How does a family qualify for free/reduced lunch?

[Anonymous]

I donate my children's clothing and baby gear that they have outgrown to the cleaning crew at work, and they are very appreciative. One of the ladies told me she doesn't have young children but that there are tons of families with young children in her apartment complex that she gives the stuff to. I also chat with one of the cashiers at the cafeteria-her daughter and grandchildren live with her in a two bedroom apartment. The children are close to my children's age. At Christmas, I wrapped some gifts, put it in a bag and gave it to her. She was in tears. It makes me feel good to do little things like that.

[Anonymous]

Here is what we seek: a compassion that can stand in awe at what the poor have to carry rather than stand in judgment at how they carry it.
-- Greg Boyle, SJ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about how many schools serve breakfast. Ours doesn't, and I wonder how many others don't serve it.

The schools that have enough students with free meals generally also offer breakfast. I remember a few years ago at our Middle School they were encouraging students to come in and buy breakfast so the school wouldn't lose its breakfast offering. There was some minimum threshold they needed to continue to offer breakfast. If they lost it ,the students who qualified for free breakfasts wouldn't get breakfast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about how many schools serve breakfast. Ours doesn't, and I wonder how many others don't serve it.

The schools that have enough students with free meals generally also offer breakfast. I remember a few years ago at our Middle School they were encouraging students to come in and buy breakfast so the school wouldn't lose its breakfast offering. There was some minimum threshold they needed to continue to offer breakfast. If they lost it ,the students who qualified for free breakfasts wouldn't get breakfast.

We had it for one year years ago and so few students ate breakfast it was dicontinued.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school I work at is 93% free/reduced price lunch. Only 2 of my 33 students brought in any school supplies and only one of them could afford to pay the $7 fee for our field trip. Only a handful of them have crayons, glue sticks, etc at home and only 3 or 4 of them have a family car. They don't go to the library b/c it is too far to walk and the bus fare is too much. We don't have a librarian at our school so nobody can check books out of the library. Everyone gets free breakfast. This is what makes kids show up to school on time/at all. We just had a dentist visit us and gave out free toothbrushes. Some of the kids didn't want to put them in their lockers because they were afraid they would lose them. Many of them don't have their "own" toothbrush. It is another world right here around us.

That is sad to read.

But the problem is that your post confirms for some parents why they don't want to send their kid to a school with a high rate of FARMS kids -- because too much time is spent on stuff other than academics (like bringing in a dentist, addressing health and other issues). I'm not saying that those things shouldn't be done for those kids. But the problem is that nonFARMS parents worry that so much less time is spent on content/academics that it puts their kid behind others of the same means. And that is why they then decide that they wouldn't want their kid going to school with poor kids.

I don't know the solution. But sadly, while your post might make people feel bad for those children, it probably deters parents even more from sending their kids to high FARMS rate schools. And I think probably that wasn't your intention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The school I work at is 93% free/reduced price lunch. Only 2 of my 33 students brought in any school supplies and only one of them could afford to pay the $7 fee for our field trip. Only a handful of them have crayons, glue sticks, etc at home and only 3 or 4 of them have a family car. They don't go to the library b/c it is too far to walk and the bus fare is too much. We don't have a librarian at our school so nobody can check books out of the library. Everyone gets free breakfast. This is what makes kids show up to school on time/at all. We just had a dentist visit us and gave out free toothbrushes. Some of the kids didn't want to put them in their lockers because they were afraid they would lose them. Many of them don't have their "own" toothbrush. It is another world right here around us.

That is sad to read.

But the problem is that your post confirms for some parents why they don't want to send their kid to a school with a high rate of FARMS kids -- because too much time is spent on stuff other than academics (like bringing in a dentist, addressing health and other issues). I'm not saying that those things shouldn't be done for those kids. But the problem is that nonFARMS parents worry that so much less time is spent on content/academics that it puts their kid behind others of the same means. And that is why they then decide that they wouldn't want their kid going to school with poor kids.

