Data on Early Childhood Education and School Readiness

From the Heartland Institute, http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=11620, data From table 260 of the Statistical Abstract of the United States.

Food Insecurity

Lacking physical or economic access to food that is safe, nutritious, and culturally appropriate in quantities sufficient to sustain a healthy life

Hunger takes this a step further to skipping meals and limiting quantities to the point of experiencing sustained hunger or even malnutrition

Food Insecurity and Hunger, 2003-2005 Percent of U.S. households with food

insecurity: 11.4 (range from 6% in North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Delaware to 17% New Mexico and Mississippi).

Percent of U.S. households with food insecurity with hunger: 3.8% (range from 2% in North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Delaware to 6% in South Carolina and New Mexico)

Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program Available products:

Infant formula Frozen juice Cereal Milk Eggs Dried beans, peas, or peanut butter For breastfeeding women not receiving formula:

cheese, tuna, and carrots

School Lunch Program

Entitlement foods: meat, fruit juice, vegetable shortening, peanut products, vegetable oil, flour and other grain products, and vegetables and fruits (well, sort of)

Bonus products from agricultural surplus, especially processed foods

Average lunch prices are $1.74 in elementary school, $1.93 in secondary school; reduced-price meals cost $0.40

68% of eligible students participate