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Breakfast And Lunch Are Free For Every Student At 44 Escambia Schools; Others Must Apply
August 4, 2025
Breakfast and lunch are free for all students, regardless of income, during the upcoming school year at 44 schools and centers in Escambia County. Applications must be submitted for free or reduced price lunches at all other schools.
The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program means that parents of the students at these schools are not required to submit an application for the Free and Reduced Meal program at that school.
The free meal schools are selected based upon income levels.
Parents at these schools should plan on providing their child with money for their meals until eligibility is established to avoid creating a deficit in their account. Funds can be added to student accounts online at myschoolapps.com.
This program has been in place since 2015 in Escambia County and was not related to the pandemic. The program is federally funded.
Meal applications, or payment, will be required at:
- Beulah Elementary
- Blue Angels Elementary
- Cook Elementary
- Cordova Park Elementary
- Hellen Caro Elementary
- Kingsfield Elementary
- Suter Elementary
- Brown Barge Middle
- Ransom Middle
- Tate High
- West Florida High.
Free meal schools are:
Elementary Schools
- Bellview Elementary
- Bratt Elementary
- Brentwood Elementary
- Byrneville Elementary
- C.A. Weis Elementary
- Ensley Elementary
- Ferry Pass Elementary
- Global Learning Academy
- Holm Elementary
- Jim Allen Elementary
- Lincoln Park Elementary
- Lipscomb Elementary
- Longleaf Elementary
- McArthur Elementary
- Molino Park Elementary
- Montclair Elementary
- Myrtle Grove Elementary
- Navy Point Elementary
- Oakcrest Elementary
- Pine Meadow Elementary
- Pleasant Grove Elementary
- Scenic Heights Elementary
- O.J. Semmes Elementary
- Sherwood Elementary
- Warrington Elementary
- West Pensacola Elementary
Middle Schools
- Bailey Middle
- Bellview Middle
- Beulah Middle
- Ernest Ward Middle
- Ferry Pass Middle
- Workman Middle
High Schools
- Escambia High
- Northview High
- Pensacola High
- Pine Forest High
- Washington High
Other Schools and Centers
- Acceleration Academy
- Achieve Academy
- Capstone
- Escambia Westgate Center
- Hope Horizon
- Jacqueline Harris Preparatory Academy
- Success Academy
Pictured: An Escambia County School lunch as served to students during the last school year. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
21 Responses to “Breakfast And Lunch Are Free For Every Student At 44 Escambia Schools; Others Must Apply”
Every school should be getting or giving the free meals….but I guess the lotto is losing money.
Why can’t all parents provide proof that there is a financial need? Especially in a time when the school district is claiming they need to increase taxes? If the parents aren’t feeding and taking care of their kids, TURN THEM IN to DCS!
Should be free for every child. And should be good quality as well. They are our future.
I’m with @Steve…if there is a need, absolutely step up to fill it but one has to wonder what’s going on when the little ones are picked up and dropped off by mom in a $50,000 SUV and coordinates those pickups with their kids, all of whom have $1000 I-phones.
I say all us parents get together and file a class action lawsuit against Escambia County School Board. So.e of these schools that are getting free lunches are in some of the wealthiest areas. SICKENING ABSOLUTELY SICKENING
I’m all for compassion and providing for those who cannot provide for themselves. I just can’t help wondering though; how is it so many people can line up an hour early, in their air-conditioned cars, to pick up their kids, but can’t afford to feed those same children? And if it’s that they can and just don’t, isn’t THAT a problem we should be working harder to solve?
@Anne,
I spent time in food service. The cost of producing these meals, and the school system purchasing them, is much lower than you may think as a consumer buying a can of beans and a frozen pizza (or a bag of apples and a pack of bologna).
I’m sorry you and your family grew up in such hard times. I’m happy these kids get this opportunity. I went to school with children that suffered because their parents didn’t care, and I grew up in a “nice” area here on the Gulf Coast. If these kids can get one leg up, then by all means we should give them the chance.
Someone else mentioned WIC/SNAP. Just because a family can afford to take care of their kids on paper doesn’t mean they aren’t in outrageous debt or, again, just don’t care about their children.
Anyway. I also grew up in hard times, and my parents did make sure I ate and had good hygiene and clean clothes. It makes me happy knowing this service is provided in our area. Love your neighbor. It takes a village to raise a child.
It’s crazy to me that some of you are mad about kids getting meals provided for them at a place they are required to be. Hungry kids can’t learn. Kids that don’t learn aren’t productive to society as adults.
What was that??? Like 33 thousand kids get free meals, no questions asked, but the other 10 schools have to show proof of something? That is sorry.
This should be standard practice at all schools. Attention should not be called to children on free lunch program. Every child should be provided for without discrimination. Why would anyone single out a child because their family does not have lunch money? No matter the family’s circumstances, or the factors leading to the situation, it is certainly not the fault of the child!
I honestly don’t know where to look (thinking Fed Gov’t) but someone is being paid to steer all school kids to the cafeteria. My parents fed their kids. Not pizza and green beans for lunch nor supper, but bologna and an apple. We were hungry and ate every bite. Go watch the kids eat today. Who is getting paid for those overloaded trash cans?
It’s both sad and amazing that there are people here upset that their tax dollars are going towards food for kids. Who cares what parents can and can’t afford to do it themselves? It’s just kids getting a meal. Escambia County and the rest Florida have a lot more than that to whine about, I assure you.
Here’s a thought – Florida should just institute an income tax. Enough of playing games. Two-tiered sales tax, low rate for year-round residents and higher one for all others. It BS having inferior schools in low income areas. All kids deserve an equal education.
@JTV you’re spot on.
I am confused why so many need assistance on school meals when only 15-16% of housholds in the county receive SNAP. If you look at income distributions across escambia county, there are a lot of households who could afford to pay for their kids meals who are not being asked to.
To those complaining of taxes being paid or not wanting to pay them because THEY dont have kids or grand kids.
It is YOUR civic duty to return what you received and as such paying for the education of CHILDREN is the MOST important thing we can do.
Otherwise I dont want my medicare taxes going to people that refuse to be healthy or why pay taxes for roads I never will travel on or paying taxes for military because there is no war…………………………
To those that still refuse, move to areas were the taxes are super low and the schools will reflect with every part of that community…
@Crazy. That’s what taxes are for. We don’t pay state income tax. The county and state have to collect taxes somewhere. Just because it is a property tax doesn’t mean it has to be spent on something property related in the community. Im opposed to the raise in property tax, but I mean this is a good thing to spend our tax dollars on. If my parents weren’t alive or I didnt serve in the military should my tax dollars go towards medicaid or the military?
This is nice but Crazy! They’ve taxing our property when I feel it’s not fair for those parents who has no kids and grandparents who no have any kids around in any schools. When I grew up in Escambia County, my family was poor but yet my mom somehow managed to give us breakfast and lunch. My property taxes should not have nothing to do with the schools!
Tate and Ransom have never been on this list. I’m tired of being discriminated against. Maybe we need to file a discrimination lawsuit.
Students choose the food they want or all plates made the same. If student wont eat it WHY GIVE IT TO THEM?
We were poor growing up, but mom made sure we had a PB&J sandwich in a brown bag. Schools have taken away what parents are supposed to do for their kids.