Financial Assistance: Free and Reduced-Price Meals

  • Through the National School Lunch Program, financial assistance is provided to families to ensure students have access to healthy, nutritionally balanced meals each day.  Families may receive free or reduced-price eligibility through either Direct Certification or by submitting an application, which is determined based upon federal income-eligibility guidelines.

    Newton Public Schools Fee Waivers   If you are eligible for paid or reduced-price meal benefits, you are also eligible for district financial assistance and fee waivers.  However, if you receive benefits through Direct Certification, you need to apply for district waivers through Aspen as an additional step.  This is a very simple but necessary process.  Please review the steps as described on the Fee Payment and Waiver Information tab on the NPS website. 

    If you apply for and are approved for free or reduced-price eligibility through the application process, there is a section in the application where you can select to share your eligibility information within Newton Public Schools.  If you choose to share this information, Newton will be able to extend the fee payment and waiver assistance to other NPS departments - for example, transportation, athletics, activities - with your approval.

Paid Meals

  • Note that only the first breakfast and/or lunch a student consumes each day is free under the Massachusetts 2022-23 universally-free funding initiative.  Second meals and a la carte items must be paid for with either from funds deposited into your student's MySchoolBucks lunch account or with cash. The easiest way to pay for student meals is through MySchoolBucks.     

    Second meals and a la carte items are the responsibility of the student's family regardless of free or reduced-price eligibility status.

  • MySchoolBucks Account

  • Food Charges

  • Food Service Policy – Unpaid balances

  • Request a MySchoolBucks Meal Account Transfer or Refund