Definition

This indicator represents the number of children eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunch in public schools. Children may also be eligible to receive free or reduced price breakfast and/or milk. To receive a free or reduced price meal, households must meet income eligibility requirements. Children in food stamp or TANF families are automatically eligible for free school meals. Families who receive commodity assistance through food distribution programs in American Indian tribal areas are also automatically eligible for free meals. In the 2014/15 school year, a new lunch option was made available to South Dakota schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The CEP was enacted as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act 2010 and provides universal meal service to students enrolled in schools with at least 40 percent of students who are directly certified for free meals.

The denominator for the percentage is total public school enrollment in respective geographic areas.

Data Source

State and District data: South Dakota Department of Education, Statistical Digest, https://doe.sd.gov/ofm/statdigest.aspx

County data: Child and Adult Nutrition Services, South Dakota Department of Education. https://doe.sd.gov/

Notes

- Corsica 21-2 and Stickney 01-2 consolidated into Corsica-Stickney 21-3 in 2015/16 and is only reported as Corsica-Stickney 21-3 in this table.

Shannon County School District 65-1 changed their district name to Oglala Lakota County School District 65-1 in 2015 and is only reported as Oglala Lakota County School District in this table. Grant-Deuel School Disctrict dissolved and attached to Milbank School District 25-4, Deuel School District 19-4, and Waverly-South Shore School District 14-5 in 2017/18.

Data for school year 2020/21 and 2021/22 are not reported. Due to COVID-19 and waivers available to provide free meals to all students, data on free and reduced price lunch participation is not accurate.

Last Updated

2025-03