches, even if they’re enrolled in e-learning.
Leaders say there will be three pickup days for food.
The district says parents will need to fill out a free and reduced lunch form.
Grab and go meals will be provided at each school on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. for students.
The meals will not be available for students learning through HVS or any other virtual option other than eLearning through your child's assigned Hillsborough County Public School.
Pasco County
School officials are stressing that students who chose MySchool Online are still connected to their schools.
The districts will be providing meals on a daily basis.
It will be a drive-thru format and it will be the same as if students were attending school on campus, just with daily food pickup instead.
Only students who qualify for free lunch won’t have to pay.
For more information, click here.
Manatee County
Leaders are encouraging parents to apply for free or reduced lunch as soon as possible.
Officials say more people might be eligible at this time to receive those benefits.
Last year’s meal benefits expire on September 21. Parents must reapply each year.
Breakfast and lunch are free for students who qualify for free meals and reduced for students who qualify for reduced meals.
Every other student will have to pay.
The district will be providing weekly meal pickup for full-time e-learning students.
Each Monday morning, parents can pick up their child’s breakfast and lunch for the week.
- High School: 8:00-8:30
- Middle School: 9:30-10:00
- Elementary School: 8:30-9:30
Meal distribution will be curbside drive-thru.
Parents can pick up meals for all of their children at one location.
Employees will be there to verify e-learning enrollment.
The district is also giving hybrid students an opportunity to take home meals for days they’re not at school.
For more information, click here.
This story will be updated as we learn more