School choice is not always about preference. For many families, it is about survival, safety, and support.

Today, one million students have chosen to enroll in a full-time virtual or partially virtual school… but not because of convenience or luxury. For these families, in-person learning simply does not meet their needs. Yet many discover that by choosing virtual school, they also lose access to free or reduced school lunch. This safety net disappears the moment a child logs in from home. For families making difficult decisions for their children’s wellbeing, this loss of nutrition support can be devastating.

Here is why virtual learning has become a lifeline for so many vulnerable families, and why nutrition support must follow students regardless of how or where they attend school.

Health Concerns

For students with chronic illnesses, immunocompromising conditions, or mental health challenges, virtual learning provides a safer and more stable option. Even years after the pandemic, many parents are still navigating real health risks and school buildings are not always a safe environment for medically fragile children.

Kimberly from Tennessee understands this well. As a grandmother caring for her grandchildren, she turned to virtual schooling because frequent illness kept them from learning consistently. “Our kids were falling behind not because they could not learn, but because they were out sick so often,” she recalls. Since switching to virtual school, chronic illness and absenteeism is no longer an issue. 

Academic Needs

Online learning often offers individualized pacing, smaller student-teacher ratios, and flexibility for students who need either advanced coursework or additional academic support. For neurodivergent students or those who have struggled in traditional settings, virtual learning can be the difference between failure and progress.

For Carkenda in Texas, virtual learning changed everything for her son A’Miere after he was diagnosed with learning differences. Having him learn at home was “like night and day”, she said. “In a controlled environment, he could sit down, engage, and participate without fear of being made fun of. The change restored not only his confidence but his ability to learn.” Yet the shift to virtual school also meant the loss of subsidized meals, leaving the family with one more financial strain.

Bullying and Safety Concerns

Many families turn to virtual learning after their children experience bullying, violence, or discrimination in traditional school environments. Virtual school becomes a place where students can learn without fear and where parents regain peace of mind.

That was true for Brittney in Arkansas. Her daughter endured relentless bullying at school, and moving her to virtual learning finally brought safety and academic success. But the transition came at a cost. With soaring grocery prices, losing access to free school lunches has been a constant struggle. “It is so much harder now”, Brittney explained. “We are paying for everything out of pocket, and with inflation, it is exhausting.” She emphasizes that she is not asking for anything extra, only for her family to be included in the same support programs available to other public school students.

Family Circumstances

Families facing major life transitions often rely on the stability virtual schools provide. This includes military families, rural communities with limited options, and families experiencing housing instability.

For Shenell in Florida, virtual learning was the only way her daughter could continue school during a period of job loss and unstable housing. Virtual school ensured continuity and academic consistency when nearly everything else in their lives felt uncertain. But like other families, their move to online learning also meant the loss of school-provided lunches at a time when every dollar mattered.

Specialized Curriculum

Many online public schools offer unique programs, language tracks, and flexible schedules that help students better explore their interests or accommodate complex family needs. For these families, virtual learning is not optional. It is essential.

Special interests have made Kristen from Pennsylvania’s experience as a virtual school parent nothing short of extraordinary. After enrolling in a full-time virtual program, her son has discovered passions that were not nurtured in his traditional school. “In virtual learning, I can put him in programs that spark his curiosity”, she shared. His interest in engineering even led to an opportunity at a local museum. Despite this success, the loss of the National School Lunch Program has pushed the family to struggle as they cover out of their small household budget. 

These Families Still Need Support

The National School Lunch Program exists to support vulnerable students. Yet, most virtual school students are considered low to moderate income, with more than 50% of them qualifying for free or reduced-priced lunches while receiving nothing. Policy should not penalize families for choosing the school environment that best meets their needs, especially when that choice is driven by safety, health, accessibility, or learning needs.

Lunch for every learner must truly mean every learner.