Thanks to a new school lunch program, parents will not have to worry about sending lunch money with their kids to school.

Beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, Marshall ISD will be offering free breakfast and lunch to all students thanks to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Community Eligibility Program (CEP).

Marshall ISD's Director of Child Nutrition, Cindy Brandon, says,

This program will allow MISD students to eat both breakfast and lunch free of charge. Students will continue to use their current method of identification at the point of sales in the lunch lines, but all meals will be free to all students."

Students who previously met eligibility requirements could qualify for free or reduced price meals, but now all meals will be free. MISD has been offering free breakfast for students in elementary for the past several years. The school district released the following statement,

The new program will make all meals served free of charge to all students beginning with the upcoming school year. MISD will be reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students categorically eligible for free meals based on their participation in other specific means-tested programs."

Longview ISD made a similar announcement about free breakfast and lunches for their students beginning in the fall and have joined Lufkin ISD and Nacogdoches ISD, who have already been participating in the program.

More From KKTX FM