Hawai'i public schools are seeing a decline in the number of students enrolled in the federal free and reduced-price lunch program in the past two years following a drop in enrollment and the opening of more charter schools.

Enrollment at public schools was 181,355 in the 2005-06 school year but dropped to 171,000 last school year.

Last year 68,833 students received free or reduced lunches as opposed to 72,100 the year before.

But the reason for the decline is more complicated, said Glenna Owens, director for School Food Services at the Department of Education.

"If all the charter schools still belonged to us we could safely say, yes, there would be an upward trend," Owens said.

But changes for charter schools in the past two or three years mean the DOE no longer counts their students as part of its programs.

Charter schools have their own food service, so they apply for the subsidy that is then given directly to their food service program, she said. The DOE's Charter Schools Administrative Office said it did not have information on the number of students enrolled in the federal lunch program.

Owens said the DOE will have a complete count of number of free and reduced lunches at regular public schools after Sept. 10, the deadline for submitting applications.

Spikes in food costs have had an effect on the food program, and a requirement to keep the cost of food to $1.10 a plate leaves little wiggle room to make up the extra cost, she said.

Owens said she tries to anticipate higher costs and request more money from the state Legislature. This year the federal government has increase reimbursement by 3 percent and for now she said she's comfortable. If costs continue to rise, adjustments will have to be made — but not in the food provided, Owens said.

"Our wiggle room would be in repair and maintenance of our equipment," she said.