Statewide school lunch program increase bypasses Sheridan - KOTA Territory News

Statewide school lunch program increase bypasses Sheridan

The number of kids in Wyoming getting free or reduced-price school lunches jumped 2 percent from last year to this year.

Thirty-seven percent of students now benefit from the program.

And while the recession has pushed that statistic higher across the country, local numbers are looking a little better.

"It is decreased from what it was last year," said Mary Legler, principal at Holy Name Catholic School in Sheridan. "Last year we had 23 percent [getting free or reduced-price lunches], up to 27 at any given moment."

Now it's down to 18 percent -- about two dozen of the school's 132 students.

And while that decrease sounds good, Legler said it's still quite a bit higher than it was pre-recession.
 
"It's almost doubled," she said, "but again, when you increase with those large numbers, you're going to have those percentages."
 
Those large numbers are the 17 percent increase in total enrollment over the same time period. So while there are more kids getting reduced-price lunches, there are more kids overall.
 
"Anytime you're working with numbers that happens," Legler said.
 
But not necessarily to the same extent.

Sheridan County School District 2 elementary education director Scott Stults said the change in the lunch program for the city's public schools is insignificant.
 
"What we're seeing a difference from this year versus last year is less than a quarter of a percent," Stults said.
 
That's a quarter of a percent down despite strong enrollment.
 
"Our numbers are pretty consistent to where we were a year ago, which were the largest numbers we've seen in over 20 years," said Stults. "So we're seeing another real strong incoming class."
 
They're also seeing a lunch program stat that matches the state's 37 percent.
 
"It's remained fairly steady," he said.
 
And until the economy is back to pre-recession levels, Legler said whether or not that number stays steady is up to the community.
 
"I don't know if we're able to" bring the number down, Legler said, "other than just connecting, like the fine people do of Sheridan. Finding jobs for parents, finding babysitting for parents"

The free or reduced-priced lunch program is based on family income.

For instance, a family of four must make less than about $42,000 to qualify for reduced lunches and under $30,000 for free lunches.