Analyzing the socioeconomic status of the school district was pertinent for the
validity of the surveys. With assistance from Dr. Ingwalson, it was discovered that many
students at VMS qualify for reduced or free lunches every year. A free or reduced lunch
is provided to students who are eligible for the government’s program that subsidizes
meals for children from low-income households (ProPublica, 2010). In 2010, the USDE
reported 51 percent of VMS students were eligible for reduced or free lunches, compared
to the 27 percent state average. At the district level, 35 percent of students were eligible,
placing VMS above both averages (ProPublica, 2010). With an estimated population of
67,472 citizens, 16.5 percent of the individuals are under the poverty line (United States
Census, 2010).