Alachua schools designate 23 campuses for free meals for all students next school year

Alachua County Public Schools has designated 23 local schools, including some charter schools, as federal Community Eligibility Provision sites for the 2026-27 school year. Students at those campuses will be able to receive free breakfast and lunch regardless of household income.

The district announced the designation July 14, 2026. For families in Alachua County whose children attend one of the participating schools, the change removes the need to qualify for school meals through an income-based determination. It also means breakfast and lunch will be available at no charge to students at those campuses during the coming school year.

What the designation changes

The Community Eligibility Provision applies to the 23 schools selected by the district. The group includes district campuses and some charter schools, but the designation does not mean every school in Alachua County will provide meals under the same arrangement.

The benefit is tied to the participating school rather than to a student’s household income. Families with children at those campuses can use the school breakfast and lunch program without an income qualification requirement. That can reduce a household food expense and remove an administrative barrier to using school meals, particularly for families whose children already eat at school.

The district’s announcement identifies the total number of participating schools but does not publish the complete list of all 23 campuses in the indexed public text. Families can confirm whether a particular school is included through district guidance before the 2026-27 meal service begins.

Summer meal kits continue

The district also extended its summer meal-kit program. Seven-day meal kits were scheduled for pickup July 27 and Aug. 3 at five locations.

Those pickups serve a different purpose from the school-year designation. The summer program provides meal kits during the break, while the Community Eligibility Provision covers free breakfast and lunch at participating campuses throughout the 2026-27 school year.

The two announced pickup dates give families a near-term opportunity to obtain multiple days of meals at once. The program’s seven-day format is separate from regular school cafeteria service and is available through the district’s extended summer-meals schedule.

Alachua schools have also been part of broader public discussions about the future of schools in the city. The new meal designation is a separate service decision focused on access to breakfast and lunch for students at selected campuses.

For families, the key distinction is location: the free school-year meals apply at the 23 designated schools, while the summer meal kits are tied to the five announced pickup locations and the July 27 and Aug. 3 dates.