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Basic page Study Series: School Meal Program Operations

We have studied school meal program operations for a long time. You can access published reports that go back to school year 1988-89. Each study in this series focuses on topics that are important to program operations at the time. Sometimes the studies also collect information about other child nutrition programs, like the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program.

03/24/2026
Resource | Research and Data School Meal Program Operations, School Year 2022-23

We regularly collect information about the school meal programs and how they operate from the people who know best – the state agencies that oversee the programs in each state and territory and the school food authorities that manage the programs locally in one or more schools. 

03/24/2026
Resource | Research and Data FY 2024 SNAP Recertification Processing Timeliness

Fiscal year 2024 SNAP recertification processing timeliness rates. 

03/12/2026
Resource | Research and Data FY 2024 SNAP Application Processing Timeliness

Fiscal year 2024 SNAP application processing timeliness rates. 

03/12/2026
Data Visualization
SNAP State Options Report Dashboard

This dashboard is an interactive version of the traditional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program State Options Report. It provides information on all 53 SNAP state agencies’ implementation choices on a selection of SNAP policy options and waivers.

03/04/2026
Data Visualization
WIC Breastfeeding Data Local Agency Dashboard

The Child Nutrition Act requires USDA to annually compile and publish breastfeeding performance measurements. We use this data to monitor breastfeeding trends and to help identify exemplary performance of WIC state and local agencies in breastfeeding and make awards to such agencies.

01/15/2026
Resource | Research and Data | Assessing/Improving Operations Assessment of States' Use of Computer Matching Protocols in SNAP

As required by federal law, state SNAP agencies verify financial and non-financial information by matching SNAP applicant and participant information to various national and state data sources to ensure they meet the program’s eligibility criteria. Data matching is an important tool for ensuring program integrity and benefit accuracy. However,  information on states’ data matching practices and protocols is limited. This study was undertaken to address this knowledge gap.

08/11/2020
Page updated: September 16, 2025