Free and Reduced Lunch
Why we track this indicator
School lunch is associated with students' health & wellbeing, particularly in food security, obesity, and food accessibility.
Free and Reduced Lunch Data Breakdown
Status: Red
Definition: Average percentage of students receiving Free and Reduced Lunch out of the total student population in all seven Elkhart County School districts. Free and Reduced Lunch is tracked through the Indiana Department of Education's yearly report and is an unduplicated number. This information is obtained through publicly available data.
Source: Indiana Department of Education
Last Updated: January 2024
Mitigating Factors: None Reported
Methodology
Methodology: Average percent of students on Free and Reduced Lunch is derived from the absolute number of students enrolled in this program for all 7 school districts in Elkhart County. The resulting average is compared to the total average student enrollment in this program across Indiana. The Indiana Department of Education reports this data on a yearly basis.
Goal: To be lower than the state of Indiana.
Traffic Light:
Green: at least 1% lower compared to Indiana
Gray: within +/- 1% of compared to Indiana
Red: at least 1% higher compared to Indiana
Supporting Research
Free and Reduced Lunch Guidelines Updated for Indiana School Children
According to the Indiana Public School Review, about 42% of public school students in Indiana are eligible for free lunches this 2022-2023 school year. Indiana ranks 23rd among states with students on free or reduced lunch plans.
Food Security
Risk factors are present in communities where families frequently experience food insecurity.
True Or False? Free And Reduced-Price Lunch = Poor
Is it a good tool for assessing a child's risk of falling through the cracks of the American education system?
School Meal Eligibility and Reimbursements
Details on school reimbursement rates and other technical factors for Free and Reduced Lunch.
Is Free and Reduced-Price Lunch a Valid Measure of Disadvantage?
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Related Indicators
Click to see more data trends related to Free and Reduced Lunch
Baugo Community Schools
Baugo Community Schools seeks “to sustain our community by improving our schools in four areas: 1). authentic student, family, and community engagement, 2). powerful teaching and learning, 3). expanded student supports, [and] 4). family and community partnerships.”
Elkhart Community Schools
Elkhart Community Schools is a district that serves approximately 13,000 students, and is known for high-quality programs, exceptional teachers, superior learning environments, and strong parental and community support.
Wa-Nee Community Schools
Wa-Nee Community Schools prepares students to be adaptable individuals with the life and educational skills necessary to become responsible and ethical citizens.
Indicators in Action
The ‘Data Action Mini Grant’ program will provide low barrier grants to collaborating partners which will help increase cross-system collaboration and facilitate the community response to needs and/or gaps identified through the Elkhart County Child Dashboard. Applicants may request up to $2,000. Two or more applicants can collaborate for collaborative action based upon one or more data indicators and increase the grant request. By leveraging the ‘Data Action Mini Grant’ program partners can have a platform that helps to inform community goals and creates a stronger sustainability platform for their programs.
For a copy of the 1-page proposal template click here or email David Wiegner.