The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires all School Meal Program sponsors to collect race and ethnicity data of applicants and participants.  The purpose of this data collection effort is to determine how effectively School Meal Programs are reaching potentially eligible students.  Responses have no effect on eligibility.

The purpose for collecting race and ethnicity data is to determine how effectively School Meal Programs are reaching potentially eligible students, provision of this date is voluntary, responses are kept confidential, and responses have no effect on eligibility.