The CARE for Kids Act would ensure that more students receive free meals at school. | Photo: Shutterstock
Lawmakers at both the federal and state levels continue to push for legislation that would expand access to free school meals.
A bill introduced by U.S. Congresswoman Jahana Hayes would expand access to free school meals to children living with grandparents and other relatives, while lawmakers in Michigan and Delaware have taken further steps to expand access to free school meals.
Below you will find the latest information on legislation regarding food in schools.
Federal bill seeks to further expand access to free school meals
U.S. Congresswoman Jahana Hayes has introduced a bill that would provide free or reduced-priced school meals to children living with grandparents or other relatives.
The CARE for Kids Act would allow direct certification for free or reduced-price meals at school for children living with grandparents or other relatives, children living in “extended family” housing, or receiving housing assistance under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996, and more.
“Ensuring that students in need have access to school-based food assistance programs, regardless of who their guardian is or where they live, is critical to ending child hunger.” Congressman Hayes said in a statement. “As someone who was raised by his grandmother, I understand how challenging it can be for family members to shoulder the burden of caring for a child. By expanding program eligibility and closing the gap in assistance, Child Care Act will help feed children in need and reduce costs for their caregivers.”
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor Market. A version of the bill was first introduced in 2019 and again in 2021.
Free school meals in Michigan to remain available next fall
Michigan public school students will once again receive free school meals this fall. The state legislature recently passed HB 5507, which sets aside $200 million to continue providing the free meals.
Michigan offered free school meals to all students for the first time this school year after funding for the meals was included in the state budget. The state is one of the few to have decided to offer free school meals to all students again after the expiration of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) waivers that allowed schools across the state to offer meals to all students for free.
In addition to Michigan, states that have implemented universal free meals programs include California, Maine, Minnesota and others. School food operators in these states have seen increased participation in the months following the implementation of their universal free meals programs.
See which states are currently offering free meals in the map below:
Delaware’s Reduced Meal Plan Bill Nears Finalization
A bill to offer reduced-price meals in schools is on its way to Delaware Gov. John Carney.
Originally, the bill would have provided free school meals for all studentsregardless of their family’s financial background. However, the original legislation was considered too costly, and was replaced last month by the current bill.
Once the law is signed, the state will join Connecticutand others by providing free meals to students who qualify for reduced-price meals.
Pennsylvania lawmakers advance two school nutrition bills
Meal debt could be eliminated in Pennsylvania thanks to a bill that just passed the Senate.
Filed by Rep. Emily Kinkead, HB 5507 would wipe out the state’s roughly $80 million in student loan debt and ban lunch-shaming practices in schools, including serving alternative meals to students who fall behind on meal payments.
“Food insecurity is worse in this Commonwealth now than it was during the pandemic, with one in six children experiencing food insecurity,” Kinkead said in a statement. “When students are hungry at school, it negatively impacts their achievement and the overall learning environment. Eliminating school meal debt would give every child access to consistent meals. Banning debt shaming recognizes that it’s hard enough to be a kid without being singled out above your peers.”
If signed into law, the state would join MassachusettsNorth Dakota and other states have passed laws banning the practice.
Another school nutrition bill in the House has also advanced to the Senate. Introduced by Rep. Danilo Burgos, the Keystone Fresh Act would establish the Keystone Fresh program, which provide grants to school nutrition programs, local suppliers, and more to increase the amount of local food that ends up on student lunch trays.
“Schools across Pennsylvania serve more than 157 million lunches per yearproviding essential nutrients to children across the state and making them one of the largest potential markets for Pennsylvania agricultural producers,” Burgos said in a statement. “Despite a child nutrition budget of more than $729 million per year, schools themselves indicate that they spend less than 2% of that money is spent on Pennsylvania-grown foods. Legislation to encourage local food purchases, like the Keystone Fresh Act, would address this problem by creating a grant program that incentivizes schools to purchase, promote, and serve local foods in their meal programs.”
