Easier Access to Free School Meals and Hunger Elimination
This act aims to make it easier for children to access free or reduced-price school meals, especially those from low-income families, children in foster care, and children living with grandparents. It introduces automatic qualification for meal programs and ensures reimbursement for parents who previously paid for meals but whose child was later qualified for free meals. Additionally, the act establishes pilot programs for universal free meals in selected states.
Key points
More children will automatically receive free or reduced-price school meals, including children in foster care, adopted children, those cared for by relatives, and children from low-income families.
Easier transfer of free meal eligibility between schools, meaning a child will not lose access to meals when changing schools.
Parents may receive refunds for meals if their child is later qualified for free meals, retroactive to the beginning of the school year.
Increased number of schools that can offer free meals to all students, regardless of family income, due to changes in funding rules.
Pilot programs in selected states will provide free meals to all students in participating schools, without the need for applications.
Introduced
Citizen Poll