I don't know the solution. But sadly, while your post might make people feel bad for those children, it probably deters parents even more from sending their kids to high FARMS rate schools. And I think probably that wasn't your intention.

This is also the reason that teachers should not be paid based on test scores. There is a huge difference in teaching children who have nothing and those who have everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the teacher who works in a high poverty school. Maybe my school population is the exception but the reason most students are absent/late at our school is because their parents often work very early in the morning. A lot of them clean houses, etc so they have to take the kid with them to work. Then they have to get them to school on the city bus so they are often late. Sometimes the kids say that they missed school b/c their parents didn't have the bus fare to bring them to school from their job. Many of these parents work 2-3 jobs. They have a great work ethic and they do the best they can. Most of them are immigrants.

Probably not dc cause those in dc are sitting around getting drunk or high because of the never ending welfare benefits

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school I work at is 93% free/reduced price lunch. Only 2 of my 33 students brought in any school supplies and only one of them could afford to pay the $7 fee for our field trip. Only a handful of them have crayons, glue sticks, etc at home and only 3 or 4 of them have a family car. They don't go to the library b/c it is too far to walk and the bus fare is too much. We don't have a librarian at our school so nobody can check books out of the library. Everyone gets free breakfast. This is what makes kids show up to school on time/at all. We just had a dentist visit us and gave out free toothbrushes. Some of the kids didn't want to put them in their lockers because they were afraid they would lose them. Many of them don't have their "own" toothbrush. It is another world right here around us.

That is sad to read.

But the problem is that your post confirms for some parents why they don't want to send their kid to a school with a high rate of FARMS kids -- because too much time is spent on stuff other than academics (like bringing in a dentist, addressing health and other issues). I'm not saying that those things shouldn't be done for those kids. But the problem is that nonFARMS parents worry that so much less time is spent on content/academics that it puts their kid behind others of the same means. And that is why they then decide that they wouldn't want their kid going to school with poor kids.

I don't know the solution. But sadly, while your post might make people feel bad for those children, it probably deters parents even more from sending their kids to high FARMS rate schools. And I think probably that wasn't your intention.

My intention was not to make people feel bad for these students. This is their reality and while they are poor, they are generally happy, well adjusted children. They have families who love them and do the best they can for them. Our school is overly academic IMO. A lot of high poverty schools like mine feel like they are playing catch-up from the minute the kids enter school (either in pre-K or K). Other than 2 assemblies per year, the rest of the time is spent on academics. The students come in to school like students did 30 years ago when I was in K. They might know a few letters in their name but that's it. Their parents don't have the money for many books so they aren't accustomed to being read to much. At our school, parent don't decide whether or not to send their kids to our school. They are zoned for our school so there is nobody having to decide whether or not to send their child to school with poor kids. Many are ELLs and most of them do quite well but they are at a disadvantage. Native speakers have 4 or 5 years of English under their belts before they get to school. The ELLs work extremely hard to learn English and end up fluent in 2 languages. Sadly, outsiders view them as a drag or a distraction in the classroom. The people that think this usually only speak one language. My original post was meant to enlighten folks who may not have any idea that schools and students like this exist in this area. Not for people to pity them. One of my students is graduating from 5th grade this year and she wrote me a poem in English and Spanish thanking me for being her first teacher. She is going to a magnet middle school that very few kids are accepted to. She gave a speech in English and Spanish to the bilingual speaking school board last year that knocked their socks off. She may be poor but it goes to show that money isn't everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is what we seek: a compassion that can stand in awe at what the poor have to carry rather than stand in judgment at how they carry it.
-- Greg Boyle, SJ

The exact opposite code of DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school I work at is 93% free/reduced price lunch. Only 2 of my 33 students brought in any school supplies and only one of them could afford to pay the $7 fee for our field trip. Only a handful of them have crayons, glue sticks, etc at home and only 3 or 4 of them have a family car. They don't go to the library b/c it is too far to walk and the bus fare is too much. We don't have a librarian at our school so nobody can check books out of the library. Everyone gets free breakfast. This is what makes kids show up to school on time/at all. We just had a dentist visit us and gave out free toothbrushes. Some of the kids didn't want to put them in their lockers because they were afraid they would lose them. Many of them don't have their "own" toothbrush. It is another world right here around us.

