Bend-La Pine Schools is adding 12 schools to its free meal program due to a change in federal guidelines.

Families will also no longer need to fill out an application — all students at the schools in question will be automatically eligible for free breakfast and lunch. The change will take place Jan. 2, when students return to school after winter break.

Under the Community Eligibility Provision of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s child nutrition programs, schools can provide school breakfast and lunch to all students at no charge. Though the Department of Agriculture reimburses school districts, the districts are responsible for filling in the gaps with local or state funding.

The threshold for participating in the program was lowered in late September, and the Oregon Department of Education successfully petitioned the agriculture department for a waiver to make the change in the middle of the school year.

Bend-La Pine Schools already has 10 schools in the program, and will soon have a total of 22. The district has a total of 33 schools.

The schools being added to the program are Buckingham Elementary, Lava Ridge Elementary, Elk Meadow Elementary, Juniper Elementary, Ponderosa Elementary, R.E. Jewell Elementary, Westside Village Magnet at Kingston School, High Desert Middle, Caldera High, Mountain View High and Realms Middle and High schools.

How is Central Oregon helping its hungry children?

More information about Bend-La Pine Schools’ nutrition system can be found at the website.