School Lunch Programs in West Virginia
This Science and Technology Note discusses the status of school lunch programs in West Virginia that help to provide lunch to students from low-income families or communities.
Research Highlights
West Virginia has higher rates of poverty and childhood hunger than the national average.
Every public school in West Virginia participates in USDA programs to provide free or reduced priced lunches to students meeting certain requirements.
Other states have passed legislation to provide free school meals to all students, which has generally been popular and could be implemented in West Virginia.
Food insecurity has significant effects on academic outcomes in students, which have improved upon implementation of school lunch programs. The federal government has programs in place to help provide meals to students in K-12 schools. This Science and Technology Note discusses the landscape of food insecurity and poverty in West Virginia, the state of school lunch programs, and implementation examples from other states.
Income, Poverty, and Food Insecurity Rates in West Virginia
West Virginia ranks 48th out of 51 among states and Washington, DC for income, and poverty rates are higher than national averages. Food insecurity occurs when a household has limited access to food. About 15.7% of West Virginians are food insecure, with slightly lower rates (10-13%) in Putnam, Grant, Pleasants, Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan, and Doddridge Counties. Hunger rates for children are higher than the overall population at 20%, similar to the national average. Food insecurity affects a child’s ability to perform academically by increasing absenteeism, decreasing their cognitive function, and leading to lower test scores.
Based on data from the United States Census Bureau
West Virginia School Lunch Legislation and Programs
Every public school in West Virginia participates in the USDA’s National School Lunch Program (NSLP, confirmed by WVDE 9/18/2025). Both the NSLP and SB 663 (Feed to Achieve), passed in 2013, require that nutritious meals be provided to students in accordance with federal nutrition standards.
The NSLP provides funding to state departments of education to reimburse schools for free or reduced priced lunches to students from low-income families. To qualify for free lunch, household income must be below 130% of the federal poverty level or be receiving SNAP or TANF benefits. Students from households earning 130-185% of the federal poverty level qualify for reduced priced lunches. Schools are reimbursed $4.60 per free lunch and $4.20 per reduced-priced lunch. In West Virginia, 67% of students qualify for this program. Providing students with free lunches has been met largely with public support, as 89% of survey respondents indicated they support providing free meals to students from low-income families. 6% of respondents indicated they did not support these programs, saying government money would be better spent on other programs.
In addition to the NSLP program, most schools in West Virginia participate in the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The CEP guarantees that all students at a participating school have access to a free lunch, regardless of their household income. In order to be eligible for CEP participation, at least 25% of students must meet certain criteria including: qualifying for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, or Head Start; or be a foster student or homeless. Schools are reimbursed for the cost of meals based on the proportion of students that are eligible. Any funds not reimbursed by the CEP are covered through the local county budgets. While the total incurred cost would vary by school, a 2024 analysis found that it would cost counties about $1.36 million to cover the 15 affected schools. Utah has alleviated financial strain on schools by allocating state funds to cover these expenses. This could be done in West Virginia, however critics have argued that it is government overreach and expensive.
627 of the 637 CEP-eligible West Virginia schools participated during the 2025-2026 school year. Non-participating schools include 3 schools in Putnam County and one in Greenbrier County. The 3 eligible Putnam County schools would receive about 50% reimbursement from CEP, while the Greenbrier County School would receive full reimbursement. The remaining non-participating schools are private, charter or preschools.
| School Participating in CEP | Eligible Students | Total Enrollment | Percent Eligible Students | Multiplier | Lunches Reimbursed at Free Rate | Lunches Reimbursed at Paid Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 45 | 100 | 45% | 45 x 1.6 = 72 | 72% | 28% |
| B | 50 | 200 | 25% | 25 x 1.6 = 40 | 40% | 60% |
| C | 175 | 200 | 88% | 88 x 1.6 = 141 | 100% | 0% |
| D | 35 | 100 | 35% | 25 x 1.6 = 56 | 56% | 44% |
| C+D as group | 210 | 300 | 70% | 70 x 1.6 = 112 | 100% | 0% |
The USDA includes a 1.6 multiplier in calculating the percent of meals paid to cover administrative costs and any potential eligible students not counted. The federal free and paid rates are the amounts schools are reimbursed for each lunch served in that category. For fiscal year 2025-2026, schools receive $4.60 for each lunch reimbursed at the free rate and $0.44 for each lunch reimbursed at the paid rate.
One policy option to increase school participation in the CEP is to require eligible schools to participate in the CEP, and thus provide free lunch to all students. This was proposed in HB 3296 (2023), HB 4490 (2024) and HB 2821 (2025), but has not advanced out of committee. However, public perception of free lunch programs is generally positive. A 2023 survey found that 60% of the general population supported providing free meals to all students, citing fairness and better academic outcomes. Participation in these programs has been found to lead to increased test scores and decreased suspension rates. Critics, however, argue that providing free meals to all students is unfair to wealthier families who could afford to pay for their student’s lunches having to pay for other students as well. They also worry that it could stigmatize students that bring their own lunches and be too costly for the government. There is additional concern from students at schools with free lunch programs regarding the variety of the menu; diversity of options, such as vegetarian or ethnic cuisines; and lower food quality, although studies have shown that school lunches are nutritionally better than lunches brought from home.
School Lunch Programs in Other States
Utah passed HB 100 (Food Security Amendments) in 2025, which mandates that any non-reimbursed expenses to cover the cost of a free or reduced-priced lunch through the NSLP will be paid for by the State, but does not mandate participation in CEP. Furthermore, it establishes a Share the Table program that permits students to return unopened or uneaten foods and drinks to be redistributed to other students, thus reducing food waste. A Share The Table program could also be established in West Virginia schools.
HB 3296 (2023), HB 4490 (2024), and HB 2821 (2025) would have implemented Healthy School Meals for All (HSMA) legislation in West Virginia. HSMA has been passed in 9 states: California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, and Vermont. In addition, this legislation has been proposed in 25 more states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania. HSMA requires all schools to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students. Costs are met by requiring schools to maximize reimbursements from federal funding sources like the NSLP and CEP and any additional required funding is allocated by the state.
This Science and Technology Note was prepared by Nathan G. Burns, PhD, West Virginia Science & Technology Policy Fellow on behalf of the West Virginia Science and Technology Policy (WV STeP) Initiative. The WV STeP Initiative provides nonpartisan research and information to members of the West Virginia Legislature. This Note is intended for informational purposes only and does not indicate support or opposition to a particular bill or policy approach. Please contact info@wvstep.org for more information.