That is sad to read.

But the problem is that your post confirms for some parents why they don't want to send their kid to a school with a high rate of FARMS kids -- because too much time is spent on stuff other than academics (like bringing in a dentist, addressing health and other issues). I'm not saying that those things shouldn't be done for those kids. But the problem is that nonFARMS parents worry that so much less time is spent on content/academics that it puts their kid behind others of the same means. And that is why they then decide that they wouldn't want their kid going to school with poor kids.

I don't know the solution. But sadly, while your post might make people feel bad for those children, it probably deters parents even more from sending their kids to high FARMS rate schools. And I think probably that wasn't your intention.

My intention was not to make people feel bad for these students. This is their reality and while they are poor, they are generally happy, well adjusted children. They have families who love them and do the best they can for them. Our school is overly academic IMO. A lot of high poverty schools like mine feel like they are playing catch-up from the minute the kids enter school (either in pre-K or K). Other than 2 assemblies per year, the rest of the time is spent on academics. The students come in to school like students did 30 years ago when I was in K. They might know a few letters in their name but that's it. Their parents don't have the money for many books so they aren't accustomed to being read to much. At our school, parent don't decide whether or not to send their kids to our school. They are zoned for our school so there is nobody having to decide whether or not to send their child to school with poor kids. Many are ELLs and most of them do quite well but they are at a disadvantage. Native speakers have 4 or 5 years of English under their belts before they get to school. The ELLs work extremely hard to learn English and end up fluent in 2 languages. Sadly, outsiders view them as a drag or a distraction in the classroom. The people that think this usually only speak one language. My original post was meant to enlighten folks who may not have any idea that schools and students like this exist in this area. Not for people to pity them. One of my students is graduating from 5th grade this year and she wrote me a poem in English and Spanish thanking me for being her first teacher. She is going to a magnet middle school that very few kids are accepted to. She gave a speech in English and Spanish to the bilingual speaking school board last year that knocked their socks off. She may be poor but it goes to show that money isn't everything.

LOVE your note! I have worked in both types of schools, those that are diverse with Free/Reduced lunch and those with hardly any. Personally I prefer the former as the kids, while having so many needs, appreciate so much. Parents may not have the time or the ability to work with their children, but they trust the teachers to do this and don't spend their time second guessing what the teachers are doing. Another thing to remember is a school with high needs most likely also has more resources, which are available to ALL the students in that school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school I work at is 93% free/reduced price lunch. Only 2 of my 33 students brought in any school supplies and only one of them could afford to pay the $7 fee for our field trip. Only a handful of them have crayons, glue sticks, etc at home and only 3 or 4 of them have a family car. They don't go to the library b/c it is too far to walk and the bus fare is too much. We don't have a librarian at our school so nobody can check books out of the library. Everyone gets free breakfast. This is what makes kids show up to school on time/at all. We just had a dentist visit us and gave out free toothbrushes. Some of the kids didn't want to put them in their lockers because they were afraid they would lose them. Many of them don't have their "own" toothbrush. It is another world right here around us.

That is sad to read.

But the problem is that your post confirms for some parents why they don't want to send their kid to a school with a high rate of FARMS kids -- because too much time is spent on stuff other than academics (like bringing in a dentist, addressing health and other issues). I'm not saying that those things shouldn't be done for those kids. But the problem is that nonFARMS parents worry that so much less time is spent on content/academics that it puts their kid behind others of the same means. And that is why they then decide that they wouldn't want their kid going to school with poor kids.

