Students economically disadvantaged in Ohio

Definitions: The percent of students in poverty in school districts as defined by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE).  It is also referred to as Economic Disadvantage.

This is a student based indicator that reflects the portion of a district’s student population that meets any of the following conditions:    

1. Students who are known to be eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunches; a program through the United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A) National School Lunch Program.  Eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch can be determined through a variety of methods including the electronic direct certification process or completion by a parent or guardian of a free and reduced-price lunch application.  A student with an approved application on file for a free or reduced-price lunch is qualified to be reported to ODE as economically disadvantaged.
2. Students who have not submitted an application for free or reduced-price lunch or who have not been directly certified as eligible but reside in a household in which a member (e.g. sibling) is known to be eligible for free or reduced-price lunch via an approved application or through direct certification.
3. Students who are known to be recipients of or whose guardians are known to be recipients of public assistance.  A source for determining whether a student’s family is receiving public assistance is the Education Monetary Assistance Distribution (EMAD) system.
4. Students whose parents or guardians have completed a Title I student income form and meet the income guidelines specified.

Data Source: Ohio Department of Education

Footnotes: In 2015, some school districts were able to opt into the Community Eligibility Program that enables eligible school districts to identify all, or nearly all, of their students as disadvantaged (source: Ohio Department of Education)