America is facing a childhood nutrition crisis.

According to recent estimates, nearly 14 million children in the U.S. live in food-insecure households, unsure of when or how they will get their next meal. For these families, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a lifeline.

But not all children who qualify benefit from it.

As full-time, public online education grows in popularity, a troubling reality has emerged. Virtual public school students are left out of the free and reduced lunch program. This is unacceptable.

The State of School Nutrition in America

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program that operates in schools and child care institutions across the U.S., providing nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day.

Each year, over 29.5 million children are provided free or reduced-price lunch meals, all based on their household income. This life-changing program has proven to:

• Reduce overall food insecurity amongst young children
• Improve dietary intake, reducing nutritional inadequacies and ensuring children get healthy, well-balanced meals
• Positively impact health, including significant reduction in average BMI of young children
• Provides a better learning environment, as children facing hunger tend to have more behavioral issues and poorer academic performance

This program doesn’t just feed our children, it helps them to thrive.

Not All Public School Students Are Included

Today, over 347,000 full-time online public school students qualify for free and reduced-lunch benefits, but get nothing. These students are counted in each state’s census data used for NSLP allocation purposes, but denied the benefits those funds are intended to support simply because of where they learn.

This is all despite the fact that:

• Over 57% of virtual students qualify for free or reduced lunch
• Virtual students are often from vulnerable populations, including low-income, rural, disabled, or students of color
• Flexibilities allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic proved that at-home school lunch service is not only feasible but effective
• The USDA’s current school lunch guidelines are nearly 80 years old and don’t reflect the rise of online public education

Why Families Choose Virtual Education

At its core, school choice is about giving families the freedom to select the education model that works best for them. That freedom is now more important, and popular, than ever before.

Across the country, enrollment in alternative public school options, including virtual schools, is on the rise as families seek greater flexibility, accessibility, and support. Parents are turning to full-time online public schools for a number of reasons, including:

• Health Concerns: Some students have chronic illnesses, are immunocompromised, or face mental health challenges that make in-person attendance difficult or unsafe
• Academic Needs: Online learning offers greater flexibility and individualized pacing for advanced learners or students needing extra support
• Bullying & Safety Concerns: Virtual environments provide a safe alternative for students who experienced bullying or unsafe conditions in traditional schools
• Family Circumstances: Military families, rural households with limited school options, or families facing housing instability often find online schools more accessible
• Specialized Curriculum: Some online public schools offer specialized academic programs or schedules that better align with student interests or family needs

These are public school students and deserve access to the same support as their peers in physical classrooms.

Nutrition Is a Right, Not a Perk

Ensuring every student has access to school meals isn’t just about logistics, it’s about equity. We can’t claim to fight hunger while excluding an entire group of public school students. Therefore, our policies must evolve to serve students wherever they learn.

Achieving true freedom means that hundreds of thousands of American families would not be forced to choose between access to basic, nutritional support and the education model that works best for their child.

Virtual learners are real students. Their needs are real. Their hunger is real.

Parents for School Options and Lunch for Every Learner believe that no student should be punished or starved simply because they chose an alternative public education program. We call on the federal government to modernize the National School Lunch Program to serve every public school student, no matter their classroom setting.