BPS announces free meals for all students during 2024-2025 school year

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — Students in Bartlesville have free breakfast and lunch in their future.

Bartlesville Public Schools (BPS) announced the plan to provide free meals to all BPS students during the 2024-2025 school year.

Under the new plan, parents won't need to submit applications to participate in a free-and-reduced meal program. Instead, all families should complete an online economically disadvantaged form to ensure the district receives the proper amount of state aid.

The policy change is possible because Oklahoma added Medicaid Free to its direct certification process for meal programs.

According to the school district, over half of the elementary students and over 40% of its secondary students are direct-certified for free meals based on their participation in means-tested programs like Medicaid Free, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. BPS says this is high enough to provide free meals to all in-person students while still breaking even after federal reimbursement.

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