The National School Lunch Program serves 24 million daily

Food Review, Oct-Dec, 1992 by Masao Matsumoto

The National School Lunch Program ranks behind the Food Stamp Program as the Federal Government's largest food assistance program. On an average school day in fiscal 1992, the program served 24.5 million lunches to children in 92,300 schools and residential child care institutions.

In fiscal 1992, the Federal Government provided $3.8 billion to schools participating in the program. Commodities worth $752.4 million were also distributed. Student payments and State and local funds contribute an approximately equal amount to cover the rest of the cost of the lunches.

Congress established the National School Lunch Program in 1946 to safeguard the health of American children by encouraging consumption of nutritious foods and to provide an outlet for surplus commodities by encouraging domestic consumption through noncommercial channels.

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the National School Lunch Program nationwide. All public schools and nonprofit private schools are eligible to participate. State agencies administer the programs in public schools. Other institutions and local school districts prepare and serve the meals. Participating schools are required to serve nutritious lunches that meet USDA guidelines which specify servings, quantities, and types of foods. A typical lunch includes a serving of a protein-rich food, fruit and/or vegetable, bread, and milk. Schools adjust the portion sizes according to children's ages.

Low-Income Children

Receive Free Lunches

The Federal Government reimburses States based on the number and type (free, reduced-price, or full-price) of lunches served. All children attending participating schools are eligible to receive a school lunch, but the price they pay depends on their family income.

Eligibility to receive a free or reduced-price lunch is based on the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) poverty guidelines, which are modified yearly.

For the 1992-93 school year, a child from a family of four with an annual income of $18,135 or less is eligible for a free lunch. A child from a family of four whose annual income is between $18,136 and $25,808 is eligible for reduced-price lunches. Children whose family income exceeds these Federal income limits must pay full price.

Participation Rates

Stable

In June 1992, the National School Lunch Program operated in 92,300 schools and residential childcare institutions, with a total enrollment of 42.7 million students - about 90 percent of all children in kindergarten through grade 12. About 58 percent of the students attending participating schools ate in the school lunch program.

About 4.1 billion lunches were served during the 1991-92 school year: 1.88 billion free (45.9 percent), 284 million reduced-price (6.9 percent), and 1.93 billion full price (47.2 percent). The proportion of all lunches served free or at reduced prices has remained relatively stable over time, although free and reduced-price participation tends to increase in economic downturns.

On an average school day in fiscal 1992, 24.5 million children participated in the National School Lunch Program (table 1). The number of students served has fluctuated at around 24 million since 1986.

Table 1
Participation in the National School Lunch Program
Has Remained Steady Since 1979

  Fiscal    Full   Reduced
  year     price     price   Free   Total

                         Million children

1979       15.3       1.7    10.0   27.0
1980       14.7       1.9    10.0   26.6
1981       13.3       1.9    10.6   25.8
1982       11.5       1.6     9.8   22.9
1983       11.2       1.5    10.3   23.0
1984       11.5       1.5    10.3   23.3
1985       12.1       1.6     9.9   23.6
1986       12.2       1.6    10.0   23.8
1987       12.4       1.6    10.0   24.0
1988       12.8       1.6     9.8   24.2
1989       12.8       1.6     9.7   24.1
1990       12.6       1.7     9.9   24.2
1991       12.1       1.8    10.3   24.2
1992       11.7       1.7    11.1   24.5

Lunch Program (table 1). The number of students served has fluctuated at around 24 million since 1986.

Federal Payments

Up 10 Percent

Federal cash reimbursements to State agencies for the program in fiscal 1991 totaled $3.5 billion, a 9.8-percent increase from 1990 (table 2). State agencies are reimbursed on a per meal basis. The reimbursement rates are revised each year to reflect changes in the consumer price index (CPI) series for food away from home.

Table 2
Federal Payments to the national School Lunch Program Have Grown Steadily

  Fiscal     Cash        Value of commodities     Total
  year     payments   Entitlement         Bonus     Total

                            Million dollars

1979       1,991.1      675.3              69.6   2,736.0
1980       2,296.0      772.5             132.0   3,200.5
1981       2,397.2      578.9             316.3   3,292.4
1982       2,191.3      426.2             339.9   2,957.4
1983       2,405.9      433.4             339.9   3,179.2
1984       2,506.1      445.8             384.1   3,336.0
1985       2,578.4      456.0             345.2   3,379.6
1986       2,714.5      445.7             372.6   3,532.8
1987       2,797.1      448.5             439.6   3,685.2
1988       2,917.4      466.3             348.6   3,732.3
1989       3,004.9      474.5             291.2   3,770.6
1990       3,210.2      446.1             153.8   3,830.1
1991       3,524.9      584.3             101.9   4,211.1
1992       3,837.7      636.8             115.6   4,509.1