- Tennessee is working to inform students and families about the availability of nutritional school meals at a free or reduced-price rate for students who are at-risk economically. Nationwide, fewer students register for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) School Meals Program than qualify for services. The Tennessee Department of Education would like more eligible students to participate to ensure these students have the benefit of a balanced diet which is vital to a healthy lifestyle and academic success.

“The need for regular, nutritional meals for a student’s well-being should not be underestimated,” Education Commissioner Lana Seivers said. “From Kindergarten through high school, these students are growing. Their bodies need the fuel of a balanced diet to grow, to stimulate the mind and to focus on learning.”

The USDA?s school meals program provides essential nourishment to children who may not otherwise consume the nutrients necessary for their health and success in school. Roughly 660,000 Tennessee students participated in the school lunch program last year and 232,000 participated in the school breakfast program, with nearly 147 million total meals served.

?Many of us cannot imagine skipping 360 meals in one year, but that is the difference the school meals program means to thousands of students each year,? Director of School Nutrition Sarah White said. ?We want to do everything we can to reach students who qualify for the program but are not yet enrolled.?

Eligibility for free and reduced-price meals is based on family income and set each year by the federal government. Students may receive free meals if their families receive food stamps or Families First benefits; the household income is at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level; or they are in foster care. Students may receive reduced-price meals if their household income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level.

Total household income is the sum all persons living in a home earned before taxes last month, including wages, social security, pension, unemployment, welfare, child support, alimony and any other cash income. Any child meeting the guidelines, regardless of United States citizenship, is eligible for the USDA?s meals program. Families with multiple children need only submit one application.

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