Free, reduced-price lunches up slightly

The number of students receiving free and reduced-price lunches in local schools is increasing, and administrators blame the recession and its effect on the job market.

"The reason that the numbers are going up is because more people are getting laid off," said Angie Dutuin, Colbert County child nutrition director.

In the Colbert County school district, 5 percent more students are receiving free or reduced-price lunches than a year ago, Dutuin said. "It may not seem like a lot, but we were already at 68 percent. Now it's at 73 percent," she said.

Dutuin said she wouldn't be surprised if the numbers reach 80 percent by next school year.

Some local systems have seen less of an increase.

"Our numbers have only changed about 1 percent since last year," said Bob Grice, child nutrition director for Florence City Schools. "We really haven't seen a big change."

He said about 100 students have applied for free and reduced lunches since Oct. 1. "I don't think that all of those can be attributed to new families moving to (the area)."

Myra Hickman, child nutrition director for Tuscumbia City Schools, said most parents don't know that if they receive food stamps, their children are automatically approved for free lunches at school.

Katy Richey, who works for the Lauderdale County child nutrition director, said they have had calls from people who have lost their jobs and are moving back to Lauderdale County.

"Everybody feels the same way. They wish that there were more jobs," Richey said. "If you want to feed your family, you don't care what you have to do."

The number of students who eat breakfast at school has increased in some school systems.

"At our elementary schools, we have had more students eating breakfast," said Paige Soeder, child nutrition director for Sheffield City Schools.

Dutuin said her district has been promoting the school breakfast meal.

"A lot of kids don't know that they can get a free breakfast," if they're on the free lunch program, she said.

Soeder said the high schools have implemented a breakfast program called "grab and go."

With this program, schools have breakfast in a bag and it's ready for students to "grab" with a drink and take to their first class. Richey said the breakfast program especially helps students coming from homes where parents leave earlier for work.

Dutuin said a lot of children whose parents are struggling might only be getting the two meals that they eat at school.

"We've suspected that for a while," Richey said.

Richey said if they have chips or something else in a package, some students would take it with them to take home or use for their afternoon snack.

Hickman said most parents are under the misconception that they can only apply for free or reduced-price lunches at the beginning of the year, "but they can apply any time."

"We've had about 20 to 30 applications since Christmas vacation," Hickman said.

Dutuin said children fall into three categories based on income.

If the family is below 130 percent of the federal poverty level, they receive free lunches. If they are between 130 percent and 185 percent of the federal poverty level, they receive reduce-priced lunches, and if the family's income is above 185 percent they are on the paid lunch program.

The U.S. Census Bureau updates the poverty guidelines, or poverty level, year by year. In 2007, the guidelines noted that if a family of four has an income of less than $20,650, they are considered below the poverty level.

Hickman said the fact that more students are getting free or reduced-price lunches helps schools.

In Tuscumbia schools, the lunch program gets 24 cents per lunch if a student pays full price. If the student gets reduced-price lunches, the program gets $2.17 each.

It receives $2.57 for each free lunch.

Hickman said a student on the reduced-priced lunch program pays 40 cents for lunch. "You can't pack a lunch for 40 cents."