"Low income" refers to the percentage of students at a given school who qualify for free lunch, which is considered a measure of economic need. To be deemed eligible for free lunch, a student must submit a form showing family income at or below 130% of the poverty line (a maximum income of $23,920 for a family of four).

For projects submitted from a school where free lunch rate data is unavailable or unreliable, only a "?" mark will appear. For more on this issue or if you believe your school's information is inaccurate, see our FAQ entry on the subject.

How is "high need" defined at DonorsChoose?

DonorsChoose follows the federal government conventions around defining need. Schools with more than 40% of students receiving free/reduced lunch are denoted as "high need" while schools with more than 65% of students receiving free/reduced lunch are denoted as "high poverty". Searching DonorsChoose for "High Level of Poverty" projects will show classroom projects from schools where more than 40% of students receive free/reduced lunch.