A report by a Kansas school board association finds the increase in children receiving free or reduced-price meals is tied to poverty rates and isn’t a ploy to boost school funding.

Over the past 15 years, the number of students eligible for the meals had swelled from 33 to 50 percent.

The number of students who qualify for free meals factors into the state’s school finance formula.

School districts receive more money for students from low-income households. It’s based on the idea that schools in impoverished areas have a higher need.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports state lawmakers have raised questions about why there’s an increase in students eligible for the meals and whether the growth in applications is linked to schools misusing the formula to get more funding.

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(Information from: The Topeka Capital-Journal)