A new national survey of more than 1,600 families reveals a stark and urgent reality: thousands of public virtual school students are being left without access to the free and reduced-price meals they qualify for, pushing families to make painful decisions no parent should have to face. The findings point to an immediate need for Congress and the USDA to modernize school meal programs so they work for today’s students, not yesterday’s system.

‍Parents Support Expanding School Meal Access

‍The survey shows near-universal agreement among families: 96% of parents support federal action to ensure all public virtual school students can receive free school lunch each day. This overwhelming support spans geography, income levels, and school type, underscoring the broad and urgent mandate for policy change.Parents voices are clear: meal access is a basic necessity, not a privilege tied to attendance at a brick-and-mortar school.

‍A Broken System Is Forcing Parents’ Hands‍

Parents overwhelmingly reported that the lack of school meal access directly influences whether they can keep their child in the learning environment that best supports them. The data shows:

• 66% say they would be more likely to stay in a virtual public school if meal benefits were available.
• Due to rising food prices, 41% of parents are considering sending their child back to a brick-and-mortar school simply to secure a healthy daily meal.

Beyond the near-unanimous 96% support, the survey reveals similarly urgent sentiment: more than 87% strongly agree that all public school students deserve equal access to healthy meals each day, whether they learn online or in person.

Parents are asking for fairness, consistency, and a system that meets the needs of real families.

Families With Clear Need Are Being Left Behind‍

These pressures fall hardest on families already navigating economic strain.  

• 59% of families reported having another child currently receiving school meal benefits in a brick-and-mortar school, indicating their need and qualification for meal benefits, while
• 25% of families reported that they previously had another student enrolled in a brick-and-mortar school who received these school meal benefits.

Families repeatedly tell Parents for School Options that the safety, stability, and individualized support of virtual learning is worth the sacrifice. But no child should be subjected to nutritional inequity because of how they attend a public school.

A Call to Modernize Federal Policy

This survey sends a clear message: families want school meal programs that reflect the realities of modern public education. No child should lose access to nutrition because they learn online instead of in a classroom. Parents know what their children need, and it’s time for Congress and the USDA to listen.

Parents for School Options calls on Congress to update school nutrition policies so they work for today’s students, including the growing number learning virtually.

To learn more, view our full findings.

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The survey of 1,600 likely voters in the United States was conducted in November 2025.

About Parents for School Options

Parents for School Options is an advocacy group that supports families and their pursuit of equitable access to a high-quality education. We defend the family’s right to choose options that are safe, enriched, and suit the needs of each individual child. We give a voice to all options, all families, all backgrounds. We empower families with tools, valid information, networking and support to exercise school choice rights. We work to build future advocates by teaching families and students to share their positive school choice experiences and encourage a love of learning.