School Breakfast
Schools as Nutrition Hubs
How School Meals Reach Kids
Program Overview
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Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for free meals, while those from families with incomes between 130 and 185 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals. USDA reimburses schools for breakfasts served to students that qualify for free and reduced-price meal rates. Learn more with How School Meals Reach Kids, a No Kid Hungry resource for advocates and elected officials that traces the path of the funding that supports school breakfast and lunch from Congress to the cafeteria. It also answers common questions that advocates and elected officials have about how the programs work.
School breakfast reimbursement rates for the 2020 - 2021 school year are as follows:
| School Breakfast Programs (SY 20-21) | Non-Severe Need | Severe Need | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contiguous States | Paid | $0.32 | $0.32 |
| Reduced Price | $1.59 | $1.96 | |
| Free | $1.89 | $2.26 | |
| Alaska | Paid | $0.49 | $0.49 |
| Reduced Price | $2.73 | $3.34 | |
| Free | $3.03 | $3.64 | |
| Hawaii & Puerto Rico | Paid | $0.37 | $0.37 |
| Reduced Price | $1.91 | $2.34 | |
| Free | $2.21 | $2.64 | |
For additional information, visit the USDA’s School Breakfast Program page.