Information about the FRPM (Student Poverty) Data
This page provides historical information about the free or reduced-price meal (FRPM) data and the various uses of these data.The California Department of Education (CDE) has made available school-level FRPM eligible data that local educational agencies (LEAs) certified in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) as part of their annual Fall 1 data submission. The certified data in this file reflect the unduplicated counts and percentages of students eligible to receive Free or Reduced-Price Meals (FRPM) under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The file includes school-level FRPM eligible data for K–12 students and for students who are ages 5–17 who have a primary or short-term enrollment in the school on Fall Census Day (the first Wednesday in October).
Notes About the Data
As part of the CALPADS Fall 1 submission, LEAs certify an unduplicated count of students who are FRPM eligible. This count includes:
- Students who are eligible to receive Free or Reduced-Price Meals (FRPM) based on applying for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), or who are determined to meet the same income eligibility criteria as the NSLP, through their local schools; and
- Students who are automatically eligible for free meals based on their foster, migrant, or homeless status, or because they were "directly certified" as being eligible for free meals based on their participation in California's food stamp program.
Note: This file includes data for K–12 students and for students ages 5–17 who are enrolled in Non-Public, Non-Sectarian (NPS) schools and in some adult schools.
Data Purposes
The free and FRPM counts and percentages are used by a number of programs to determine funding or grant eligibility. Some of the programs are listed below with the specific data in the file that are used:
| Program | Column | Field/Description | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title I | J |
Percent (%) Eligible FRPM (Ages 5–17) | Used to determine funding allocation for county offices of education and direct funded charter schools. |
| Economic Impact Aid (EIA) | FGH |
Enrollment (Ages 5–17); |
Used to determine EIA funding. |
| After School Education and Safety Program | J |
Percent (%) Eligible FRPM (Ages 5–17) | Used to determine grant eligibility. |
| 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program | J |
Percent (%) Eligible FRPM (Ages 5–17) | Used to determine grant eligibility. |
| E-Rate* | E |
Percent (%) Eligible FRPM (K–12) | Used to determine grant eligibility. * NOTE: Please see additional information below regarding FRPM data for schools on a National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). |
| Charter School Facility Grant Program | E |
Percent (%) Eligible FRPM (K–12) | Used to determine grant eligibility. |
| Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Section 131 funds) | FIJ |
Enrollment (Ages 5–17); |
Used to determine funding allocation for county offices of education and direct funded charter schools. |
School Level Data File
Refer to the main FRPM Student Poverty Data Web page for the data file.
Information Regarding Schools on an NSLP Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
The school-level FRPM data file provided on the FRPM Student Poverty Data page were collected and certified through the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). However, per the E-Rate modernization order, local education agencies (LEAs) must use the school’s Identified Student Percentage (ISP) for CEP schools when completing the E-Rate application. The E-Rate application form will automatically multiply the ISP by the national multiplier established for determining their current year NSLP reimbursement rate. Information about each school’s NSLP provision status is available in the school-level FRPM data file provided on the FRPM Student Poverty Data page under the column labeled "NSLP Provision Status."
To obtain ISP information for CEP schools OR for any other questions about NSLP provisions, please contact the CDE Nutrition Services Division.
- E-mail: nsddatarequest@cde.ca.gov | Phone: 1-800-952-5609
When e-mailing: Please mention “CEP Data for E-Rate” or "NSLP Provision Questions" or put an appropriate subject in the subject line to ensure that your e-mail gets directed appropriately.
Questions about the E-Rate Program should be directed to the CDE Education Data Office.
- E-mail: e-rate@cde.ca.gov | Phone: 916-445-9394
Questions about the CALPADS data in the school-level FRPM data file provided on the FRPM Student Poverty Data page should be directed to the CDE Data Reporting Office or the CALPADS/CBEDS/CDS Operations Office.
CALPADS/CBEDS/CDS Operations Office | calpads@cde.ca.gov | 916-324-6738