Child Nutrition Reauthorization Center
Expanding Access to Child Nutrition Programs
Improving the Area Eligibility Test: 40 Percent of Children
Rather Than 50 Percent Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch
Improving the Area Eligibility Test: 40 Percent of Children
Rather Than 50 Percent Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch
One of the Food Research and Action Center’s top recommendations for child nutrition reauthorization is to improve the area eligibility test from its current 50 percent to 40 percent. This change would considerably expand low-income children’s access to nutritious food.
The following state maps show the impact of lowering area eligibility from 50 to 40 percent. The maps are formatted for color printing. If printed using a black and white printer, change the legend to read that: “The light areas on the map are currently eligible. If area eligibility was improved to 40 percent, the darker areas would become eligible."