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More than a Quarter of Public Schools Now Offer All Students Free School Meals Through State or Local Initiatives

Excerpt:  “The latest School Pulse Panel (SPP) data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical division of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, show that an increased number of public schools now operate school meal programs through state or local initiatives, offering all students free lunches and breakfasts. As of school year 2024–25, 29 percent of schools offer these programs, up from 21 percent in October 2022. Overall, 91 percent of public schools participate in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) meal programs, an increase from the 2022–23 school year (88 percent). Another 4 percent allow students to purchase meals outside the USDA program. Among schools providing meals, 67 percent collected household applications for free- or reduced-price meals, though 55 percent of these schools (39 percent of all schools) identified parent reluctance to submit applications as a challenge. Other operational hurdles included food service staff shortages (reported by 38 percent of all schools).”