Moorpark Unified to continue free school meals in 2026-27
(Moorpark, California) August 10, 2026—Moorpark Unified School District will continue serving nutritious breakfasts and lunches every school day through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program during the 2026-27 school year.
Meals will be provided free of charge, but the district is still required to determine which students qualify for free or reduced-price meals because those determinations may help families access other benefits.
Effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, children are considered eligible for free or reduced-price meals if their household income is less than or equal to the federal income guidelines.
Households do not need to submit an application if they receive a notification letter stating that all children in the household automatically qualify for free meals because a household member receives benefits through CalFresh, CalWORKs or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, also known as FDPIR.
Children who meet the definition of foster, homeless, migrant or runaway, as well as children enrolled in their school’s Head Start program, are also eligible for free meals. Families should contact school officials if any child in the household is not included in the notification letter.
Households must notify school officials if they do not want their children to be considered eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
Applications will be sent to households with a letter explaining the school meal program. Although breakfast and lunch will be provided free of charge every school day, determining eligibility for free and reduced-price meals remains necessary. Eligibility determinations may also be used to qualify households for other benefits.
Households interested in establishing eligibility must complete one application for all children in the household and submit it to the Child Nutrition Department at 5297 Maureen Lane, Moorpark, CA 93021.
Families may also apply through the district’s simple and secure online application at www.mrpk.org. Those who need assistance completing the application may contact the Child Nutrition Department at 805-378-6300, ext. 1420.
The district will notify households of the outcome of their applications.
Applications may be submitted at any time during the school year. A household that is not eligible now may apply later if its income decreases, its household size increases or a household member begins receiving CalFresh, CalWORKs or FDPIR benefits.
Information provided on the application will be used to determine eligibility and may be verified by school officials at any time during the school year.
When income is included on an application, the last four digits of the Social Security number of an adult household member must be provided. Applicants who do not have a Social Security number must indicate that on the application.
Households receiving benefits through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, commonly known as WIC, may be considered eligible for free or reduced-price meals by completing an application.
Foster children are considered eligible for free meals. A foster family may choose to include foster children as household members when applying for non-foster children on the same application. Including foster children as household members may help non-foster children qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
If the non-foster children are not eligible, that decision does not prevent foster children from being considered eligible for free meals.
A child’s eligibility status from the previous school year will continue into the new school year for up to 30 school days, until the district processes a new application or until the child is otherwise certified for free or reduced-price meals. School officials are not required to send reminders or notices when prior-year eligibility expires.
Households that disagree with an eligibility decision or the results of a verification may discuss the matter with school officials. They also have the right to request a fair hearing by calling or writing the district’s hearing official:
Juan Pablo Herrera
5297 Maureen Lane
Moorpark, CA 93021
805-378-6300, ext. 1402