Dear families,
Inside this packet is a household income form. Please fill it in and send it back — even if you are sure you won't qualify for anything.
Here is why we are asking. New Jersey counts how many students at [DISTRICT] come from lower-income households, and that count is taken on 15 October. Part of our funding for the year is set by it. For about a third of families, that count depends entirely on this form coming back. If it doesn't come back, your child isn't counted.
It takes about five minutes. The information is confidential and is used only to determine eligibility for school meals and school funding.
Please return it by Friday 9 October — with your child, at the school office, or [RETURN METHOD].
If you have questions, or would like someone to help you complete it, call [PHONE] and we will walk you through it.
Thank you,
[NAME], [TITLE]
Free New Jersey school districts · September
September Reminder Kit
We can't fill the forms in for you.
What we could do is write the twenty messages, so your office doesn't have to — and if that frees up a few hours in September, this year's count is better for it. Take them, change them, put your own letterhead on them. Anything in [BRACKETS] is yours to fill in.
Before you send anything
Pull your direct certification match first.
Most districts find a large share of the families on their chase list are already counted — those letters don't need writing at all.
Touch 1
With the packet
→ Tue 8 SeptThe only one that explains why. Everything later assumes this was read.
Subject: Five minutes, and it counts toward our fundingDear families,
A household income form went home in today's packet. Please fill it in and return it by Friday 9 October — even if you think you won't qualify.
New Jersey sets part of our funding using a count of students from lower-income households, taken on 15 October. For roughly a third of families that count depends on this one form. No form, no count.
Five minutes. Confidential. Used only for school meals and school funding.
Return it with your child, at the school office, or [RETURN METHOD]. Questions: [PHONE].
Thank you,
[NAME], [TITLE]
[SCHOOL]: a household income form went home today. Please return it by Fri 9 Oct — even if you think you won't qualify. It counts toward our school funding.
Hello, this is [NAME] from [SCHOOL]. A household income form went home in today's packet. Please take five minutes to fill it in and send it back by Friday, October ninth — even if you think your family won't qualify. New Jersey uses this information to set part of our school funding, and the count is taken on October fifteenth. The form is confidential. If you would like help completing it, call the school office at [PHONE]. Thank you.
Household income form went home today — please return by Fri 9 Oct, even if you think you won't qualify. It counts toward our school funding. Need another copy? Ask the office.
Touch 2
The reminder
→ Fri 18 SeptTo non-returners only. Its real job is replacing the form that never made it out of the backpack — so every version offers a new copy.
Dear families,
We haven't received your household income form yet.
If it is still in a backpack, or it went missing, the office has more — just ask, or call [PHONE] and we will send one home today.
It takes about five minutes. Please return it by Friday 9 October.
If you have already sent yours back, thank you — please ignore this.
[NAME], [TITLE]
Subject: We don't have your household form yetWe haven't received your household income form yet.
It takes five minutes and it is confidential. If yours went missing, reply to this email or call [PHONE] and we will get another one to you today.
Please return it by Friday 9 October.
If you have already sent yours in — thank you, and please ignore this.
[NAME], [TITLE]
[SCHOOL]: we haven't received your household income form. 5 minutes, confidential, due Fri 9 Oct. Need a new copy? Call [PHONE].
Hello, this is [SCHOOL] calling. Our records show we have not received your household income form yet. It takes about five minutes and the information is confidential. If the form went missing, call the office at [PHONE] and we will send another one home today. Please return it by Friday, October ninth. If you have already sent yours back, thank you, and please disregard this message.
Still missing your household income form — five minutes, due Fri 9 Oct. Ask the office if you need another copy.
Touch 3
The push
→ Mon 28 SeptThe one that moves the number. By now the families left are not the ones who forgot — they are the ones with a reason, so this touch answers the reason out loud.
Dear families,
We are still missing a number of household income forms, and we think we know why. Here is what families tell us most often.
"We won't qualify." You might. Eligibility depends on the size of your household as well as your income, and more than wages count. Let us check — that is our job, not yours.
"We already get SNAP, so we're covered." Usually true — most families receiving SNAP are matched automatically and never need this form. But the match can miss if your name or address changed recently. If you are not certain you were matched, send the form back anyway.
"I don't want the school knowing our business." The form goes to the district office. Your child's meal status is never shown in the lunch line and is not shared with teachers.
"It isn't in my language." The form is available in Spanish. For any other language, call [PHONE] and someone will complete it with you over the phone.
The deadline is Friday 9 October.
[NAME], [TITLE]
Subject: Four reasons families don't send this backWe are still missing household income forms. In case one of these is the reason:
You think you won't qualify. You might — household size counts, not just wages. Let us check.
You receive SNAP. You are probably matched already. But if your name or address changed recently the match can miss, so send it in to be sure.
You would rather the school didn't know. The form goes to the district office. Meal status is never shown in the lunch line or shared with teachers.
It isn't in your language. It is available in Spanish, and we will complete it with you by phone in any language — call [PHONE].
Deadline: Friday 9 October.
[NAME], [TITLE]
[SCHOOL]: think you won't qualify for the household form? Many families are surprised — household size counts too. Let us check. Due Fri 9 Oct.
Hello, this is [SCHOOL]. We are still missing household income forms, and the reason families give us most often is that they don't think they will qualify. Many are surprised. Eligibility depends on the size of your household as well as your income, and more than wages count — so please let us check. If you receive SNAP you may already be matched, but if your name or address has changed recently, send the form in anyway. The deadline is Friday, October ninth. For help in any language, call [PHONE].
Think you won't qualify? Many families are surprised — household size counts too. Send the form back and let us check. Due Fri 9 Oct.
Touch 4
Closes Friday
→ Mon 5 OctA real deadline, six days before the count. Every version offers to complete the form by phone — at this stage removing the last piece of effort beats another reminder.
Dear families,
Friday 9 October is the last day we can accept your household income form for this year's count.
If yours is still at home, send it in with your child tomorrow. If you need a new one, the office has copies — and we can complete it with you over the phone in about five minutes. Call [PHONE].
After Friday we cannot include it.
Thank you,
[NAME], [TITLE]
Subject: Last day is FridayFriday 9 October is the last day we can accept your household income form for this year's count.
If yours is still at home, send it with your child tomorrow. If you need another copy — or would rather do it over the phone — call [PHONE] and we will complete it with you in five minutes.
After Friday we cannot include it.
[NAME], [TITLE]
[SCHOOL]: Fri 9 Oct is the LAST DAY for the household income form. Send it with your child, or call [PHONE] and we'll do it by phone in 5 mins.
Hello, this is [SCHOOL] with a final reminder. Friday, October ninth is the last day we can accept your household income form for this year's count. If your form is still at home, please send it in with your child tomorrow. If you need another copy, or would prefer to complete it over the phone, call the office at [PHONE] and we will do it with you in about five minutes. After Friday we cannot include it. Thank you.
Last day: Friday 9 Oct. Household income forms must be in by then — send with your child, or call [PHONE] to complete it by phone.
→ One ask
If someone else is going to be chasing these forms in September — another principal, your business office, the district next door — send them the link.
That's the only thing we want out of this. There's nothing to sign up for and nothing to buy.
Opens your own email, from your own address — so it arrives from you, not from us. We don't see who you send it to.
The visitor register
We can't see who uses this, and we'd rather not guess. If it was useful, or if we got something wrong about how your office actually works, tell us — it's how the next one gets written better.
Dates assume a first day just after Labor Day. Adjust them to your own calendar — keep the shape: one explanation, two reminders, one deadline that lands before the count.
Use this however you like. Copy it, edit it, put your own letterhead on it.