Data Brief: 2023-24 Free and Reduced-Price Enrollments

U.S. public schools reported 31.4 million children were enrolled for free or reduced-price meals during the 2023-24 school year. This is an unprecedented increase of 4.5% from the previous school year, with an additional 1.3 million kids now enrolled for free or reduced-price school meals. Increased utilization of national programs that expand access to free and reduced-price meals may explain the significant increase in free and reduced-price enrollments in school year 2023-24.

Learn more about the increase in free and reduced-price meal enrollment by downloading this data brief. An overview of the national trend and a data table with state level change is included in the download.