Its guidelines do not require schools to verify the parental income of students who enroll. The process to qualify for a free lunch comes down to parents self-reporting their income on a form that is turned in to their local school. Federal free-lunch program administrators argue that the program has little potential for abuse because “the worst that happens is a kid gets a free lunch.”
This federal support comes in the form of a cash reimbursement for each meal served. The 2008-09 school year basic federal reimbursement rates are:
Free Lunches $2.57
Reduced Price Lunches $2.17
Paid Lunches $0.24
My response was not in regard to abuse by the school systems, but rather abuse by those receiving benefits of any type.
As to parental income self-reporting without documentation, it’s obvious it happens, however, that was not my experience.
Basically, the entire point of my post is that the peoplefor whom these damned programs were started for a temporary bit of assistance are the ones getting the cavity probes for proof of need. Similar to the gun laws, only the law-abiding are effected.