Data & Research
This report presents the characteristics of schools and students by their school meal program participation and certification status in the spring of 1992. The analysis is based on data from the most recent school nutrition data collection effort, the 1992 School Nutrition Dietary Assessment (SNDA) survey.
To manage the Child Nutrition programs effectively, FNS collects and analyzes information from annual State-level management reports. However, because these State-level reports vary considerably in both format and content, FNS is unable to rely on this source for all of its ongoing information needs.
The study collected data on-site on food, labor, and other meal production costs for a five day period. A major goal was to test the feasibility of identifying meal production costs that were not charged to the SFA account (to obtain full costs) and directly allocating costs to different SFA activities.
Prior to 1982, school districts were not required to verify the income or household size declared by households that applied for meal benefits. It was assumed that households were correctly reporting their income, and children from households that applied and declared a sufficiently Low income were given free or reduced-price meals. From 1982 to the present, the verification of household income for at least some of the approved application s for meal benefits has been part of each school district's responsibilities.