Half of students eligible for meal deal

IDAHO FALLS – One of every two Idaho students qualified for free or reduced-price lunches in 2011, according to the state Department of Education.

The agency reported 50 percent of students were eligible to receive subsidized school meals last year. That’s up from 2008, when 37 percent qualified for meals through the federal nutrition program, the Post Register reported.

State child nutrition programs director Colleen Fillmore blamed the increase on the recession and the economy’s fragile recovery, saying more families need financial help than in previous years. A spike in families getting federal help to buy groceries also played a role.

Students in families receiving food stamps automatically qualify for the federal lunch program. In Idaho, food stamp recipients hit a record benchmark late last year when 235,000 people were receiving the federal aid during the month of November.

Children in a family of four with an annual household income of $29,000 or less are eligible for free lunches.

Students in a family of four with a yearly income of $41,000 or less would qualify for a reduced-price meal.