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Majority of Public School Students Eligible for Free Lunch

A new report that analyzed data from the National Center for Education Statistics found that 51 percent of public school students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in 2013, up from 38 percent in 2000.

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School children at Cantu Elementary in San Juan, Texas, are shown eating breakfast on April 24, 2013.
Credit: Delcia Lopez

A new report by the Southern Education Foundation that analyzed data from the National Center for Education Statistics found that 51 percent of public school students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in 2013, up from 38 percent in 2000. Some of the rise can be attributed to the fact that schools are now allowed to offer free lunch to all students if the majority of their population qualifies for the program, but experts note that the numbers have been on the rise for decades. (The New York Times)

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