The School Lunch Program is a federal program that provides cash assistance to states to operate nonprofit lunch programs in schools and residential childcare institutions. School districts and independent schools that choose to take part in the National School Lunch Program get cash subsidies and donated commodities from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for each meal they serve. In return, they must serve lunches that meet federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced price lunches to eligible children.

The monthly average number of children is computed with data from October through December of the previous year, plus January through May plus September of the current year.