Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools uses a 1.3 multiplier for every student enrolled in the free and reduced-lunch program. In other words, each F&R student at a particular school means 30 percent more staff and funding support than a non-enrolled student would generate. The F&R lunch percentage is tied to other local perks, too, but I?m still working on parsing out each benefit. Of course, none of this counts the federal money that is tied to F&R lunch.
In Wake County, some parents are upset with the system over reassignments and inconvenient busing schedules. These assignments are based in part on F&R lunch percentages as well. Some CMS school board members have raised the question of whether, given the facts, the program is a true indicator of socioeconomic status. A good share of federal and local funding is riding on the answer to that question.
