PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Proposed changes to the federal food stamp program could impact thousands of students in Florida. 

Florida education officials and advocates said about 200,000 students could become ineligible for automatic free school lunches under a Trump administration proposal expected to reduce the number of food stamps enrollees.

And thousands of students could be affected at Bay area schools. 

Pasco Schools Nutrition Specialist Megan Sexton said of the 75,000 students in the county, more than half participate in the free lunch program. 

Surprising, yes, but more common than most people think. 

Fifty percent of the students in Pinellas County are on free lunch and 62 percent are in Hillsborough County. And 73 percent of students in Hernando County participate in the national school lunch program. 

Children automatically qualify for free lunches if their families receive food stamps, but in July the Trump administration proposed tightening eligibility for what was formerly called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 

The U.S. Agriculture Department released an analysis in October showing nearly 1 million students nationwide could be affected.

"When everyone first heard about this proposal, was it freak out mode? Yeah, we all panicked," Sexton said.  "But we looked at it, crunched the numbers and it looks like only 600 kids will be affected."

Still, impacted Florida households would still be eligible for free- and reduced-price meals if they individually file an application for the National School Lunch Program.

Sexton said the district would work with families to make sure students receive their meals. 

"It helps them grow and learn," she said. "That's why we're here."