Pandemic-era free school lunch programs changing
Aug. 14—LIMA — The cost of a school lunch has increased. Most of the schools in the immediate area have raised their lunch prices to offset inflationary increases and the elimination of free lunches for all students. School food service programs at schools run independent and are not reliant on the school's budget. The COVID-19 pandemic made school lunches free for all K-12 students. About a third of those meals will need to be paid for by families this school year.
As a part of the government's effort to feed children during the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture allowed all K-12 students, rather than only those eligible for free or reduced-price meals, to get free school breakfast and lunch no matter their family's income. The waivers were extended to all students attending schools that participated in the National School Lunch Program. But the extended program came to a halt at the end of the 2021-22 school year.
In fiscal year 2019, 29.6 million students received a free or reduced lunch each school day or 52.1% of all public school students. This number dropped to 22.6 million in fiscal year 2020 due to school closures caused by the pandemic. Although the count of students receiving free or reduced lunches dropped, the percentage of all students getting meals through the program increased in the last two years.
In 2021, 98.3% of all students participating in the national school lunch program received a free lunch. This rate was a 24.2 percentage point increase from pre-pandemic participation in 2019. According to the USDA, nearly 100,000 public and nonprofit private schools participate in the program.
In June, President Biden signed the Keep Kids Fed Act into law, extending some food assistance measures for school-age children. However, this legislation does not extend making school breakfasts and lunches free to all students regardless of family incomes, as has been the case for the last two school years. Therefore, school lunch prices will go into effect at the beginning of this school year.
A student from a household with an income at or below 130% of the poverty income threshold is eligible for free lunch. The poverty line for a family of four is $27,750. So a family of four at 130% of the poverty line would earn $36,075. A family of four whose income ranges from 130% to 185 % of the poverty line would be eligible for a reduced price lunch. Income for a family of four whose income would range from $36,075 to $51,337.50 would qualify for reduced-priced lunches. In addition, some groups of children — such as foster children, and children participating in the Head Start and Migrant Education programs — are also eligible for free lunches through the National School Lunch Program.
Most schools are encouraging parents to complete the form for free lunch. Forms in some cases may be completed online. Schools will provide a free lunch form for parents to complete.
Prior to the pandemic, some schools provided universal free meals through a program created by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. A provision in the law allows an individual school or a cluster of schools within the same district to provide free meals to all students if at least 40% of enrolled students live in households that participate in other federal income-based programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Additional funding from the Keep Kids Fed Act is on the way to help districts offset the higher costs of feeding Ohio children this school year. It authorizes an additional $.40 per lunch reimbursement and $.15 per breakfast reimbursement.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also allocating $33 million dollars to help Ohio school districts buy fresh fruit and veggies, meat and milk.
California and Maine are the first two states to pass a universal free school meals program. New York City also offers universal free meals to K-12 students.
The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2021 was introduced to Congress last year and would permanently allow all K-12 students, regardless of family income, to receive free school meals. The bill has yet to pass in either chamber of Congress.
Reach Dean Brown at 567-242-0409