I don't know the solution. But sadly, while your post might make people feel bad for those children, it probably deters parents even more from sending their kids to high FARMS rate schools. And I think probably that wasn't your intention.

My intention was not to make people feel bad for these students. This is their reality and while they are poor, they are generally happy, well adjusted children. They have families who love them and do the best they can for them. Our school is overly academic IMO. A lot of high poverty schools like mine feel like they are playing catch-up from the minute the kids enter school (either in pre-K or K). Other than 2 assemblies per year, the rest of the time is spent on academics. The students come in to school like students did 30 years ago when I was in K. They might know a few letters in their name but that's it. Their parents don't have the money for many books so they aren't accustomed to being read to much. At our school, parent don't decide whether or not to send their kids to our school. They are zoned for our school so there is nobody having to decide whether or not to send their child to school with poor kids. Many are ELLs and most of them do quite well but they are at a disadvantage. Native speakers have 4 or 5 years of English under their belts before they get to school. The ELLs work extremely hard to learn English and end up fluent in 2 languages. Sadly, outsiders view them as a drag or a distraction in the classroom. The people that think this usually only speak one language. My original post was meant to enlighten folks who may not have any idea that schools and students like this exist in this area. Not for people to pity them. One of my students is graduating from 5th grade this year and she wrote me a poem in English and Spanish thanking me for being her first teacher. She is going to a magnet middle school that very few kids are accepted to. She gave a speech in English and Spanish to the bilingual speaking school board last year that knocked their socks off. She may be poor but it goes to show that money isn't everything.

I don't think people think of ESOL students as a drag or distraction, but I do think that they worry their english-only speaking child will suffer. And I think they might have a point. If a lot of Spanish is spoken in a classroom, that's going to create a situation where the English-only speaking child is, as you say, an outsider. No one wants their kid to be the odd man out in class.

That's why parents ask about the percentages, because they don't mind a certain percentage of ESOL students, but they worry that if their kid is in a 90 percent ESOL class, their kid either (a) isn't going to get as much attention as the other kids or (b) will be the outsider.

I think it's a reasonable concern.

No one said that the poor kids weren't smart or weren't capable of doing well. It's the issue of a limited amount of time, and so parents worried about their own kids are going to look at a classroom situation or the dynamics at a school and be worried about issues that may mean their child doesn't get as much appropriate academic instruction as a kid in a classroom where the teacher isn't trying to help other students catch up, learn english or deal with issues of poverty (i.e. healthcare).

[Anonymous]

sounds like veiled racism

[Anonymous]

20:03, how do you feel able to speak for all parents? Did you conduct a parent survey? Perhaps you are speaking for yourself and should say "I" instead of "parents."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school I work at is 93% free/reduced price lunch. Only 2 of my 33 students brought in any school supplies and only one of them could afford to pay the $7 fee for our field trip. Only a handful of them have crayons, glue sticks, etc at home and only 3 or 4 of them have a family car. They don't go to the library b/c it is too far to walk and the bus fare is too much. We don't have a librarian at our school so nobody can check books out of the library. Everyone gets free breakfast. This is what makes kids show up to school on time/at all. We just had a dentist visit us and gave out free toothbrushes. Some of the kids didn't want to put them in their lockers because they were afraid they would lose them. Many of them don't have their "own" toothbrush. It is another world right here around us.

That is sad to read.

But the problem is that your post confirms for some parents why they don't want to send their kid to a school with a high rate of FARMS kids -- because too much time is spent on stuff other than academics (like bringing in a dentist, addressing health and other issues). I'm not saying that those things shouldn't be done for those kids. But the problem is that nonFARMS parents worry that so much less time is spent on content/academics that it puts their kid behind others of the same means. And that is why they then decide that they wouldn't want their kid going to school with poor kids.

