Today the Federal Education Budget Project (FEBP) at the New America Foundation released data on federal funding for school nutrition programs for every state and school district in the country.  This is the only searchable and downloadable source of district-level federal school nutrition data available.  The data can be accessed at EdBudgetProject.Org.

Currently funded at $13 billion, school nutrition programs represent the second largest federal funding source for public schools after Title I.  Tracking these programs is of particular importance now given school budget deficits, budget uncertainty due to the credit crisis, and increased food prices.

"Across the country, schools have been losing money on every meal served and rising food prices have brought districts into serious budget deficits, sometimes as high as $1 million," said Jennifer Cohen, an education policy analyst and blogger at FEBP's Ed Money Watch.

Take Philadelphia, for example. "The Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently shut down Philadelphia's universal feeding program which provided free meals to all students in participating schools," said Cohen in today's edition of Ed Money Watch.  "With the removal of federal funds, money will surely play a major role as Philadelphia decides how to revamp its school lunch program."

Upcoming: Analysis of the data and recommendations for how school nutrition programs can be better leveraged to help low-income children.

Additional Links:

• Background on federal school nutrition programs: www.newamerica.net/programs/education_policy/federal_education_budget_project/nutrition_programs
• About the Federal Education Budget Project, which houses Ed Money Watch: www.newamerica.net/programs/education_policy/federal_education_budget_project/about

The New America Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States.  Headquartered in Washington D.C., New America also has offices in California.