Community Assessment Data
A Guide to Understanding the Well-Being of Children & Families in Erie County, Pennsylvania

Children Receiving Free or Reduced Price School Lunches

CHARTS

Children Receiving Free or Reduced Price School Lunches in Public Schools

Children Receiving Free or Reduced Price School Lunches in Private Schools


MEASUREMENT

Figures are counts from the Pennsylvania Department of education on the number of children eligible to receive free and reduced price school lunches during October of the stated year. Comparisons are made to enrollment figures from the Pennsylvania Department of Education during October of the stated year. The percentage of children receiving free or reduced priced school lunches is the number of children eligible to receive free or reduced priced lunches divided by the total enrollment and multiplied by 100.

DESCRIPTION

Many studies have shown strong links between child hunger and poor performance in school. By providing free or reduced price, nutritionally balanced school lunches, children who are financially eligible for the program should not face hunger during school but should be able to concentrate on learning.

The National School Lunch Program, initiated in 1946, is a federally assisted meal program that operates in public and nonprofit private schools as well as residential child care institutions. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through its Food and Nutrition Service, administers the program at the Federal level. At the state level, the program is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, which operates the program through agreements with local school districts. School districts and independent schools that choose to take part in the lunch program receive cash reimbursement and donated commodity assistance from USDA for each meal they serve. In return, they must serve lunches that meet Federal nutrition requirements, and they must offer free or reduced price lunches to eligible children.

Children in families receiving TANF or food stamps, or with family incoe at or below 130% of the poverty level, are eligible for free lunches. Children in families with income between 130% and 185% of the poverty level are elibible for reduced price lunches.¹

DATA ANALYSIS

• Between the 1998-1999 school year and 2001-2002 school year, the percentage of students in public schools eligible for free or reduced price lunches in erie County rose 7.9% while the percentage for sturdents in private schools dropped 10.6%. For the City of Erie School District, the proportion increased 11.6% over this time period.
• Compared to the Pennsylvania private school percentage during 2001-2002, the Erie County proportion was 8.8% lower. When the Erie County public schools and the City of Erie School District were compared to the Pennsylvania data for this same time period, the Erie County percentage was 24.0% higher while the City of Erie School District was 124.3% higher than the state rate.
• The City of Erie, Corry, Girard, Northwestern and Union City school districts had higher percentages of children eligible for free or reduced price lunches than the Pennsylvania pulic school rate.
• Erie County had the highest percentage of children eligible for free or reduced price lunches compared to other Urban Third Class Counties. The Erie County proportion was 19.5% higher than the rate for all schools in Pennsylvania.

FOOTNOTE

¹ Food and Nutrition Programs. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2003, from http://www.pde.state.pa.us/food_nutrition/cwp/view.asp?a=5&Q=45622.