State law requires the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to annually report to the Legislature the number of schools participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The report must identify barriers to participation and make recommendations to increase participation. The CEP…

Financial support provided by the Legislature helps to ensure Washington children have access to healthy school meals. In fiscal year 2022, the Legislature provided $11.5 million to eliminate the co-pay for reduced-price meals, support summer meal programs, provide school districts with financial support for breakfast meal service, and provide…

Educators at North Mason wanted a cohesive assessment plan for their district. With help from NWEA, they aligned assessments to appropriate purposes and began focusing on student growth.

During the school year, the School Lunch Program provides one-third to one-half of the nutrients low-income children consume every day. However, the rate of participation by eligible children in the Summer Food Service Program is only 15.5 percent of the target population. Created by Congress in 1968, the Summer Food Service Program is designed to…

The U.N. World Food Program fed about 110 million people around the world last year, including 15.6 million children who receive their meals at school. The United States provides money for school feeding programs that is awarded to the U.N. program and other relief agencies. Judith Lewis, U.S.-relations director for the World Food Program, said…

This third annual Kids Count report examines statewide trends in the well-being of Washington's children. The statistical portrait is based on five general areas of children's well-being: family and community, economic well-being, health, education, and safety and security. The 19 key indicators of child well-being are: (1) single parent families;…