Legislative & Community Relations Bureau
Frequently Asked Questions about the New Mexico Public Education Department

Low-Income Schools

• What determines whether a school qualifies as being low income?  What is the benefit to schools that are identified as low income?

The percentage of students qualifying for free-and-reduced-price lunch is an indicator of poverty at the school level.  This is commonly requested in federal and state grant funding proposals.  Applicants need to read the grant competition notices carefully to determine what that particular grant is defining as the target population.  If poverty information is requested in a grant competition notice, schools should work with their district’s Student Nutrition director or Title I director regarding the poverty level of their school.