The number of local students who receive free or reduced-price meals has inched up this school year, officials with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools said.
But the increase here is lower than that seen in some other systems across the country.
A survey of more than 130 school districts in 38 states by the School Nutrition Association shows an average increase of 2.5 percent from the 2007-08 school year.
According the association's report "Saved by the Lunch Bell: As Economy Sinks, School Nutrition Program Participation Rises," about 425,000 more students are getting free or reduced-price meals in this school year than in 2007-08.
Last month, 25,037 Winston-Salem/Forsyth County students -- about 47.7 percent of the average number of students at school on a given day -- get free or reduced-price lunches, an increase of about 1,000 students or 0.67 percent over that time last school year.
But there have been small, steady increases in the number of applications for free or reduced meals each day, officials said.
"I get a lot of applications in every day," said Robin Whitt, a food-service manager for the Forsyth school system's free and reduced-price meal program.
"I get calls from parents saying they've lost their jobs, and they're going on unemployment or they're not getting on any kind of assistance.
"I feel like we are processing more applications than usual for this time of the year and adjusting applications we already have on file."
The school system's child-nutrition office accepts applications all year, she said.
In Forsyth and other school systems that are part of the National School Lunch Program, children in a family of four whose parents make no more than $39,220 a year before taxes qualify for reduced-rate breakfasts and lunches.
This year, breakfast at elementary schools normally costs $1.80, and lunch costs $2.25.
For middle-school students, breakfast is $1.90, and lunch is $2.35.
High-school students pay $2 for breakfast and $2.45 for lunch.
Students in all elementary, middle and high schools who get a reduced-meal rate pay 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch, officials said.
A child in a family of four whose parents make less than $27,560 a year can get meals for free.
In most cases, parents must fill out applications to determine whether their children qualify for the free or reduced-price meal program based on their income and the number of people in their household.
Others automatically qualify.
Students with direct certification from the Division of Social Services automatically qualify, as do students who are in foster care or homeless.
Principals can also place students into the free or reduced-price meal program after contacting the student's parents and sending a letter explaining the decision.
The School Nutrition Association's look at the rise in free and reduced-price meal programs in the 2008-09 school year shows that the majority of the school districts that were surveyed have seen an increase in the percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals this year.
In 136 school districts with free and reduced-lunch meals, 59.6 percent reported an increase in the number of students receiving free meals. In 120 school districts that offer free and reduced breakfast meals, 69.2 percent reported having more students in the program, the association's report shows.
Many school districts also reported to the association that they have had fewer students paying for meals at schools this year.
Jay Jones, the principal at Konnoak Elementary School, said that he hasn't had to recommend that any student be placed in the free or reduced-price meal program this year.
"Our parents are really good about making sure that they meet the needs of our children," Jones said. "We always want to make sure that our kids are fully nourished. I couldn't imagine sitting in the classroom hungry. You can't learn hungry."
■ Lisa Boone-Wood can be reached at 727-7232 or at lboone-wood@wsjournal.com.
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