School districts are required to waive all fees and any fines for the loss of school property for:

• Low income students
• Homeless students
• Students who qualify for free breakfast and lunch
• Students whose parents are veterans or active duty military personnel with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty line

Homeless students are eligible for fee waivers regardless of their family’s income. Schools can ask for information to verify income, if their request is reasonable such as payroll stubs, public benefit award statements, or letters. However, schools can only ask you for income verification once a school year.

Special considerations for Chicago Public Schools

Because all Chicago Public School (CPS) students receive free breakfast and lunch regardless of their income, CPS students whose family income meets the federal income guidelines for free breakfast and lunch (130% of the federal poverty level) are eligible for school fee waivers.

Students who are in the free lunch program at their school also qualify for a school fee waiver. You can apply for your child to get free lunch at school. If your child gets reduced-priced lunch or doesn’t participate in the free lunch program, the school must give you a way to apply for a fee waiver.  

Your child also qualifies for a fee waiver if you:

• Receive SNAP or TANF benefits;
• Are homeless;
• Are a migrant or runaway; or
• Have a child in Head Start.

2022-2023 School Year

Schools had some flexibility during Covid so they could serve all kids free meals. Some of those options expired so, for the 2022-2023 school year, many schools can’t serve all meals free anymore. Instead, families will do what they did before Covid. Schools will take applications and use family income to qualify kids for free, reduced-price, or paid meals. You can visit the Illinois State Board of Education Website to see the income guidelines for this upcoming school year.
 
Some schools use a program called the “Community Eligibility Provision” that helps them serve all meals free. You can contact your local school to see if they are part of that program.