I don't know the solution. But sadly, while your post might make people feel bad for those children, it probably deters parents even more from sending their kids to high FARMS rate schools. And I think probably that wasn't your intention.

My intention was not to make people feel bad for these students. This is their reality and while they are poor, they are generally happy, well adjusted children. They have families who love them and do the best they can for them. Our school is overly academic IMO. A lot of high poverty schools like mine feel like they are playing catch-up from the minute the kids enter school (either in pre-K or K). Other than 2 assemblies per year, the rest of the time is spent on academics. The students come in to school like students did 30 years ago when I was in K. They might know a few letters in their name but that's it. Their parents don't have the money for many books so they aren't accustomed to being read to much. At our school, parent don't decide whether or not to send their kids to our school. They are zoned for our school so there is nobody having to decide whether or not to send their child to school with poor kids. Many are ELLs and most of them do quite well but they are at a disadvantage. Native speakers have 4 or 5 years of English under their belts before they get to school. The ELLs work extremely hard to learn English and end up fluent in 2 languages. Sadly, outsiders view them as a drag or a distraction in the classroom. The people that think this usually only speak one language. My original post was meant to enlighten folks who may not have any idea that schools and students like this exist in this area. Not for people to pity them. One of my students is graduating from 5th grade this year and she wrote me a poem in English and Spanish thanking me for being her first teacher. She is going to a magnet middle school that very few kids are accepted to. She gave a speech in English and Spanish to the bilingual speaking school board last year that knocked their socks off. She may be poor but it goes to show that money isn't everything.

I don't think people think of ESOL students as a drag or distraction, but I do think that they worry their english-only speaking child will suffer. And I think they might have a point. If a lot of Spanish is spoken in a classroom, that's going to create a situation where the English-only speaking child is, as you say, an outsider. No one wants their kid to be the odd man out in class.

That's why parents ask about the percentages, because they don't mind a certain percentage of ESOL students, but they worry that if their kid is in a 90 percent ESOL class, their kid either (a) isn't going to get as much attention as the other kids or (b) will be the outsider.

I think it's a reasonable concern.

No one said that the poor kids weren't smart or weren't capable of doing well. It's the issue of a limited amount of time, and so parents worried about their own kids are going to look at a classroom situation or the dynamics at a school and be worried about issues that may mean their child doesn't get as much appropriate academic instruction as a kid in a classroom where the teacher isn't trying to help other students catch up, learn english or deal with issues of poverty (i.e. healthcare).

This is what happened to my DD. Our base school is a Title I (67% FARMS) school. DD was teased by the Spanish-speaking kids because my she did not like the "popular" things (such as Hanna Montana, Justin Bieber, etc.). My daughter preferred to read, watch the ants on the playground, etc. Some of the Spanish-speaking kids pushed DD into the ground to the point where she ended up with mulch in her mouth. The Spanish-speaking kids would cover for each other so my DD had no one to back her up. Thankfully a teacher finally witnessed this behavior on the playground but the school did little to fix the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school I work at is 93% free/reduced price lunch. Only 2 of my 33 students brought in any school supplies and only one of them could afford to pay the $7 fee for our field trip. Only a handful of them have crayons, glue sticks, etc at home and only 3 or 4 of them have a family car. They don't go to the library b/c it is too far to walk and the bus fare is too much. We don't have a librarian at our school so nobody can check books out of the library. Everyone gets free breakfast. This is what makes kids show up to school on time/at all. We just had a dentist visit us and gave out free toothbrushes. Some of the kids didn't want to put them in their lockers because they were afraid they would lose them. Many of them don't have their "own" toothbrush. It is another world right here around us.

Dear DC teacher: on the last week of school, kids' desks, lockers and backpacks are overflowing with half-used supplies. And every August we parents buy all new supplies. Would you be appreciative or offended to receive boxes of year-end half used crayons, glue sticks, pencils, pens, paper packs, etc? One year the school did collect the used stuff to send to Haiti.