This past academic year has witnessed a significant milestone in Kenton County Schools as they introduced a free meals program. The impact and success of this initiative have been widely touted by school officials. The universal meal program, which offers breakfast and lunch free of charge to every student in the district, was prominently displayed during Monday's school board meeting. District leaders presented the numbers of students and other relevant figures who are now benefiting from this program.

Unlock Student Success with Free Meals

Introduction and Expansion of the Program

Last year in the district, an astonishing 2,013,527 meals were served. At the current rate, it is projected that they will serve 330,000 more meals. This is the first academic year that the district has implemented the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program in every school. Previously, only nine schools offered this program. The federal program aims to assist student populations with a high number of families relying on federal assistance. A district becomes eligible when at least 25% of the student population meets certain criteria such as relying on food stamps, TANF, or being in foster care or experiencing homelessness. The federal government expanded the eligibility threshold in October 2023, allowing more districts to participate. Currently, the district's average is 41.85%.This program is based on reimbursements. The district tracks the meals eaten as part of the program (extra, a la carte items are not eligible) and submits the numbers to the federal government, which then reimburses the district. The universality of the program has several benefits. There is no onerous application process or means testing, reducing paperwork and administrative labor. It also reduces the stigma that some students may experience when receiving free lunch and eliminates the need to keep track of uncollected meal charges. Additionally, it increases the overall revenue for the district. As Director of Student Nutrition Jennifer Notton mentioned after the meeting, "We're not just breaking even; we're actually making money. This will enable us to start replacing some aging equipment."

Impact on Student Access to Food

Vanover projected the number of meals served on the wall, and most metrics showed significant increases. He admitted that a large part of the increase was due to more schools participating in the program. However, the overall trends indicated that more kids were participating each subsequent month. This means that more and more students are gaining reliable access to food with fewer barriers. Having a reliable food source is crucial for student success. Citing statistics, Vanover made a compelling case. One 2013 study from Deloitte found that students who ate breakfast scored higher on standardized tests and had better attendance overall. In the U.S., one in five students lacks reliable access to food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Kentucky, 14.5% of households are food insecure, which is higher than the national average of 12.2%. You can use the interactive map below to compare averages with other states.Board President Jesica Jehn commended the program's expansion and asked an important question: "What is the favorite menu item?" Notton responded that if the students could have their way, it would be anything chicken tender, chicken nugget, or chicken patty. But there is a mix of options, and they always have chicken as an option on Wednesdays.LINK nky is a media partner of WCPO.com.