School Meal Programs

Book excerpt: In FY 2008, 31 million children participated in the Nat. School Lunch Program and 10 million children participated in the School Breakfast Program each school day. The majority of school meals are provided for free or at a reduced price to low-income students. Some states and school districts have chosen to implement programs that eliminate the reduced-price fee (known as ERP programs) and instead provide free meals to students eligible for the reduced fee. This report provides info. on: (1) what is known about the states and districts that have eliminated the reduced-price fee for school meals; (2) the experiences of states and districts that have ERP programs; and (3) the factors that may help or hinder the estab. or continuation of ERP programs.