School meals are no longer free for all students. Here are some options for covering the cost
Despite the end of pandemic-era free school meals, Iowa families still have options for paying for school breakfasts and lunches.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture loosened rules that allowed school districts to feed students for free without considering family income. The goal was to make it easier for school districts to feed students in and out of school. In June, after two years of extensions and two recent federal bills that failed to progress, income restrictions were reinstated.
Additionally, these changes come at a time when school officials are dealing with the rising cost of food and needed supplies.
As classes resume for the new school year, families and school district officials have worked to find ways to cover meal costs. In Iowa, many districts have encouraged families to apply for free and reduced meals and some school officials have applied for the USDA's Community Eligibility Provision program to feed more students for free.
More: Iowa school districts work to feed students amid the end of universal free meals, increasing costs
How many students qualify for free and reduced meals?
During the 2021-22 school year, only 40.68% of Iowa students qualified for free and reduced breakfasts and lunches. This is down from 42.4% during the 2019-20 school year.
Even though meals were free over the last two years, school districts continued to have families in need fill out the applications for the price reductions.
Why are school meals no longer free?
Over the last two school years, meals for students have been free under a pandemic-era USDA rule which gave school districts more flexibility.
This rule change ended in June. Earlier this summer, President Joe Biden signed the Keep Kids Fed Act, which increased the federal government's payments for school meals by 40 cents for lunch and 15 cents for breakfast for the new school year. The increased funds are meant to help school districts amid rising prices. The act did not extend free school meals.
How do I apply for free and reduced meals?
Families have the the option at many schools to apply for free and reduced meals online including Des Moines, Indianola, Ankeny, Iowa City and Southeast Polk. If an online application is not available, people should contact their child's school or the district's nutrition department for assistance with the application.
Income restrictions do apply.
"We would encourage all families who may be eligible to apply for free and reduced priced meals, even if they did not qualify in the past as federal income guidelines change each July," said Lynn Meadows, Johnston Community School District spokesperson.
Related: COVID-era free meals program for Iowa students ends soon, and it will cost families
What if I don't qualify for free and reduced meals?
Options for additional assistance varies between school districts.
Sioux City Community School District officials, for instance, decided to cover the cost of reduced priced meals for the current 2022-23 school year.
A 2018 Iowa state law, requires school districts to feed students whether they can pay or not. The families will continue to accrue debt and the school district can try to collect. The law also allows school districts to create funds to cover these debts.
One example is the FUEL account at Ankeny Community School District. District families can use the donation funded account once a lunch balance reaches negative $50. The goal of FUEL is to make sure families are not caught up in mounting debt.
Related: When teachers brought free lunch to kids amid COVID-19, they saw poverty up close
Families can also check with the school's social worker to see if they are eligible for additional services.
Why do some schools feed kids for free?
The USDA Community Eligibility Provision program allows school districts with a high number of students from lower-economic backgrounds to apply to feed children for free. Each school must be reevaluated every few years to make sure it still qualifies.
Related: DMPS to offer free meals in every building next year despite COVID-era program ending
Some school districts, including Des Moines, Council Bluffs and Postville, have enough students who qualify that breakfast, lunch and some snacks for free for all students.
A number of districts, like West Des Moines, Des Moines and Davenport, were able to use the program to expand the number of schools where students can eat for free this coming school year.
Samantha Hernandez covers education for the Register. Reach her at (515) 851-0982 or svhernandez@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @svhernandez or Facebook at facebook.com/svhernandezreporter.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa families have options as universal free school meals end
