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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">There have been many recent inquiries as to the status of the FY27 Alternate Economic Status Form.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The FY27 form cannot be created until the USDA income eligibility guidelines have been updated for FY27.
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/schoolmeals/income-eligibility-guidelines">https://www.fns.usda.gov/schoolmeals/income-eligibility-guidelines</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The process the Maine DOE uses to create the form is as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Starting in February, I check the site twice a week (Monday and Thursday) to see if the next year’s guidelines are available. Last year,
the site was updated on March 25, but as of this morning, it has not yet been updated for 2026-2027. Starting today, I will check daily.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Once the new guidelines are available, the form will be updated using the new year’s dates and reduced-price meals income eligibility
guidelines.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Within a couple of days of the new guidelines release, the form will be posted at
<a href="https://www.maine.gov/doe/funding/gpa/eps/26-27">Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Funding Details | Department of Education</a> and on the MEDMS support page.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Once the new form is available online, I will send a notice to the business manager listserv and ask AlLee to put a notice in the DOE
Data Updates<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Please let me know if you have any questions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">________________________________________ <br>
</span> <span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><br>
</span><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Charlotte M. Ellis</span></b> <span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><br>
Analyst – School Finance and Compliance Helpdesk<br>
Maine Department of Education <br>
23 State House Station <br>
Augusta, Maine 04333-0023 <br>
<b>Email: </b><u><span style="color:#0070C0"><a href="mailto:charlotte.ellis@maine.gov">charlotte.ellis@maine.gov</a></span></u>
</span> <br>
<b>Phone</b>: 207-624-6625 <br>
<a href="http://www.maine.gov/doe" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0070C0;text-decoration:none">Maine DOE</span></a> |
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaineDepartmentofEducation1/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0070C0;text-decoration:none">Facebook</span></a> |
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/mainedepted/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0070C0;text-decoration:none">Instagram</span></a> |
<a href="https://mainedoenews.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0070C0">Maine DOE Newsroom</span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> <br>
</span> <span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><img border="0" width="192" height="70" style="width:2.0in;height:.725in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DCBD25.BF8004F0" alt="Picture 4, Picture"></span> <span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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