Definition

Number of children receiving free- or reduced-price school lunch.

Includes children attending traditional public schools and charter schools. Participation data for only traditional public and charter schools were not available prior to 2008-09, so prior comparisons are not applicable.

Data Source

New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

Notes

Data as of October for each school year.

Data updated 11/7/2025.

Please note, that due to changes in eligibility, it is advised not to compare the year to year data because of differing eligibility levels.

Note: Data are not reported for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years due to the following:

• While operating remotely, districts altered traditional breakfast and lunch service, distributing multiple days' meals at select local sites.

• Due to federal legislation aimed at reducing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, all students, regardless of income, were eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch.

Last Updated

2025-11