Does anyone here work for the public school system?

[jellybeans0607]

Preferably the MA public school system?

I have a question about a form they say I must fill out.
its for free or reduced lunch. Which I am not interested in.

Two of my kids are in school, my 8yo gets this form every year and I just throw it away. My son started preschool this year. It's a preschool that works with the public school system, but I pay a tuition. They sent this form home, I threw it away. I then got a call saying the needed every parent to fill it out and sent home another one. It included 3 pages, one said to sign it if I wasnt interested in the free or reduced lunch. So I signed it and sent it back.

Well today I get one of the forms back and told I need to fill it out. Its the actual application. It asks first, middle and last names of all kids in the school system, their d.o.b, what school they attend, everyone in the households name and their income...and the kicker....an adults SSN!!!!

So I need to know why I need to fill this out? I've made it clear we aren't interested in the free or reduced lunch, and i'm certainly not interested in providing this information to my sons preschool!! Especially since he only goes 2 half days a week!!

If anyone could please shed some light here, I would appreciate it!!!

 

[Tiffany_MommyOf3]

For the very short time my ds was in public school (he's homeschooled now), I received 3 of those things and threw them all out. We don't qualify, we don't want it, we didn't want to apply, and my ds wouldn't be eating school lunches anyways LOL - I just threw them away and more kept coming. He was in school a month with 3 days out the first week thanks to Tropical Storm Fay. So I dont know if they kept sending them because I didn't send one back in or because they didnt think I got one or what? I dont know.

 

[KAMLEM]

My kids have been in MA schools for years and I have never filled this out, I just toss it in the trash. I wouldn't do it, it's none of their business.

 

[Tiffany_MommyOf3]

Oh but if they want it filled out, I'd fill it out - all of the info they already have - name, dob, etc.. on your child but I would NOT be putting a ss # in and if they threw a fit, I'd take it higher.

 

[megan2346]

My DS went to public preschool in MA for the last 2 years and I never received a form like that. He only went half days so lunch wasn't a issue. I have to tell you I would do exactly the same thing you did. I would not give out my ssn on anything.

 

[jellybeans0607]

Oh but if they want it filled out, I'd fill it out - all of the info they already have - name, dob, etc.. on your child but I would NOT be putting a ss # in and if they threw a fit, I'd take it higher.

I don't mind providing my sons DOB, but they dont need to know info on my other children. They don't need to know our income, either!

 

[Tiffany_MommyOf3]

yeah, no... Im talking about info that they already have from registration.. kwim? I wouldnt be putting any income, other children info, any of that. just info that schools normally need for the child who is enrolled.

 

[Stacieb]

I'm in MA. I do get those, but have always threw them out. I wouldn't put your ss# down or what you make. Like someone said it is no ones business.

 

[Poohs#1fan]

I'm not in the same state, however, I am speaking from a teacher standpoint. We would have to give those out to our students and were required to get every one of them back. They have something to do with the government funding for the school and we could be audited at any time to make sure we had them all on file. I'm not saying I agree with them or the information requested, but just telling you what was required of us. HTH

 

[jellybeans0607]

I'm not in the same state, however, I am speaking from a teacher standpoint. We would have to give those out to our students and were required to get every one of them back. They have something to do with the government funding for the school and we could be audited at any time to make sure we had them all on file. I'm not saying I agree with them or the information requested, but just telling you what was required of us. HTH

I guess my question is, if I filled out the form saying i'm not interested in the program, why must I now fill out the application for the program?

 

[ryka]

We just went through this with my class. We have to get all the forms back. For the people that didn't want to apply I just told them write on the top Not Applying and just sign it. My school was fine with that.

 

[clori]

My dd8 goes to public school in MA. We get the form (free/reduced lunch application) every year. I throw it out since I know we don't qualify. I have never been asked for it. I think income is required though if you want to qualify. I don't pay attention to know if SS# is on the form.

Growing up in NH we also got a similiar form each year. There was always a box to check basically not qualified or don't want to apply. I think it was a way to ensure that they got back everyone's and didn't miss someone who may qualify. There was also some box to check off if your parent worked for the federal government. My father did so my parents always checked that box but I never knew what it was for.

 

[dreamin_disney]

we dont quailfy but they still want info. It has to do with school getting funding, so they want to make sure no one gets by or its money lost for them if there are kids that quailfy but dont sign up.

 

[Schmeck]

I work in a school district here in MA that receives state funding, and I've never returned those forms either, and have never been asked to. I'd call the school superintendent to ask why they need this info. I'm sure who ever answers the phone will know, as I suspect many parents are calling about it!

 

[lovinpoohbear]

My sons school does this and they specify that is for funding. I guess the more lower income families, means the school will get more money.
However, my son goes to a magnet school which is funded by the state as well as the government.
My other son goes to a public school and I throw away the lunch form. They don;t ask for it there.
Does your child go to a magnet school?
I fill out the form for my DS that goes to the magnet school but I don;t put my SS #. That is tooooo much information!

 

[Jen414]

I teach in MA and my kids go to school in MA in a different district. I did not fill out my own kids forms as we wouldn't qualify. The went right in the trash. Every year, I pass out the forms to my class. I have never gotten one back. In fact, I usually have to explain what free/reduced lunch even means--they have NO idea!! I teach in a pretty affluent community--we finally qualified for Title I reading this year, which is a federally funded program based on the number of students who are on free/reduced lunch. We had a 700% increase in the number of students that qualify this year. Of course, that means last year we had 1 out of 350 students and this year we have 7.

 

[pigget74]

I know that I am in a different state, but it has to do with funding. Title 1 and other classes that are funded by the government are rated based on Free and Reduced lunch. They ask everyone to fill those out for various reasons. 1) Some families do not want assistance no matter what their income is 2) Some families think they will not qualify so they do no fill the form out ---Just because you qualify does not mean that you have to use the program. The more students that qualify for this program the more money the school gets from the government or more programs your school gets.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Public school administrator here.

In addition to using this information to qualify kids for free and reduced lunch, they also use it to qualify for Title 1 funds. Title 1 is a program that gives schools money to put in place programs to help low income students. For schools that have small to midsized numbers of low income kids, Title 1 funds pay for programs specifically for those kids, such as small group reading instruction or a lending library. For schools where a high portion of students qualify (known as "Title 1 schools") funds can be used for school wide improvement. At my school we use that money in conjunction with grants to help pay for a second teacher in each classroom.

In addition, our Title 1 status gives us other priveleges -- the right to apply for certain grants, lots of free field trips etc . . .

My guess is that the school is teetering on the edge of school wide Title 1 status, and is hoping to get as many kids enrolled as possible to push them over the edge. If that's the case you can probably send back the form unfilled otu with an attached letter stating that your income is above the target level, and that therefore you will not be applying.

 

[jellybeans0607]

Thanks for the insight everyone!!

I'm going to go into school on thursday with the form and explain to them that I don't qualify and am not interested in filling the form out. We'll see what happens.

 

[ZPT1022]

I guess my question is, if I filled out the form saying i'm not interested in the program, why must I now fill out the application for the program?

I think if I were you I would write "refused" in any spot that asked for info you don't want to give. Put the very minimum of info in there- DS's name, DOB, address, etc..... all the stuff the school already has on file. Probably your first name as well and be sure to sign it. If you are concerned about it coming back again, type a short letter stating "We are over the income threshold and not interested in the program, and as such will not be sharing any personal or financial information. Thank you", sign it, date it and staple it to the form to turn it in. Hopefully that finally gets the message across.