Changes in federal guidelines mean that students at 17 Alachua County schools will not be guaranteed free or reduced-priced meals unless they apply this school year.
Those at 33 other schools, however, will still be eligible without having to apply and regardless of family income guidelines.
These are the schools where students will automatically qualify for free meals:
- Alachua Elementary
- AMI Kids
- A. Q. Jones
- Archer Elementary
- Bishop Middle
- Boulware (charter)
- Caring and Sharing (charter)
- Eastside High School
- Einstein School (charter)
- Foster Elementary
- Glen Springs Elementary
- Hawthorne Middle/High
- Idylwild Elementary
- Irby Elementary
- Lake Forest Elementary
- Lincoln Middle
- Littlewood Elementary
- Mebane Middle
- Metcalfe Elementary
- Micanopy Academy (charter)
- Newberry Elementary
- Norton Elementary
- North Central Florida Public (charter)
- One Room School House (charter)
- Parker Elementary
- Rawlings Elementary
- Resilience (charter)
- Shell Elementary
- Siatech (charter)
- Sidney Lanier
- Terwilliger Elementary
- Westwood Middle
- Williams Elementary
Students at these schools will need to apply for free or reduced-cost meals:
- Buchholz High
- Chiles Elementary
- Expressions Charter
- Ft. Clarke Middle
- Gainesville High
- Healthy Learning Charter
- Hidden Oak Elementary
- High Springs Community
- Kanapaha Middle
- Meadowbrook Elementary
- Newberry High
- Oak View Middle
- PAM@Loften High
- PK Yonge Developmental
- Santa Fe High
- Talbot Elementary
- Wiles Elementary
Update, Aug. 2: Marion County Public Schools has announced that all of its 43,000 students are eligible for free meals this school year.